This document is the first released Edition of the ASSESS Initiative Engineering Simulation Metadata Specification (ASSESS-ESMS).

Engineering Simulation (ES) is defined by the ASSESS Initiative as:

"The use of physics-based mathematical (numerical) models and/or logical models, including relevant data derived from physical tests of a conceptual or real-world system, phenomenon, or process in studying its technical requirements and/or operational behavior."

The physics-based mathematical models are used to perform behavioral response simulations of a system, whereas logical models are used to capture descriptive representations of a conceptual or real-world system, phenomenon, or process in studying its technical requirements and operational behavior.

Metadata provides context and is essential to making information searchable, understandable, and traceable in the Product Data Management (PDM), Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), Simulation Data Management (SDM) collections that store product definition data in the “digital thread.” The ASSESS Initiative Engineering Simulation Theme Committee proposes the following definition of Metadata.

“Metadata is a set of data that provides information about other data and models.”

Engineering Simulation Metadata (ES Metadata) structures are currently being proposed by multiple initiatives, each of which takes a different approach to defining a pragmatic Metadata structure based on its own perspective and goals. ASSESS-ESMS defines a comprehensive set of common model characteristics of interest for the complete range of ES Models that can be used across all approaches for implementing ES Metadata structures. The ES Metadata is assigned to an ES Model to support processes, activities, business purposes, and higher-level models.

This document is the ASSESS Initiative Engineering Simulation Metadata Specification (ASSESS-ESMS) that was derived from the ASSESS Unified Model Characteristics for Engineering Simulation Draft 4.0 document.

This edition of ASSESS-ESMS came into effect on February 5, 2024 and was endorsed by the ASSESS Integration Theme Committee as an Engineering Simulation Metadata Specification.