ISO 13584-42:2010 specifies the principles to be used for defining characterization classes of parts and properties of parts which provide for characterizing a part independently of any particular supplier-defined identification.

ISO 13584-42:2010 specifies :

— the capability to model constraints on properties by restricting their domain of values;

— the capability to model and distinguish characterization classes and categorization classes;

— the capability to model aggregation and composition using a single resource mechanism;

— the capability to describe strings that carry external references;

— the capability to connect classes that belong to different class hierarchies.