S1000D Case Study – UK-WT IETP
In April 2003, Oshkosh Truck Company (OTC) received a contract to provide 348 Wheeled Tankers (trucks) for the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD). Due to our long history of working with OTC to provide logistics support products, we again teamed with them to provide an S1000D IETP. Content was derived from legacy data (and newly authored data) and was then stored as XML data modules in a common source database. Contractual requirements mandated the use of the international standard S1000D.
The development team elected to use the latest version 2.0 of the specification as the baseline. Version 2.0, for the first time, implemented XML support and provided the accompanying schemas making the OTC Wheeled Tanker project the first of its kind.
This S1000D specification has been developed to establish standards for the documentation of any civil or military vehicle or equipment. It is based on international standards, such as SGML/XML and CGM, for production and use of electronic documentation. In addition, it defines a Common Source Database (CSDB) to store information as data modules. These data modules are available for compilation into the publications (paper or IETPs) and for use in electronic logistics information systems.
The specification attempts to harmonize both civil and military documentation standards, including many U.S. Mil Specs and UK Defence Standards. By establishing commonality between all these specifications, the major advantages to using such an international standard are:
- Cost savings on information generation – avoidance of duplications
- More economic support planning
- More cost-effective publication deliverables
- Uniformity of standards for participants in the project
- Standard format for data exchange to exploit future developments
- Enhance interoperability
- Improved opportunity for clarity by use of Simplified English (SE) – easier and cheaper translation costs
The specification adopts ISO, CALS, and W3C standards, in which information is generated in neutral formats. This means that it can be implemented on different, and often disparate, IT systems. It is this feature, added to the concept of modularization, which makes the specification so acceptable to the wider international community. Information produced in accordance with S1000D is done so in a modular form, called a data module, which is defined as "the smallest self-contained information unit within a technical publication."
The O'Neil process for designing the system began with a detailed analysis of the operational, maintenance, and service parts data that would be developed. This is necessary to properly develop a data module coding strategy and creation of the project business rules. It is imperative to correctly identify the DM coding strategy to avoid any rework. The Business Rules detail which schemas were used and how all the XML elements and their attributes are populated, thereby helping to ensure consistency across all data modules.
The OTC IETP Parts Manual provides easy-to-find replacement parts for all assemblies and piece parts. It has the same content as the provisioning file, which was developed per UK DEF-STD 00-60 (equivalent to U.S. MIL-STD 1388). It is stored employing usable on codes to denote exactly which parts are correct for each vehicle model. The Maintenance Manual provides well-illustrated and easy-to-follow instructions to service, troubleshoot, and repair the vehicles.
The contents for all of the operational and maintenance publications are stored as S1000D data modules in a common source database. Each publication is built by assembling the necessary modules and publishing it either as a printed manual or as an Interactive Electronic Technical Publication (IETP). The IETP also enables the maintainer to connect the laptop to the vehicle and perform diagnostics by interacting with the vehicle on-board command module. The command module continuously collects the vehicle status and error codes from the various vehicle systems, including the control modules for the engine, transmission, Central Tire Inflation System (CTIS), and Antilock Brake System (ABS).
The IETP extracts the data packets stored in the command module, translates them, and then matches them against a fault table. When an error code is found, the IETP displays the corresponding troubleshooting procedure which guides the repair technician to quickly diagnose the root cause. From there, the IETP displays the corrective repair procedure with links to the service parts.
O'Neil authors and illustrators developed the thousands of data modules working with experts from OTC and their U.S. and European system subcontractors. The O'Neil IT staff developed the Content Management System (CMS) and IETP using standards-based tools.
The IETP is supplied with no licensing fees. Internet Explorer 6 is the user interface, which users are already familiar, adding to comfort and efficiency. It also allows for easy upgrades as the technology moves forward. The IETP was delivered in the fall of 2004. Updates to content will continue in future years.