STEP AP233 + standard PDM = systems engineering PDM?

In the manufacturing industry Product Data Management (PDM) systems are backbone systems. That have to support the collaborative creation, management, dissemination, and use of product definition information across the extended enterprise from concept to end of life - integrating people, processes, business systems, and information. A drawback is that today´s PDM systems are focussed on mechanical engineering. There is however an increasing need e.g. from aerospace industry for an extended PDM schema to cover systems engineering product aspects. STEP ISO 10303 - AP233 provides an appropriate approach for integrating systems engineering needs into PDM systems, specifically future modularised STEP ISO 10303 application protocols will allow to construct the required PDM schema extensions at reduced customisation effort. A framework for a systems engineering PDM system is proposed and data exchange aspects discussed. A demonstrator for the proposed solution was built using AP233 interfaces for systems engineering CASE tools coupled to an appropriate PDM system.