CALS REPORT ISSUE SUMMARIES Vol. 1 No. 7, October 1988 through No. 9, December 1988 Knowledge Base Intl., 13939 NW Fwy, Ste 270, Houston, TX 77040, (713) 690-7644 The CALS Report is published monthly by Knowledge Base International, 13939 Northwest Freeway, Suite 270, Houston, TX 77040, (713) 690-7644 Subscription: 12 Issues per year US $225.00 First Class USA US $225.00 First Class USA Canada, Mexico, Overseas Surface US $295.00 Overseas Airmail Purchase Orders, add $10 billing charge ---CALS Report 1988 -----Costello Identifies Strong Industrial Base as Deterrent In an important report and keynote address on the subject, Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition) Robert Costello has identified the need for a strong US industrial base as a clear deterrent to war and failing that, essential in fighting it. The report, entitled, "Bolstering Defense Industrial Competitiveness," lists 15 recommendations, some of which are already being implemented. The recommendations and progress were reiterated in a keynote address at the American Defense Preparedness Association Conference on North American Defense Industrial Strategy. Industry preparations to be CALScompliant in data deliverables and R&M/CAD concurrent engineering are viewed as one component of an overall strategy of strengthening industry's quality, efficiency, and mobilization capabilities. Said Costello, "The defense industry is a benefit to a peacetime economy ......a drain on the economy." -----Defense Industrial Network Using CALS-type Data Vol. 1 No. 7, October
The Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) has developed Defense Industrial Network (DINET),a system which permits mutual impact studies of design choices and the supplying industrial base. Danal H. Dennison, Program Manager, explained that DINET uses the parts breakdown of a weapon system and ties it to another contractor/subcontractor breakdown to assess the capability of the US industrial base to supply vital parts and materiel during various scenarios. The system was demonstrated at the American Defense Preparedness Association (ADPA) 1988 Conference on Defense Industrial Strategy. ----CALS Task Group Reviews Industry Comments on CALS Standards CALS Industry Standards Working Group has reviewed extensive industry comments on the CALS Standards currently released for public review. These standards are: MIL-STD-1840A, Change Notice 1 MIL-D-28000, Amendment 1 MIL-HDBK-CALS (draft) MIL-D-CGM (draft) MIL-R-RASTER (draft) TRIF 2.X (draft) Over 27 companies and professional organizations returned comments on the standards. The two-day review was chaired by George F. Jenkins of Vitro Corporation. -----An Analysis: SGML and ODA/ODIF Impact CALS Standards Unevenly The only controversy which arose out of the industry task group review of the CALS standards is the apparent collision between the ISO 8879 Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML) representation of documents required in MIL-D-28001 and ISO 8613, Office Document Architecture (ODA) representation implicit in MIL-R-RASTER and TRIF. Because of these differences in approach,
it seems that SGML and ODA will influence CALS standards unevenly and perhaps in contradiction. ------CALS Security Task Group Sees Existing Security Methods OK for Phase I The CALS Security Task Group has reported to the CALS Industry Steering Group that Phase I CALS standards require no modifications to impose levels of security typically found in current practice. This level of security requires a total document be secure, if any diagram, component, paragraph, or other entity in the document is secure. The task group sees more complex security requirements, and thus, changes to CALS standards, arising when CALS Phase II integration and access is required. ------SRI Security Expert Says Some CALS Access Could Compromise Secure Data Bases Dr. Matthew Morgenstern of Standford Research Institute told the CALS Security Task Group that some types of data base access could compromise security, even if queries were restricted to unclassified data. Dr. Morgenstern made his comments during and following a briefing on Security problems related to data inference and aggregation for the CALS Security Task Group. Morgenstern said that an intruder could use his knowledge of data relationships in the data base application to reconstruct or "infer" the missing data. DoD has been worried that data which is unclassified in small pieces might need more security if aggregated together. Inference of missing data adds a new dimension to the security problem. -----TECHDOC 12 Dominated by CALS MIL-M-28001 SGML Standard TECHDOC 12, the Graphic Communications Association (GCA) annual review of technical publishing technology, was dominated by the growing interest in CALS and its use of SGML in MIL-D-28000. CGA is a long supporter of the SGML ISO standard. TECHDOC has become a forum for using SGML in tech pubs. ------
