This Standard is intended to be the foundation for design development efforts in a model-based enterprise (MBE). This Standard establishes a schema for organizing a three-dimensional (3D) model and other associated information within the context of a digital product definition data set for the purpose of conveying a product definition that enables a MBE. It outlines model organization schema practices to support model-based definition (MBD), and provides a set of requirements and guidelines for the computer-aided design (CAD) user. This Standard contains no requirements pertaining to drawing graphic sheets. The 3D model is a master source for obtaining product definition data and eliminates the need for a drawing graphic sheet.

The organization practices defined by this Standard are necessary to establish a common method to facilitate access to the MBD data in the data set. The focus of this Standard is initially on mechanical items, the intent is to provide a foundation for use in any discipline. The schema are compliant with an annotated model defined in ASME Y14.41.