The Application of PSL to Product Design Across Construction and Manufacturing

As the use of IT in manufacturing and construction has matured, the capability of software applications to interoperate has become increasingly important. Standards-based translation mechanisms, such as the use of STEP, have simplified integration by requiring only a single translation to a neutral format. This approach works well where the meaning of the information to be shared is the same and cannot easily be misinterpreted. However, understanding and defining the meaning of information is still a challenge which is especially apparent for process information which is used by many software applications, each in a different way. This paper explores the use of a language called Process Specification Language (PSL), across the different but related industrial sectors of mechanical products and building engineering, where the meaning associated with the terms used is often very different and therefore both semantics and syntax need to be considered when translating to a neutral standard. The PSL creates a neutral, standard language for process specification to integrate multiple process-related applications.