Computer Aided Approval

The Germanischer Lloyd AG (GL) started a pilot operation to establish Computer Aided Approval as a new standard in the drawing review process.

With this, the drawing review is executed and documented fully on screen, based on digital documents, for the first time, and not on paper as before.

The term "Computer Aided Approval" (CAA) is used by GL as a synonym for review and approval based on digital construction documents, and it draws a deliberate analogy to the existing names of the other stages of product development as CAD, CAE and CAM for instance.

To ensure consumer acceptance, the consistent and comprehensive use of the standardized, cross-platform file format for documents (Portable Document Format - PDF) is central to the activities. The customer submits the documents via the GL Internet platform "globe" and also retrieves them there, reviewed and approved.

The direct processing and subsequent archiving of legally binding PDF documents, digitally signed and timestamped via "globe", supersedes the previously requisite paper-based documentation and thus the media disruption disturbing the workflow, without impairing readability and archiving properties.

more under