Siemens PLM's JT File Format Reference Accepted by ISO as Publicly Available Specification for 3D Visualization in PLM Domain

PLANO, Texas - Siemens PLM Software today announced that the detailed and comprehensive document describing the JT™ data format, the PLM industry’s most widely used 3D visualization format, has been accepted by the ISO (International Organization for Standardization) body responsible for Industrial Data through a global ballot process. This event marks the availability of the world’s first ISO publication for 3D visualization in the PLM domain.

Due to its wide adoption throughout the PLM industry, the lightweight JT data format has been used by companies for over a decade to share and visualize 3D product data worldwide and among a wide variety of CAD and PLM applications. The official ISO recognition being announced today further reinforces the open nature of JT and facilitates even greater global proliferation of this widely accepted 3D format.

“Today’s announcement is a landmark event for manufacturers all over the world,” said Bruce Feldt, vice president of Open Tools, Siemens PLM Software. “Any company working with 3D digital product data in a heterogeneous environment requiring interoperability between internal departments or with external suppliers and partners can benefit from the use of JT. And now that its documentation has become an official ISO publication, JT is reinforced as the benchmark for openness in the PLM domain, paving the way for virtually any manufacturer to adopt JT as their common enterprise format for 3D workflows and long term data retention.”

Developed by Siemens PLM Software, JT is the world’s most widely used 3D data format for accurately, securely and efficiently sharing product information among multiple organizations and throughout an entire supply chain. JT is supported by the JT Open Program, a global initiative, established by Siemens PLM Software at the request of its customers, to promote the development and proliferation of JT as the common 3D language for PLM.

“Maintaining a multi-CAD environment is beneficial for us because it enables us to harness best-of-breed technologies in both automotive design and manufacturing,” said Abhay Tarnekar, Program Manager, Digital Product Development Systems, Tata Motors. “However, incompatibility between the various data formats created a challenge in disseminating our design-based intellectual property (IP). By leveraging the broad acceptance of the JT data format, we have been able to overcome this challenge and share our design IP across various downstream agencies. Now, with ISO acceptance of the JT reference document, the path is clear for all ISVs (independent software vendors) to adopt JT, benefiting all stake holders in IP creation and usage.”

With today’s announcement, the JT File Format Reference was accepted by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) as a publicly available specification (PAS) for 3D visualization. The JT File Format Reference is a comprehensive document of over 400 pages that describe the JT file format in detail, from a complete description of its file structure and data segments, to a thorough discussion of JT data compression, encoding and best practices.

In an upcoming opinion piece from IDC Manufacturing Insights, Joe Barkai, Practice Director, Product Lifecycle Strategies, writes, "The achievement of ISO acceptance for Siemens PLM Software’s JT File Format Reference offers reason for end-user optimism. By having a neutral third party such as ISO evolve a CAD viewer standard as the market dictates, end-users can reasonably expect that the results will remain relevant and not be influenced by PLM vendor preferences or bias."