The ENGDAT Message

The ENGDAT v2 message contains information required to interpret and use the engineering data, but does not contain the engineering data itself. It contains a reference to and a description of each engineering file being sent.

The engineering files are sent as separate files from the EDI message, but within the same communications session.

The ENGDAT message itself is a ‘header’ – it describes the contents of the folder in detail.

Contained within this message header is information about the folder and the individual files within it. This includes:

• The exchange reference number – a unique 17-character alphanumeric reference that uniquely identifies the folder
• For each of the files within the folder, the file name, the format and version, the system which was used to generate the file and the date and time are stored. A file can be the actual drawing but can also include accompanying files, such as text files
• Information regarding the group of engineering files i.e. the folder. The ENGDAT message stores details such as the origin and destination of the folder, the Exchange Reference Number, and the date and time the folder was created.
• Information regarding documents that can be related to the folder. For each document, a document name and number, date and time are stored. Each folder can have many related documents.
• Information regarding each drawing within a file. This includes a drawing reference number and name, description, engineering change numbers, etc.

ENGDAT v3

ENGDAT v2 is a standard EDI message developed by ODETTE. ENGDAT v3, which is still under development, includes an XML definition of the message.

ENGDAT v3 has been developed under the auspices of SASIG (Strategic Automotive Standards Industry Group). Although ENGDAT v3 is currently in use, there are still various outstanding issues to be resolved.

Migration to a JADM (Joint Automotive Data Model) compliant message is planned for ENGDAT v4, which will be developed at a future date. This will include some editorial changes but no changes of functionality.

The official name of the ENGDAT v3 document is:

SASIG – Exchange and Management of Technical Data Guideline (ENGDAT v3 Rev.1)

An ENGDAT v3 XSD schema has been published and is available from the VDA or Odette web pages.

To differentiate the new ENGDAT version from the earlier versions, the use of "EN3" (for ENGDAT v3) as a message identifier instead of ENG (ENGDAT v1 and v2) has been agreed, at least for the European region. This means there is no need to analyse the message-file to detect what version of ENGDAT has been received, which is very helpful while both ENGDAT versions are in use.

ENGPART

ENGPART is a means of exchanging parameters that are relevant to the exchange of ENGDAT files, thus providing a partner profile description.

The ENGPART file is a machine-readable flat file in which data element codes, descriptions and values are separated by delimiters.

The ENGPART parameter file is normally transferred with an ENGDAT message, in the form of an ENGDAT package.

Its main purpose is to avoid oral and written communication of the partner profile information.

The information provided by one trading partner to another in an ENGPART file includes:

• All the entities involved in the data interchange (departments and contacts) and the parameters needed for the exchange
• All recipients who should receive data from the corresponding partner
• All network parameters
• Relevant parameters of applications used (application systems, formats etc)