Meeting notes for January 20, 2004 I++ DME implementer's conference call

Meeting scribe: John Horst, NIST

Attendees:

  --------------------------------- -------------------------- -------------
  **Name**                          **Organization**           **Present**

                                                               

  Ray Admire                        Lockheed Martin            

  Manfred Becker                    Zeiss                      

  Perluigi Borgogno                 Wilcox                     

  Joe Falco                         NIST                       

  Swen Haubold                      Mitutoyo                   

  John Horst                        NIST                       

  René Keller                       Metromec                   

  Tom Kramer                        NIST                       

  Chuck Leckenby                    Tecnomatix                 

  Michel Penlae                     Wilcox                     

  Chiratana Pot                     Tecnomatix                 

  Josef Resch                       Zeiss                      

  Bill Rippey                       NIST                       

  Dave Smith                        LK                         

  Keith Stouffer                    NIST                       

  Mark Vinson                       Boeing                     

  Bob Waite                         DCX                        

  Walter Punegam                    Zeiss                      

  Ken Sheehan                       Entelegence                

  Günter Moritz                     Messtechnik Wetzlar        

                                                               

                                                               
  --------------------------------- -------------------------- -------------

# I++ DME interoperability demo issues

-   John asked for feedback on the schedule of interoperability testing
    dates he sent out via email Friday, January 16, 2004. Swen said that
    Mitutoyo might not be able to test server-side implementation until
    February. Josef said that he has not been able to contact those that
    are implementing the client-side version for Zeiss. Josef also asked
    how the interoperability tests would be accomplished. John suggested
    two options: 1) since the I++ DME spec is a non-real-time
    specification, remote tests over the Internet should work and 2)
    client-side implementers could travel to server-side implementers'
    sites to perform tests. He pointed out that the down side of the
    former is that firewall challenges can be substantial. Most everyone
    agreed with that. Tom said that even though the spec is
    non-real-time, it allows certain real-time aspects within
    implementations. The conclusion of the group was to test in stages
    starting with remote tests and moving to on-site tests. John also
    suggested the NIST testbed as a third option for performing
    interoperability tests. NIST and LK performed such a remote test
    when demonstrating the CMMdriver DME spec on July 13, 2001. NIST and
    LK agreed to write up a document to explain how they established
    such a remote link as an aid to implementers. Swen brought up the
    issue of VPN tunnels \[through the firewall\] and that they require
    much paper work to accomplish. Chiratana suggested the use of local
    installations of relevant CMMs to accomplish client testing more
    economically. It was requested and NIST agreed to delay items in the
    interoperability testing schedule to start after the next conference
    call.

-   John asked what should be the testing results? John asked if
    informal processing of testing results is sufficient or do they need
    some more formal help on testing metrics. He further mentioned that
    NIST has done very preliminary work on creating such metrics and put
    these ideas into a spreadsheet. Dave asked NIST to send spreadsheet
    around to the group, and John promised to do this.

-   John continued to ask implementers that, while they are testing, to
    communicate potential errors and ambiguities in the spec to NIST and
    I++ group.

-   John reported that NIST has created a draft project plan for
    accomplishing the interoperability demo. NIST plans to make sure
    that

    -   DME interface interoperability testing is complete and assured
        well before the demo

    -   Demo equipment is committed (working through the AIAG)

    -   Testing & Analysis interface and CAD interface are also part of
        the demo

    -   Appropriate test artifacts and inspection programs are chosen

    -   IMTS booth is secured and a convincing demonstration of true
        interoperability is shown

# Status and update on I++ DME spec 

-   Josef mentioned the issue concerning compatibility between DMIS and
    I++. Relating to that issue and others, he said the I++ group is
    planning another DME conference in Stuttgart in the April 2004
    timeframe. They are planning a two day pair of meetings, in which
    the first day will be set aside to deal with general comments and
    questions by implementers for the I++ group. The second day will be
    to discuss and resolve issues having to do with the compatibility of
    I++ DME with other data system, mainly to DMIS and also with
    reporting systems. The I++ group would like to have DMIS experts in
    attendance. The meeting is planned for the last week in March
    starting sometime during that week. Chiratana: asked what was the
    purpose and planned output of the meeting. Josef responded that it
    would be to get implementers to the conference to discuss issues in
    more detail. It seemed that most implementers were interested and
    able to attend such a set of meetings. Today's conference call
    attendees agreed to forward information on free times for such a
    meeting to Josef, so that the meeting can be scheduled as soon as
    possible.

-   Josef discussed the vision of I++ DME to get ISO stand and said that
    the I++ group is not planning to generate ISO standard, due to the
    amount of paper work, etc. and the inherent delays. John and Dave
    mentioned that the question raised at the last conference call was
    to find out whether the I++ group was willing to have the I++ DME
    spec move towards an ISO standard after the I++ DME is at some stage
    of completion, not prior to that.

-   NIST comments to 1.31. Delayed comments. Not quite sure if internal
    at NIST, but answered high comments particularly. Gave answer to
    them and put in excel sheet. 1.39 includes responses from both NIST
    and Rene.

# Status and update on I++ DME implementations 

-   John asked about progress on the generation of use cases on the need
    for calibration and sensor data on the interface. Chiratana went to
    DMIS met Lutz was going to submit about calibration was going to
    send an SIR. Josef had talks in December.

# Status and update on I++ DME test suite

-   NIST is done with corrections based on feedback and plans to place
    version 2.1 on the web this week. Will put a list of changes in
    version 2.1 in the user's manual.

-   NIST I++ team met last week and made plans for a new version of the
    test suite with more coverage, namely, more permutations of commands
    in the client-side test utility and more variability in response
    (errors and anomalies mostly) in the server-side utility. Recall we
    discussed the latter several conference calls ago.

# Other issues for discussion

-   Swen asked Josef to send an agenda for the meetings to all
    implementers.

# Action items

-   Implementers will to forward to Josef information on their free
    times for the planned Stuttgart meeting.

-   Josef will send out an agenda for the pair of meetings planned in
    Stuttgart.

-   Josef will ask the I++ group for their willingness to allow the I++
    DME spec to go to an international standard (e.g., ISO) after
    completion of work on the I++ DME spec.

-   NIST will work on and send out a new interoperability testing
    schedule to the group

-   NIST will send out a spreadsheet of preliminary interoperability
    testing metrics to the group

-   NIST will place the version 2.1 test suite on the web hopefully this
    week.

-   Implementers will continue to send comments and use cases relating
    to the spec to NIST and the I++ group.

The next conf call meeting is planned for Monday 10AM EST Feb 2, 2004.