User-centred multi-project model access

This paper presents the Model Access Service (MAS) developed in the EU ISTforCE project (IST-1999-11508). MAS uses the capabilities of product data technology to provide both standard and advanced value added services in a human-centred, distributed collaboration environment. Standard functionality for product data access on model and object level is supported by enabling generalised RPC-based data exchange capabilities to all relevant product models in one or more construction projects, even if they are stored on different product data servers. One of the advanced features of MAS, the integrated Reasoning Agent, is responsible for replying to sophisticated queries concerning a specific structural design model, extending the IFC 2x project model. Another advanced feature is the MAS Explanation Component which utilises an Engineering Ontology framework to enable the translation of IFC data to the vocabulary and semantics familiar to engineers and thus opens many of the MAS functions to standard Web Browsers.