Another new VDA standard for digital material data management with support from material.one
VDA publishes new standard 231-301 in cooperation with material.one
The increasing digitalization of the automotive supply chain places high demands on the standardized exchange of material data. The German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) has adopted a new recommendation, VDA 231-301, which further develops the digital data exchange of test results in material sampling. This builds on the already established VDA 231-300 which defines the anchoring of material and surface requirements in 3D data sets.
VDA 231-300: Basis for digital material sampling
VDA 231-300 describes a standardized method for embedding material and surface information in 3D CAD models using the JT format (according to ISO 14306 and DIN SPEC 91383). This allows material data to be integrated directly into the product development model, minimizing misunderstandings in communication between OEMs, suppliers and laboratories. The standard focuses on the following points:
Definition of standardized attributes for material and surface specifications in 3D models.
Ensuring the consistent use of uniform material references along the supply chain.
Simplification of the verification process for quality controls and test procedures.
VDA 231-301: Extension to digital test results
The new VDA 231-301 supplements the existing VDA 231-300 with a standardized structure for the digital transmission of test results. The most important innovations include
A standardized data model for test results that enables a clear assignment of measured values to specific material tests.
Use of JSON schemas to digitally map and automatically evaluate test reports in a standardized way.
Provision of a public GitHub repository for versioning and community development of the JSON schemas.
Figure 1: Areas for data streams in material sampling; source: VDA
This extension significantly improves the exchange of Q data along the automotive supply chain. Important advantages are
Interoperability: Data can be seamlessly exchanged between different IT systems of OEMs, tier suppliers and laboratories.
Automated validation: Test results can be automatically checked and evaluated on the basis of the JSON schema.
Traceability: Digital storage enables efficient documentation of material quality for regulatory purposes.
Use cases for the digitalization of test data
Figure 2 shows various use cases for the digitalization of test data. These include the direct integration of material and test data into CAD models, automated testing and validation along the supply chain and transparent verification for regulatory requirements. These use cases enable improved efficiency and traceability throughout the entire product creation process and contribute to the digitalization of the automotive industry.
Figure 2: Three areas for digitizing the data streams of a material sampling
*PPF = PPF process; production process and product release according to VDA Volume 2
material.one as an enabler for the digital verification and approval process
A key success factor for the implementation of VDA 231-301 is integration into digital platforms such as material.one. This enables:
Automated processing of JSON inspection reports along the supply chain.
Collaborative workflows that efficiently network everyone involved, from the OEM to the laboratory.
Direct integration with existing PLM and QMS systems to optimize the verification and approval process.
In addition material.one actively contributed to DIN SPEC 91383which provides a standardized basis for the digital exchange of material and surface information in CAD-neutral JT format. The integration of VDA 231-300 into DIN SPEC 91383 ensures that material data is managed efficiently and reliably along the entire supply chain. This enables optimized collaboration between OEMs, suppliers and testing institutions and supports the implementation of seamless digital quality assurance.
Through the combination ofVDA 231-300, VDA 231-301 and material.one , the digitalization of quality management in the automotive industry is raised to a new level. Digital Q data exchange not only improves transparency and efficiency, but also reduces sources of error and manual effort along the entire supply chain.
The new VDA 231-301 sets a further milestone for digital material sampling - a decisive step towards networked and automated automotive production.
Digitalization as a component of preventive quality assurance in the product development process
The introduction of VDA 231-301 is exemplary of an overarching trend: the increasing digitalization of standards-based information as a component of preventive quality assurance. Structured requirements, digital inspection plans and automated verification procedures play a key role in the product development process in particular - especially in industries with complex supply networks such as the automotive industry.
Digital standards help to systematically ensure quality before a product goes into series production. This reduces the coordination effort, increases the traceability of test and release steps and creates the basis for consistent documentation. In times of increasing regulatory requirements and growing customer expectations, the topic of quality is becoming more and more strategically important - also as a differentiating feature in the market.
In this context, material.one is not only involved in the technical implementation of individual VDA recommendations, but also contributes its expertise to higher-level standardization initiatives. This includes participation in the DIN SPEC 91383which was published jointly with the prostep ivip association. This specification describes how material and surface requirements can be mapped CAD-neutrally in JT format and used across systems.
Also in the Digital Standards Initiative (IDiS) initiative of DIN and DKE. The aim of this specialist group is to make machine-readable standard content available that can be automatically linked to requirements and test plans - an essential building block for consistent quality assurance and more efficient engineering processes.
Summary
VDA 231-301 is a further step towards structured, digital sampling processes in the automotive industry. In combination with the developments surrounding DIN SPEC 91383 and the digitalization of standards content, a clear trend is emerging: digital access to structured standards information and its integration into IT systems is becoming increasingly important - not only for reasons of efficiency, but also to minimize risks with regard to recalls, rework and legal requirements.
Cooperation between industry, associations and specialized providers plays a central role in not only formulating and implementing these new standards, but also ensuring their continuous and up-to-date development.
Further information on the topic:
In German
material.one/news-and-articles/vda-and-materialone-collaboration
resources.material.one/ProduktDaten_Journal_1_2024_prostep+Sonderdruck+materialone.pdf
www.linkedin.com/pulse/digital-standards-more-than-pdfs-jens-schmidtmann-pbh1e/
In English
material.one/news-and-articles/vda-and-materialone-collaboration
resources.material.one/ProduktDaten_Journal_1_2024_prostep+Sonderdruck+materialone.pdf
www.linkedin.com/pulse/digital-standards-more-than-pdfs-jens-schmidtmann-pbh1e/
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