How concepts management works

This platform helps TC 1 / Vocabularies align every term used across OIML publications with the authoritative vocabularies (VIM, VIML) and decide where OIML-specific terms belong in the future vocabulary landscape.

What this platform does

OIML publications (Recommendations, Documents) use thousands of technical terms. Many of these terms are defined in the authoritative vocabularies:

V 1 (VIML) — International Vocabulary of Terms in Legal Metrology
V 2 (VIM) — International Vocabulary of Metrology (maintained by JCGM)

Terms not in V 1 or V 2 are OIML-specific. These need a home in a future V 3 — a proposed new vocabulary for OIML-specific terms.

For each concept, the platform collates every OIML publication that uses it, checks its alignment with V 1/V 2, and recommends an action. G 18 is the OIML guide that assembles these terms into a shared terminology resource. G 18 itself is not a vocabulary — it sources concepts from V 1, V 2, and OIML publications.

The 5-case alignment decision tree

For each concept, the platform compares its designation and definition against the current authoritative V 1 (VIML 2022) and V 2 (VIM 2012) vocabularies. The result is one of five alignment cases, each with a recommended action.

Case 1

Aligned

designation + definition match

Designation and normalized definition are identical to the current V 1 or V 2 concept. The OIML publication is consistent with the authoritative vocabulary.

Action: None. Concept is already aligned — show as info on the worklist.

Case 2

Matches a historic edition only

citation needs update

The concept matches an older V 1/V 2 edition (e.g. VIM 2007, VIML 2013) but the citation is stale — the current edition has either renumbered or refined the definition.

Action: Update the citation. The publication should cite the latest V 1/V 2 edition in its next revision.

Case 3

Definition diverges

same designation, different definition

The designation matches the current V 1/V 2, but the definition differs meaningfully. Either the OIML publication intentionally diverges, or it has drifted.

Options: Adopt the V 1/V 2 definition (update the publication), or differentiate the designation (rename the OIML term) and propose the new concept for V 3.

Case 4

Fuzzy designation match

similar term exists in V 1/V 2

No exact designation match, but the term closely resembles a V 1/V 2 concept (detected via token-overlap similarity). TC 1 must judge whether the OIML term is a synonym, a specialization, or distinct.

Options: Adopt the V 1/V 2 term (reconcile the near-miss), or Propose for V 3 as sufficiently distinct.

Case 5

No match

OIML-specific

No V 1 or V 2 concept matches the designation, even with fuzzy matching. The term is genuinely OIML-specific — examples include "load cell", "dosimeter", "pressure gauge".

Action: Propose for V 3. The future OIML-specific vocabulary is the right home for these terms.

Auxiliary

Withdrawn publication

retire from G 18

Independent of the 5 alignment cases: when an OIML publication is withdrawn (status from relaton-data-oiml), concepts that appear only in that publication should be retired from G 18:current and G 18:202X. The platform auto-detects this and flags a "Retire" action.

Action: Retire from G 18:current and G 18:202X. The concept is no longer sourced from an active publication.

The three target vocabularies

V 1

Future VIML

Legal metrology concepts: verification, type approval, legal control of measuring instruments.

V 1 candidates →

V 2

Future VIM

General metrology concepts: quantity, measurement, accuracy, uncertainty. Suggestions go to JCGM.

V 2 candidates →

V 3

OIML-specific

A new vocabulary for terms unique to OIML publications — not in VIM or VIML. Load cell, dosimeter, pressure gauge.

V 3 candidates →

Where to start

Suggested actions

Every concept that needs attention, ranked by priority.

Vocabulary gaps

OIML terms with no V 1/V 2 source. Triage by V 1, V 2, or V 3 candidacy.

Browse concepts

All concepts defined in OIML publications, filterable by edition.

Key concepts

V 1 (VIML): International Vocabulary of Terms in Legal Metrology — legal metrology terms (verification, type approval, legal control).
V 2 (VIM): International Vocabulary of Metrology — general metrology terms (quantity, measurement, accuracy). Maintained by JCGM; OIML proposes suggestions.
V 3: A proposed new vocabulary for OIML-specific terms not in V 1 or V 2 (e.g. "load cell", "dosimeter", "pressure gauge").
Alignment case: One of 5 classifications (1=aligned, 2=historic, 3=diverges, 4=fuzzy, 5=none) computed by comparing a term's designation and normalized definition against the current V 1/V 2 editions. Drives the recommended action.
G 18: The OIML guide that collates terminology used across OIML Recommendations and Documents. G 18 sources concepts from V 1, V 2, and OIML publications — it is not itself a vocabulary. G 18:2010 is published; G 18:202X is the draft under review.
Fuzzy match: An OIML term whose designation closely resembles (but does not exactly match) a V 1/V 2 concept — detected by Jaccard token-overlap similarity (threshold 0.34). Drives Case 4 alignment.
Differentiated definitions: When the same term appears with different definitions across OIML publications, the platform shows all variants as reference material to help decide harmonization.
Concept diff: A structured comparison between two V 1/V 2 editions showing what changed: designation renames, definition rewording, added/removed notes and examples.

Source: oimlsmart/vocab· VIM/VIML: www.oimlsmart.org/vocab