IEC 62656-3:2015

Overview

IEC 62656-3:2015 – "Standardized product ontology register and transfer by spreadsheets – Part 3: Interface for Common Information Model" – is an international standard developed by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). This part of the IEC 62656 series defines a formal mapping between the IEC 62656 series data models and the meta-model for the Common Information Model (CIM), as described in the IEC 61968, IEC 61970, and IEC 62325 standards. The standard aims to enable efficient import and interoperability of the CIM ontology within the IEC Common Data Dictionary (CDD), supporting cross-domain data exchange and integration across electrical and electronic industry applications.

IEC 62656-3:2015 provides a critical interface, referencing the UML representation of CIM, to streamline the transformation and registration of product ontologies related to electric utility systems, smart grids, and beyond.

Key Topics

• Formal Mapping Between CIM and IEC 62656: Establishes precise rules to map CIM’s UML-based ontology structure into the IEC 62656 format, ensuring semantic consistency and interoperability.
• Ontology Interoperability: Facilitates seamless integration between product ontologies governed by the IEC CDD and the energy-specific CIM model, supporting a wider spectrum of standards in material, environmental, mechanical, and logistics domains.
• CIM Data Import and Export: Defines transformation methods enabling the importation of CIM ontologies into IEC CDD as well as exporting IEC CDD content into CIM-compliant formats.
• UML Referencing: Uses the Unified Modeling Language (UML) to guide the mapping process, aligning with industry-accepted modeling conventions.

Applications

• Smart Grid Data Management: Enables utilities, manufacturers, and solution providers to consolidate and interoperate ontological data relating to grid assets, services, and lifecycle information within a smart grid infrastructure.
• Product Lifecycle Integration: Facilitates the representation and exchange of complex product information across their lifecycle, from design to decommission, bridging data among standards through standardized ontology mapping.
• Cross-Standard Information Exchange: Supports organizations in harmonizing data models not only between CIM and IEC CDD, but also with other domain ontologies (e.g., mechanical, environmental, logistics), eliminating barriers to effective data interoperability.
• Spreadsheet-Based Data Transfer: Leverages familiar spreadsheet tools for ontology registration and transfer, promoting practical and scalable data management in both enterprise and research settings.

Related Standards

• IEC 62656-1: Logical structure for data parcels - the foundation for data model mapping in this part.
• IEC 62656-2: Application guide for use with the IEC Common Data Dictionary (CDD).
• IEC 61968 & IEC 61970 Series: Define the CIM for integration of energy management and utility operations.
• IEC 61970-301: UML model for CIM – forming the baseline for mapping to IEC 62656.
• IEC 62325 Series: Extends CIM into market-related applications.
• IEC 61360-4: Defines and maintains the IEC Common Data Dictionary (IEC CDD).
• ISO 13584: Relates to parts libraries and product data for manufacturing.

Practical Value

By implementing IEC 62656-3:2015, organizations benefit from:

• Streamlined Data Harmonization: Aligns disparate product information models, ensuring coherent and reliable data flows between standards and domains.
• Enhanced Interoperability: Simplifies integration across tooling, systems, and departments, supporting digital transformation initiatives.
• Futureproof Data Architecture: Lays a solid foundation for industry-wide Smart Grid, digital twin, and Industry 4.0 strategies.

For engineers, data managers, and standardization professionals, IEC 62656-3:2015 is an essential resource for modernizing and unifying product ontology management via spreadsheet-based methods and formal standard interfaces.