PLCS is gaining momentum as the preferred standard for the exchange and sharing of PLM data covering the complete life cycle of products from requirements to the in-service phase. Eurostep was contracted to provide resources alongside others in a UK MOD sponsored project where the ease of use of PLCS was addressed and significantly improved by the release of the new PLCS implementation architecture.
The result is now available in PLCSLib, the updated PLCS online resource library. The core standard PLCS information model hosted by PLCSLib remains the same but the approach used to document it and to implementing it with XML exchange or in a Service Oriented Architecture has been radically improved.
PLCSLib means that end-users need only consider their business requirements whilst developers can easily make use of mainstream modelling and software development tools (e.g SysML tools) and take advantage of the simplified PLCS XML messages. Furthermore test exchanges have already been successfully piloted.
PLCS is the informal name for ISO 10303-239 Product Life Cycle Support (AP239) and defines a standard information model for the sharing of through life product information. PLCS is being used in automotive, defence, aerospace, energy and other industries to improve the speed and quality of information sharing primarily across enterprise borders helping organisation cut costs and deliver new services.
More information:
PLCS can be accessed as a project on
Sourceforge: http://sourceforge.net/projects/plcslib/
and online at http://www.plcs-resources.org/plcslib/
