Next Generation of the Quality Information Framework Standard

Background:

Modern quality manufacturing operations consist of complex cyber-physical systems that are required to constantly gather and use digital manufacturing data. Often multiple players throughout the supply chain employ one or more proprietary software products, resulting in a critical communication break between supply chain partners. The data relevant to each partner must be intelligently organized and communicated.

Enter Quality Information Framework (QIF): an XML-based, CAD-agnostic platform and standard developed and managed by the Digital Metrology Standards Consortium (DMSC). QIF seamlessly defines, organizes, and associates quality information including: measurement plans, results, part geometry and product manufacturing information (PMI), measurement templates, resources, statistical analysis, etc.

Founded in 2005, DMSC is a non-profit, member-funded organization with the broad mission of developing and supporting interoperability standards and quality data frameworks for the manufacturing field of digital metrology.

The Dimensional Measuring Interface Standard (DMIS) and the Quality Information Framework (QIF) are two such standards for which the consortium has oversight of development and support responsibility. Additionally, DMSC has other new metrology standards currently under development as a collaborative effort by DMSC member companies and like-minded industrial standards organizations.

The DMSC is an ANSI Accredited Standards Developing Organization, as well as an A-Liaison to ISO. In August 2020, DMSC’s flagship standard, QIF, was harvested by the International Standards Organization (ISO) and elevated to ISO 23952:2020.

New standards from DMSC are developed collaboratively, using the Working Group (WG) concept. Participants identify which DMSC Working Groups resonate with their skill sets and voluntarily contribute their time and expertise towards standards development and maintenance. DMSC provides guidance throughout the development process and manages the proposed submission to ANSI and/or ISO. If accepted, the proposal becomes a published standard.

The Digital Metrology Standards Consortium (DMSC) is responsible for the development, maintenance and support of the following standards:

• Quality Information Framework/QIF achieving ANSI status December 19, 2013 and harvested, approved and published by ISO August, 2020 (ISO 23952:2020)
• Dimensional Measuring Interface Standard (DMIS) achieving ANSI status December 16, 2004. An ISO standard, ISO 22093-2011 was confirmed in 2022, and this version remains current.

Current DMSC Standards Effort

As of June 2023, the DMSC has two Working Groups (WG) actively developing the following standards:

1) Quality Information Framework/QIF version 4.0: The QIF 4.0 WG is deliberating over 150 +/- features for possible incorporation into the existing QIF 3.0 standard. Work is expected to continue into 2024 with QIF 4.0 WG bi-weekly meetings.
QIF 4.0 WG Documentation is available on our open Sharepoint Drive (QIF 4.0 click here)

2) Model-Based Characteristics version 1.0 (MBC 1.0) is a new standard in development and is currently being readied for submission to ANSI for approval. This MBC WG recently passed the draft document to the DMSC Standards Committee for final review. If approved by the Standards Committee, the next step in the process is submission of the proposal to ANSI, mid-year 2023. It is expected this will be  a stand alone ANSI standard, with selected features being incorporated into QIF 4.0.
MBC 1.0 WG Documentation is available on our open Sharepoint Drive (MBC 1.0 click here)

The DMSC offers these additional information resources:

About DMSC
About QIF
QIF 3.0 Download
DMSC Approves Development of Formal QIF Training Certification Program (news article 5/29/22)
QIF 4.0 Working Group Seeks Vice-Chair (news article 5/29/23)
QIF 4.0 Working Group Update (news article 2/27/23)
QIF 4.0: Derrivitive Working Groups (news article 12/5/22)
QIF 4.0: Call for Functional Testing Expertise (news article 11/28/22)
QIF 4.0 Working Group Welcomes Participants (news article 11/21/22)
DMSC Announces Next Version QIF: 4.0 (news article 10/17/22)
Next Generation QIF Phase 1: Conclusions Complete (news article 8/15/22)
Next Generation QIF: Phase 1 Report (news article 7/18/22)
QIF Next Generation Planning Continues (news article 6/13/22)
Next Generation QIF Kick Off Meeting (news article 5/9/22)
DMSC Selects QIF Next Generation Project Manager (news article 5/2/22)

For more information about the Digital Metrology Standards Consortium, membership, or the standards under its management contact:

Mark Thomas, Executive Director
Email: mark.thomas@qifstandards.org
Phone: 585-451-5800