Navy Discloses Successful Automatic SMGL Markup Demonstration The US Navy has successfully demonstrated automatic SMGL markup using existing commercial hardware and software. The demonstration results were reported at TECHDOC 12 in San Diego. The demonstration may be the first automatic SGML markup of a DoD manual starting with the paper document. ----EIS Project Develops Object Oriented Data Exchange Language The Air Force Engineering Information System (EIS) has developed an Object Oriented Data Language (OODL) for encoding engineering design information for data exchange. Although OODL is initially used for transfer of electrical information, it is general and can be used in any discipline. EIS is a CALS project expected to contribute new standards for data exchange and CAE software integration. -----MIL STD 454 to Require VHDL for Application-Specific Micro-Electronics The forthcoming, MIL STD 454 will Require VLSI Hardware Definition Language (VHDL) for Application-Specific Micro-Electronics. Requirement 64 of that standards requires the delivery of a functional description of applicationspecific mirco-electronics encoded in VHDL for delivery to DoD. MIL STD 454 covers all electronic hardware: Requirement 64 covers micro-electronics. MILSTD-454 is scheduled to be effective 20 September, 1988 and is currently being published. -----GOSIP Approved as New FIPS Standard The Secretary of Commerce has approved a new standard, which is being published as FIPS PUB 146, Government Opens Systems Interconnection Profile (GOSIP). This new standard supersedes FIP PUB 98, which is withdrawn from the FIPS series. Federal Information Processing Standards Publications (FIP PUBS)
are issued by the National Bureau of Standards after approval by the Secretary of Commerce. This step is important because DoD is committed to use GOSIP two years after its publication as a FIPS standard (see CALS Report, August, 1988). --------European Consortium Plans Secure CALS Network A Consortium of European defense contractors, vendors, and universities is planning a long-term development program for a European Integrated Information Services System (EIISS) for European Secure Computer-aided Acquisition and Logistics Support (ESCALS). According to Consortium Co-ordinator, John Beer of Sydney Communications Ltd., EIISS ESCALS development will begin with a subsystem Pilot Demonstrator Project as part of a European Community Information Service (PDP.ECIS). -----PDES Logistics Definition Committee nears completion of Planning Model The PDES Logistics Definition Committee is close to completion of a high level IDEF planning model of product logistics information. IDEF Planning models begin with enterprise functions (IDEF0 model) and develop a corresponding information structure and content (IDEF1x model). The IDEF0 model identifies Input, Control, Output, and Mechanism (ICOM) information and processes, IDEF1x defines the information structures. Information items identified in one model are then refined in another and vice versa. In this way, the planning model evolves into an accurate information model within a given discipline. -----GE and Context present LSAR Report/Tech Pub Integration at TECHDOC 12 At the recent San Diego TECHDOC 12 show, Ron Harlow from GE Huntsville and Bruce A. Foster of Context presented their implementation of a CALS compatible Electronic Technical Publishing (ETP) system. The system was integrated with
the Logistic Support Analysis Record (LSAR) data base summary reports. It represents one method of integrating commercial technical publication system with the output of LSA activities. ---XEROX TO Acquire Crowntek/CCA Unit Specializing in Database Software Xerox Corporation and Crowntek announced the signing of a definitive agreement by which Xerox would acquire a Crowntek unit that specializes in the research and development of database software systems. The unit is the Advanced Information Technology Division (AITD) of Crowntek's subsidiary, Computer Corporation of America (CCA). Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Xerox said it expects to complete the acquisition in the third quarter. The acquisition seems to indicate a Xerox strategy of supporting more intelligent and integrated documents of the type envisioned for CALS. ------Five Unisys UNIX OS-Based Microcomputers Qualify for First-Day X/OPEN Compliance First-day X/Open brand compliance for Unisys U 5000 Series and U 6000 Series UNIX OS-based super microcomputers was announced by Jerry L Peterson, vice president of Unisys Entry Level and Department Systems. ---CALS Calendar CALS Report 1988 Vol. 1 No. 8, November
Katzen: Costello and I will be looking for CALS Compliance Jack Katzen, Assistant Secretary of Defense (Production and Logistics), OASD, promised the personal interest of Robert B. Costello, Undersecretary of Defense (Acquisition) in CALS compliance, particularly in data sharing and integration, and concurrent engineering. Concurrent engineering predicts the demand for logistic resources of a design concurrently with its physical performance. Data sharing between integrated software tools is seen as vital to making such performance predictions concurrent.
