Simulation data management based on ontology tagging

Simulation data could be generated by various kinds of software and have different format. The associations among simulation files could also be complicated. However, the existing solutions are usually based on fixed built-in object and not easy to extend. Provenance knowledge of simulation files is also neglected in traditional file systems. To solve the problem, this paper proposes a new simulation data management approach based on ontology tagging and present a flexible and open system. First, a simulation data organization model is established. All the simulation data are put in a simulation project context. The inner objects of project are also illustrated. Second, the file type and provenance ontology of product simulation domain is developed. Through file tagging based on the ontology, files are well organized and the provenance of each file is explicitly maintained. Finally, a neutral method based on web service is designed to enable the communication between our system and heterogeneous PDM systems. The product structure kept in the simulation data management system is used to maintain a product context for simulation data. The developed simulation data management system has been applied in an etching machine development group and practical examples are given to illustrate the effectiveness of the system.