BS EN 81714-2-2007 PDF

Full title and description

STB BS EN 81714-2:2007 — Design of graphical symbols for use in the technical documentation of products — Part 2: Specification for graphical symbols in a computer-sensible form, including graphical symbols for a reference library, and requirements for their interchange. This edition is the British (BS) adoption of the EN/IEC work that specifies the structure, attributes and interchange requirements for computer-representable graphical-symbol libraries used in technical product documentation.

Abstract

This standard specifies requirements for graphical symbols to be included in a reference symbol library in a machine-readable (computer-sensible) form and defines how such libraries may be used and exchanged between computer-aided tools. It defines data elements, hierarchical organisation, library versions and semantic/graphical attributes, but does not mandate a single physical file format for interchange.

General information

• Status: Published as BS EN 81714-2:2007 (national adoption). Reported national withdrawals/updates noted in some catalogs (see FAQ).
• Publication date: BS adoption published 30 April 2007 (EN/BS publication 2007; original IEC edition 2006).
• Publisher: British Standards Institution (BSI) — adoption of EN 81714-2 (based on IEC 81714-2:2006).
• ICS / categories: 01.080.50 — Graphical symbols for use on information technology and telecommunications technical drawings and related product documentation.
• Edition / version: BS EN 81714-2:2007 (based on IEC 81714-2:2006, edition 2).
• Number of pages: Approximately 90 pages for the BS/EN edition (national publications list ~89–90 pages; IEC base document lists a longer international edition).

Scope

This part of the 81714 series defines requirements for graphical symbol elements when stored and exchanged in a computer-interpretable library: symbol geometry and line types, element attributes and metadata, classification and identification, versioning and interchange rules between computer-aided documentation tools. It is intended to support the creation, editing and exchange of technical documentation and symbol libraries; it does not prescribe a single physical file format for interchange.

Key topics and requirements

• Definition of a computer-sensible symbol model (data elements and attributes) for graphical symbols used in technical documentation.
• Specification of reference symbol library structure, classification and versioning.
• Requirements for interchange between computer-aided tools (semantic and geometric consistency).
• Guidance on mapping to existing symbol databases and normative references (e.g., IEC/EN symbol sets such as IEC 60617).
• Clarification that a physical file format for exchange is not mandated; the standard focuses on the logical data model and required attributes.

Typical use and users

Engineers and technical authors preparing product documentation, CAD/technical-graphics software vendors, documentation tool integrators, standards committees and information-architecture specialists use this standard to ensure consistent creation, storage and exchange of graphical-symbol libraries across tools and organisations.

Related standards

IEC/EN/ISO standards closely related to this part include IEC 81714-1 (basic rules for design of graphical symbols), IEC 81714-3 (classification of connect nodes and encoding), IEC 60617 (graphical symbols database) and related ISO/CEN technical-product-documentation standards. Users should consult the whole 81714 series and referenced IEC/ISO standards for complete interoperability guidance.

Keywords

graphical symbols, technical documentation, reference symbol library, computer-sensible, symbol interchange, IEC 81714, BS EN 81714-2, symbol data model, library versioning

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: It is the Part 2 specification of the 81714 series defining how graphical symbols for technical product documentation are represented in a computer-interpretable (machine-readable) library and what is required to exchange those libraries between tools.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers the logical data model for symbol elements and attributes, library organisation, classification, versioning and interchange requirements — but it does not mandate a single physical file format for exchanging libraries.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Technical writers, design engineers, CAD and documentation-software developers, library maintainers and standards/quality teams who need consistent, interoperable symbol libraries for product documentation and tooling integration.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: The IEC base publication for this part is IEC 81714-2:2006; the BS/EN adoption was published in 2007. National catalogues indicate that some national adoptions of EN 81714-2:2007 were withdrawn or updated (for example, certain national listings show withdrawal effective 16 May 2024). Always verify current national status with your national standards body (BSI or the local STB/agency) before relying on normative references.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — it is Part 2 of the 81714 series (design of graphical symbols). Other parts include Part 1 (basic rules) and Part 3 (classification of connect nodes), plus related IEC/ISO symbol databases and application standards.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Graphical symbols; reference symbol library; computer-sensible; interchange; symbol data model; technical product documentation; IEC 81714; library versioning.