Understanding the Data Model

The Accuris API organizes engineering standards using a three-level hierarchy: Standards, Editions, and Documents.

The Three-Level Hierarchy

Standard (Family)
    └── Edition (Version)
        └── Document (Publication)

Standard

A Standard represents the ongoing concept of a standards family across all versions and time. For example, "ISO 9001" refers to the quality management standard family without specifying which year or version. The standard doesn't include a year in its identifier and serves as a stable reference point that persists across all editions.

Use standards when you:

• Want to see all available versions
• Need to find the currently recommended edition
• Are searching without a specific version in mind

Example: ISO 9001, ASTM D638, SAE J1939

Edition

An Edition represents a specific published version of a standard, typically identified by year. "ISO 9001:2015" is an edition - it's one particular version with specific technical requirements, distinct from the 2008 or 2000 editions. Standards are revised every few years as technology and practices evolve, and each revision creates a new edition.

Use editions when you:

• Need a specific version for compliance
• Want to reference a particular technical snapshot
• Are working with historical versions

Example: ISO 9001:2015, ASTM D638-14, SAE J1939-21

Document

A Document represents an actual published file that was released on a specific date. An edition can have multiple documents published over its lifetime - the original specification, plus any amendments, corrections, or cancellation notices that come later.

Example timeline for ISO 9001:2015:

• 2015-09-15: Original publication
• 2018-03-01: Corrigendum 1 (error corrections)
• 2020-07-15: Amendment 1 (technical updates)

All three are separate documents, but they all belong to the ISO 9001:2015 edition.

Relationships and Navigation

A Standard contains multiple Editions, and each Edition contains multiple Documents:

{
  "@id": "https://preprod.accuris.io/industrial/document/standard/ABRUHIAA",
  "documentNumber": "ISO 9001",
  "activeEdition": "https://preprod.accuris.io/.../edition/ISO9001_2015",
  "activeDocument": "https://preprod.accuris.io/.../document/ISO9001_2015_v1",
  "edition": [
    "https://preprod.accuris.io/.../edition/ISO9001_2008",
    "https://preprod.accuris.io/.../edition/ISO9001_2015"
  ],
  "document": [
    "https://preprod.accuris.io/.../document/ISO9001_2008_v1",
    "https://preprod.accuris.io/.../document/ISO9001_2015_v1"
  ]
}

Active Pointers

Each Standard maintains two important pointers:

• activeEdition - The currently recommended edition
• activeDocument - The most recently published document in the active edition

These pointers let you quickly access current content without knowing which version is latest.

Common Workflows

Get the latest version:

1. Retrieve the Standard
2. Follow the activeEdition URI
3. Access documents from that edition

Get a specific version:

1. Request the edition directly by its designation
2. Retrieve its documents

Browse all versions:

1. Retrieve the Standard
2. Iterate through the edition[] array