11. March 2021
What is iiRDS? The standard explained simply
The abbreviation iiRDS stands for intelligent information Request and Delivery Standard, which enables platform-independent and content-neutral retrieval and delivery of digital information. No content is standardized, only the delivery format is defined so that information from different systems can be merged without restricting users in the creation of technical documentation.
The technical standard was developed back in 2016 by a group of experts from tekom (Gesellschaft für Technische Kommunikation e.V.) in order to fundamentally change the provision of information in technical communication. In 2018, the iiRDS consortium, consisting of over 30 national and international members, took over the maintenance, further development and dissemination of the standard. As one of the founding members, PANTOPIX is also very interested in actively supporting the development of the industry standard in a practical way.
How does iiRDS work? Structure and components
The technical standard is based on a modular structure of information and metadata that describe and link this information in more detail. iiRDS basically consists of three components – a package format that allows exchange between different content systems, a metadata model that classifies the information and makes it combinable, and the specification that describes the package format and metadata concept.
The package format is a ZIP container that contains the content and the associated metadata. The metadata model is stored in RDF format and provides a predefined vocabulary. This maps the technical information in a knowledge graph that allows users to access information from different systems. The metadata is therefore the key to iiRDS and makes the content intelligent by describing it in a standardized way and thus making it accessible across systems.
iiRDS in practice: application examples in the industry
So how can the technical standard simplify the working life of a service technician in practice? The following scenario: A service technician standing in a production hall with machines from different manufacturers would like to:
- Query all information on all machines centrally via a portal, regardless of manufacturer, type and source (single point of access)
- obtain the necessary information for a machine component quickly and effectively in the event of a fault
- Get an overview of all upcoming maintenance tasks for all machines
- Use search and filter options to find the information you need as quickly as possible
This is a typical use case in the industry. Using iiRDS allows technicians to access all information intelligently – at the moment they need it and via a single content delivery portal (CDP).
iiRDS Open Toolkit: Create packages easily
The iiRDS Open Tool Kit, a web-based software that allows you to create iiRDS packages quickly and easily, was only released in October 2020. The tool was developed by ICMS and plusmeta, two companies from the iiRDS consortium. It allows you to add content, assign corresponding metadata or upload your own metadata and then generate an iiRDS package. The iiRDS Open Tool Kit is a further step in the dissemination of the technical standard for intelligent information delivery, providing easy access to iiRDS.
Advantages of iiRDS for companies and users
The technical standard offers countless possibilities and is shaping the future of Industry 4.0 The advantages for creators and consumers of technical information are very high and speak for themselves:
- Information is packaged in a manufacturer-independent format and can be distributed to any end device via a content delivery system
- Standardized metadata enables comprehensive data distribution and retrieval
- Open data exchange between manufacturers and Industry 4.0 applications
- Information can be provided according to the task and situation
- Searching for information becomes much more effective and efficient
- The new iiRDS Open Tool Kit makes it even easier to create iiRDS packages
iiRDS at a glance
iiRDS (Intelligent Information Request and Delivery Standard) is an international standard for the intelligent provision of technical information. It defines metadata and a package format to make content accessible across systems.
More information and materials can be found on the official iiRDS website.
Karsten Schrempp
Managing Director | PANTOPIX
We will be happy to inform you regularly about new articles, videos or podcast episodes.
Knowledge
Find out more about networking information