----Concurrent Engineering Dominates CALS EXPO '88 Technical Discussion The Phase II emphasis on shared data and concurrent engineering dominated the technical program at the sellout CALS EXPO '88. Phase I of CALS emphasized standards for data exchange and delivery. The standards are now viewed as enabling technologies, permitting Phase II efforts to proceed. -----Consensus: Today's Commercial IGES Software Not Compliant With CALS Several respected industry and government presenters at the CALS EXPO indicated that commercial IGES translators lack features needed for full compliance with CALS MIL-D-28000 IGES subsets. The remarks were made by several who spoke from direct project experience with IGES, in sharp contrast to many positive endorsements by other speakers. -----Sellout CALS EXPO '88 Pleases DoD, Vendors, and Attendees Enthusiasm was evident at the sellout CALS EXPO '88. The CALS EXPO '88 was held in Gathersburg, MD and hosted by National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), formerly NBS. The program was three days of presentations and briefings, running simultaneously with demonstrations of service efforts and commercial products in a separate exhibit. ------NIST Establishes National PDES Testbed The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Defense Department's Computer-Aided Acquisition and Logistic Support (CALS) Office announced that NIST will develop a National PDES Testbed facility. The facility will test implementations of the Product Data Exchange Specification (PDES) and is expected to speed the development and use of PDES in computerintegrated design, manufacturing, and logistics processes. PDES is under development by a diverse group of government agencies, academic researchers, private companies, and an industry-funded cooperative called PDES, Inc. Many PDES experts have noted the need for uniform testing of results from all groups. The announcement was made at the 1988 CALS EXPO.
------CALS International Task Group Formed The CALS Industry Steering has formed an International Task Group to facilitate international cooperation on CALS issues. The task group recognizes that US requirements for defense purposes must be coordinated on an international basis. ------CALS Small Business Committee Formed A small business committee has been formed by the CALS Industry Steering Group to assess the impact of CALS concepts and standards on their products and business practices. The committee is a response to industry and DoD concerns that CALS implementation may adversely effect small business, unless proper safeguards are put in place. ------NIST Preparing Draft FIPS for MIL-M-38784 Compliant ODA Profile A profile for Office Document Architecture (ODA) has been drafted for use as a Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) by National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST). The profile will comply with MIL-M38784, which details to layout and appearance of military technical manuals. The CALS standard MIL-M-28001 Appendix C (Output Specification or OS) is also designed to comply with the same standard. In some organizations (e.g. CCITT), Office Document Architecture is called Open Document Architecture. ------ANSI Committee to Harmonize Electronic Product Definition Standards With help from the Electronic Industry Association (EIA) the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has established an ad hoc committee to consider the need for harmonization of electronic product definition standards. At the first meeting in May, it was agreed to establish a limited scope, as hoc committee to address the overlapping electronic product definition standards problem, to identify those problems and to develop a recommended plan for
harmonization. The ANSI committee will coordinate with ongoing CALS efforts in the same area. -----Air Force/Industry Coalition Demonstrates IISS at CALS EXPO '88 The Air Force/Industry Coalition used their IISS research system to demonstrate the integrated use of commercial CAD/CAM/CAE tools on distributed, heterogeneous hardware, software and product data. The Air force is participating in CALS from both a user of the technology and as an accelerating force for the implementation of the CALS standards. The Air Force/Industry Coalition demonstrates the integration of design, manufacturing, and logistics support systems. Although patterned after the demonstration at Enterprise '88 (see CALS Report, August, 1988, p 4) it stressed CALS, rather than OSI standards. The end-to-end demonstration was a snapshot of the status of current technology for CALS' current and future standards. ----Air Force On-Line Information System to Buy CALS Compliant ADP Systems The Air Force On-Line Information System (OLIS) will promote the commercialization of CALS compliant hardware and software by direct buying of commercially available products. Selected R&D tasks will be used to fill any gaps in technology. OLIS will complete the spinoff of certain Air Force CALSrelated development programs and incorporate other interoperability standards. -------Congress Told CALS Will Improve Industrial Base Response DoD foresees benefits through improved responsiveness of the industrial base by development of integrated design and manufacturing capabilities, and by industry networks to build and support weapon systems based on digital product descriptions. DoD made their comments in their annual report to congress on Computer-aided Acquisition and Logistic Support (CALS). According to the report, implementation of CALS is already leading to a major impact on the way DoD and Industry conduct business.
