Why LOTAR?


Introduction

With the emergence of digital data-based processes including model-based definition, requirements were identified which predicate the need for a long-term data retention solution(s) to meet regulatory and business requirements. Traditional legacy retention and retrieval methods do not support complex digital product definition and technical data.

LOTAR International is a project being conducted by leading OEMs, suppliers, and solution providers in the aerospace and defense industry under the joint auspices of Aerospace Industries Association of America (AIA), the AeroSpace and Defense Industries Association of Europe for Standardization (ASD-STAN), PDES, Inc., and the prostep ivip association.

The objective of LOTAR International is to develop, test, publish and maintain standards for long-term archiving (LTA) of digital product and technical data, such as 3D CAD/CAM and PDM data. These standards will define auditable archiving, management, and retrieval processes preserving engineering intent throughout the life-cycle of the product. Use of the standard series by other branches of industry such as the automotive or shipbuilding industry is possible. The results are based on the ISO 14721, Open Archival Information System (OAIS) Reference Model. The documents for the standard are published as the European Norm (EN) 9300-xxx series under ASD-STAN in Europe and, as the National Aerospace Standard (NAS) 9300-xxx in the US under the AIA.

Close cooperation with the PDES, Inc., prostep ivip and AFNeT MBx Interoperability Forums and associated User Groups ensures implementation reliability.

The LOTAR project consortium consists of user companies from around the world. Member companies include Airbus Commercial Aircraft, Airbus Defence & Space, Airbus Helicopter, The Boeing Company, Embraer, GE, Gulfstream, Leonardo, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon Technologies, and others.

Goals of the project include:

  • Developing, publishing, and maintaining a standard series for archiving and retrieval of product & technical data
  • Standardization of referred and required methods, process modules and data models
  • Providing methods, process modules and data model(s), to enable long-term archiving and retrieval of CAD and PDM data, electrical, composite design, model-based systems engineering, and engineering analysis & simulation data, etc.
  • Development of recommendations for practical introduction of long-term archiving of relevant data within the Aerospace & Defense industry as well as other industries
  • Enabling commercial solutions based on user requirements in cooperation with MBx-IF testing and funded pilot projects