PDM-UG: Part Identification

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This page belongs to the PDM Usage Guide.

The PDM Schema manages all parts as products, according to a fundamental STEP interpretation of 'Part as Product'. Part identification is achieved using basic product identification. In addition, a product may represent a managed document and be identified according to the 'Document as Product' interpretation (see Document as Product).

Part identification is the center for assignment of further product management data. As a consequence, at least one product identification (part or document) must be instantiated for the exchange of part/document data in the STEP PDM Schema.

The simple alias concept supports assignment of an alternate identifier to a product. This mechanism may also be used to alias other elements of product data.

Do not use the alias identification for the requirement of supplied part or document identification. This more complex alias relationship concept is specific for identification and renumbering of supplier's parts and documents. See Supplied Part Identification and Alias Identification.

Part as Product

The PDM Schema manages all parts as products. Identification of products in the STEP PDM Schema consists of three distinct concepts:

• Product Master Identification,
• Context Information,
• Type Classification.

Product master identification maintains the base part number, distinct part version identification, and information identifying a view definition. An identified part may be a single piece part or an assembly of arbitrary complexity.

Context information provides a scope and necessary circumstance for interpretation of product identification information.

Type classification distinguishes products representing parts from those that represent documents.