-----CALS Oversight Scope, Budget Changed for FY 1989 The scope of CALS steering group oversight was changed for FY 1989 in several ways. A number of projects related to line maintenance and procurement were lost, while all work on concurrent engineering were gained. The change in scope resulted in a smaller budget attributed directly to CALS. -----McDonnell Aircraft, XYVision to Test MIL-STD-1840A with Air Force/CTN McDonnell and Xyvision, Inc., announced at the CALS EXPO '88 that they will transmit a large technical manual to the Air Force with evaluation by the CALS Test Network (CTN). The test is one of the first commitments to CTN testing, and is distinguished by the size and complexity of the document to be tested. Test results are scheduled for release in the first quarter of 1989. ---IRDS Guide Published An application guide to the use of the Information Resource Dictionary System (IRDS) has been announced by NIST. The guide, NBS Spec. Pub. 500-152, "Guide to Information Resource Dictionary System Applications: General Concepts and Strategic Systems Planning". The guide explains how an Information Resource Dictionary (IRD) can be used to support information management activities throughout the life cycle of a system. ----Errata ---CALS Calendar CALS Report 1988 Vol. 1 No. 9, December
PDES Logistics Application Model to Implement Full MIL-STD-1388
According to Rick Bshara, Chairman of the PDES Logistics Subcommittee, the final PDES Logistics application model should contain the data and relationships now in MIL-STD-1388 2A. Bshara was questioned at the recent IGES/PDES meeting at W. Palm Beach, FL. As reported earlier, the PDES Logistics Committee was completing a high-level planning model at that meeting. The completed high level planning model is available for public comment. -----IGES/PDES Approves PDES Document for Review The Edit Committee of the IGES/PDES project approved a PDES/STEP document for consideration by the International Standards Organization (ISO) at its upcoming meeting in Tokyo. ISO consideration and adoption is consideration important for CALS because DoD prefers to adopt international standards. ISO adoption of the document as a total approach is hoped for. PDES development in the US will continue and may be published as a separate ANSI standard. ----IGES Test Suite Ready for Beta Testing The IGES/PDES Testing Committee has finished work on a suite of technical documents. The suite was readied at the recent IGES/PDES meeting at W. Palm Beach, FL. The completion of the test protocol is important to uniform testing of IGES translators and eventual certification of testing laboratories. -----IGES/PDES Project Creates Dictionary Committee The IGES/PDES Project has created a Dictionary Ad Hoc Committee to control the terms and documentation used in PDES. The committee, chaired by Joan Tyler of National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) began work with a two day workshop in September. ------MIL-M-28001 Review Recommends Registry of Service-Unique Applications The Industry Steering Group Standards Working Group has recommended registry
of Service-Unique applications of MIL-M-28001. The move came in response to comments on MIL-M-28001 by NAVSEA. If included in the final version, it would be a major tightening of the value of MIL-M-28001 for contractual use. -----MIL-M-28001 Output Specification Completion Restrained in Wait for DSSSL The objectives set for Appendix B (old Appendix C) Output Specification may be loosened in hopes that the ISO standard, Document Style, Semantics, and Specification Language (DSSSL) will be finalized. The Output Spec (OS) was the original reason that MIL-M-28001 was delayed in its release. The OS will now be an English language commentary that is optional to the user. The OS will be a machine-readable tags but will not be a fully validated tag set. The decision was made during recent task group reviews of industry and government comments. ------Battelle, Advanced Technology, SAIC named NIST CALS Contractors. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has awarded CALS master multiple contracts to three firms: Battelle Memorial Institute Advanced Technology Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) The three firms will bid competitively as NIST CALS Contractors on various CALS tasks during the year. -----Mechanical R&M Study Group Report Close to Completion The R&M Mechanical Study Group (RMMSG) is nearing completion of its study report. Mechanical Reliability and Maintainability considerations differ from those of electronic systems because electronic systems consist of standardized, off-the-shelf components that have relatively predictable and independent failure rates. Hence, the report will differ from the preceding complex electronics study completed earlier.
