The DMSC Model-Based Characteristics (MBC) Working Group (WG) completed a proposal of a new standard to be proposed to ANSI for approval. The proposed new standard offers Nomenclature, Definitions and Symbols for Model-Based Characteristics with persistent identification. According to ANSI procedures, there are several steps that DMSC must complete before the proposal is submitted to ANSI.
First, the DMSC had to revive the DMSC Standards Committee (SC), and invite any and all interested parties to review the proposal of the MBC WG. An in-person meeting was held in June 2023 at the University of Texas at Arlington (Ft. Worth). There were 19 participating companies at the meeting, most of which (but not all) were DMSC members. Those that could not attend in-person observed the meeting online. After several days of reviewing the proposal (180 pages), an in-person vote was held to “accept, abstain or reject” the proposal. Votes were also accepted from companies observing online. DMSC members that were not represented in-person, online, or by proxy were solicited by email for their vote regarding the proposal.
After considerable (and spirited) discussion, a final version of the document was agreed upon by the in-person and online group. Voting was recently completed with Ray Admire, Chair of the SC, tabulating all votes and reporting an overwhelming approval of the proposed standard document. The vote tabulation included all in-person, online, proxy, and email responses. Per ANSI procedures, email non-responses were considered “abstention” votes.
Still yet to be done are a few details such as proof reading the document, and preparation of the ANSI required BSR-8 forms. One extra step required by ANSI is an audit of this entire process which will be scheduled once all documents are in a final state.
Assuming the audit process goes well, the final step will be submitting the proposal to ANSI. ANSI will then publish the proposed standard in their “Standards Action” publication, which allows for comments from the public. The public review period could be up to 60 days (usually less). If there are public review comments, DMSC is required to respond in writing. Public Review comments are fairly rare but could potentially delay acceptance by ANSI.
Acceptance by ANSI means that the DMSC Model-Based Characteristics standard would be published as an American National Standard (ANS). A three-year effort by DMSC, the completion date for this entire process is estimated at Fall, 2023.
