Overview
IEC 62569-1:2017 - "Generic specification of information on products by properties - Part 1: Principles and methods" defines the principles and methods for expressing product-related information as properties and qualifiers. It establishes a common framework for managing product information across the product life cycle and is a prerequisite for other parts of the IEC 62569 series. The standard replaces IEC PAS 62569-1:2009 and constitutes a technical revision.
Keywords: IEC 62569-1:2017, product information standards, property qualifiers, data dictionary, product lifecycle information, interoperability.
Key topics and technical requirements
The standard focuses on consistent, machine-readable expression of product properties and metadata. Major technical topics include:
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Properties
- Differentiates object properties and (dictionary) properties, and explains how sets of properties are organized (clauses 5.x).
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Property qualifiers (clause 6) - qualifiers provide context for property values. Categories include:
- Life cycle qualifier (e.g., SPE, INQ, OFF, CON, SUP, BUILT, OP, DECOM) to indicate when a property value applies during a product’s life cycle.
- Applicability qualifier (e.g., AVP, AVN, AVA, NA) to mark whether a property is applicable.
- Value origin qualifier (e.g., EST, CAL, MEA, SET) to indicate how a value was obtained.
- Value processing qualifier (e.g., ARITHM, MED, MOD, WARITHM, GEOM, WGEOM, HARM, RMS) for processed or aggregated values.
- Rules for combining multiple qualifiers and examples for XML-based transactions are provided.
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Property values and units (clause 7) - guidance on special values, level types, unit systems and use of units in software.
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Data reliability and quality (clause 8) - methods to describe inaccuracies, tolerances and intended design tolerances.
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Dictionary definitions - normative Annex A contains (dictionary) property definitions and classes.
Practical applications and users
IEC 62569-1 is aimed at organizations and professionals needing standardized product information exchange and management:
- Product data managers, information architects and data governance teams
- PLM/PDM/ERP vendors and system integrators implementing product metadata models
- Manufacturers, suppliers and procurement teams exchanging product specifications
- Standards developers and technical committees harmonizing product dictionaries
- Software developers implementing XML/JSON transactions or data dictionaries for interoperability
Practical uses include creating interoperable data dictionaries, tagging property values with life-cycle context, clarifying value provenance (measured vs. estimated), documenting processing methods for aggregated values, and improving product data quality for downstream systems.
Related standards
- Other parts of the IEC 62569 series (IEC 62569-2, etc.) - IEC 62569-1 provides the foundational principles required by subsequent parts that define structures, formats and domain-specific property sets.
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