---SQL Test Package Available From NIST A package of tests to help users and vendors determine compliance with a new Federal Information Processing Standard Publication (FIPSPUB) 127 for the Database Language SQL is available for purchase from NBS. SQL is a voluntary industry standard language used to develop database management system applications. FIPSPUB 127 requires federal agencies to implement SQL in relational database management system applications acquired or developed after August 3, 1988. The test suite will help both users and vendors meet the standard. Database management systems can save time and money by making data, application programs, and trained users "portable" from one system to another. The NBS test package includes six types of tests in three programming languages -- C, FORTRAN, and COBOL. ------Meadlock Favors Any Standard Imposed on All Vendors Equally James Meadlock, President and Chairman of the Board, Intergraph Corporation, said that he would agree to any single data exchange standard as long as all vendors were required to use it. Meadlock made his comments at Autofact '88 in Chicago. The position endorsing IGES or any other universal standard comes from a company which so dominated certain application areas that its own proprietary format, Standard Interchange Format (SIF), still serves as the de facto data exchange format for those disciplines. "We've accepted the fact that many of our customers want IGES translators," said Meadlock, "and we satisfy their needs." -----Murrin Says Concurrent Engineering a "Direct Answer" to Foreign Competition Prof. Tom Murrin, Chairman of DoD's new Defense Manufacturing Board, called concurrent engineering a "direct answer" to the threat of foreign competition. Murrin made his comments in a plenary session speech at Autofact '88 in Chicago. One of the major new initiatives in DoD is concurrent engineering, which is part of CALS Phase II.
----SME Plans to Develop Manufacturing Engineers as Integrators, not Specialists As a result of a broad study of their profession, the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) will refocus the image and career of manufacturing engineers to be general integrators of manufacturing, design, and management systems. The report, entitled Profile 21, was released at the SME Autofact '88 in Chicago. SME commissioned the study to define the future direction of the profession. The new direction is of interest, because it reflects a growing industrial interest in concurrent engineering which would integrate design, manufacturing and other discipline analyses. ----AIA Panel to Assess CALS Impact on MIS An Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) panel has been formed to assess the impact of CALS access on the traditional Management Information Systems (MIS) function. The panel was formed as part of the Digital Information Subcommittee of the Information Technology Committee (ITC). The subcommittee is chaired by Paul Pechersky, who also chairs the CALS Digital Information Interchange Subcommittee. The panel is chaired by Mr. Jan Heise, of Harris Corporation. The ITC is composed of the Chief Information Officers of AIA Member Companies. ----AutoFact '88 Session Highlights CALS Benefits to All Manufacturers The appeal of CALS is broader than defense weapon systems, concluded a panel at Autofact '88. Autofact '88 is considered the premier conference and exhibition for Manufacturing automation technology. Ivan J. Blum, VP of D. Appleton Co., chaired the session, attended by over 150 manufacturing professionals. --Deere Tech Services to be Systems Integrator for AutoFact '89 Exhibit
SME has selected Deere Tech Services to be the systems integrator in the "Partnership for Integration" exhibit to debut at AutoFact '89 in Detroit. The partnership for integration exhibit team will coordinate 20 or more industry suppliers of computer communication, factory automation, software and related services to build an 8000 sq. ft., working, state-of-the-art CIM facility. ----Big 8 Accounting Firms Review CALS Incentives In a special briefing following Autofact '88 in Chicago, the Big 8 accounting firms reviewed the CALS objectives and strategies. The Big 8 accounting firms have both accounting, tax and management consulting expertise. They provide these services to both government and industry. Ivan J. Blum, VP of D. Appleton Co., organized and chaired the meeting, entitled, "CALS Benefits Strategy & Implementation Conference." -----COS and SPAG Announce Cooperative Agreement on OSI Testing Brussels, Belgium - September 15, 1988 - In a display of trans-Atlantic harmony, the US based Corporation for Open Systems (COS) International and the European based Standards Promotion and Application Group (SPAG) Services SA met today in a first ever joint Board of Directors meeting. At a press briefing after the meeting, COS and SPAG announced actions designed to accelerate the introduction of OSI-MAP/TOP 3.0 products worldwide. -----ASYST Technologies Introduces Relationally-Based Central Repository ASYST Technologies has introduced THE INTEGRATER tm Central Repository Facility, the first relationally-based repository that provides instant access and sharing of all systems development specifications for the entire data processing department. The central repository concept selects software from a single collection through its specification. A central repository makes software more accessible and reusable and is helpful to computer-aided software engineering (CASE) methodologies. CASE technology is often viewed as an alternative approach to conceptual information modeling for systems engineering, though its application has been primarily software.
----Editorial: CALS Phase 1 is a Fait Accompli --Letters to the Editor ----Standards Ordering Points ---CALS Calendar