@Override
 public Topic fetchPartType(Association assoc) {
   Topic partTypeTopic = assoc.getTopic("dm4.core.part_type");
   // error check
   if (partTypeTopic == null) {
     throw new RuntimeException(
         "Invalid association definition: topic role dm4.core.part_type "
             + "is missing in "
             + assoc);
   }
   //
   return partTypeTopic;
 }