The Power of STEP for the Exchange of Engineering Information between CA(X) Systems

Torben Sørensen, Finn Conrad

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingArticle in proceedingsResearchpeer-review

    Abstract

    ISO10303 STEP, is the only standard that provides information resources and methodologies needed for the definition and management of engineering product information for efficient Integrated Product Development (IPD).This paper describes the most important concepts related to these powerful STEP resources and methodologies, and the paper further addresses how to use STEP for IPD of hydraulic components and systems based upon the concurrent engineering of different computer aided CA(X) systems.International standardization based on ISO10303, STEP, is playing a key role in promoting a modern approach to the neutral Product Data Technology by use of the open systems' architecture. The initial release of STEP, consisting of twelve essential parts, has been approved and published (in 1994) as an International Standard. The introduction of STEP based software and its application in industry is thus on the verge of being broadly realized.These twelve initial STEP parts primarily comprehend complete information model resources for CAD geometry and kinematics descriptions, as well as methodologies for information modeling and information mapping into database models and physical files, etc.For IPD of hydraulic components and systems we need to describe, e.g. additional CFD information and CACSD information that are not provided by STEP in its initial release. Fortunately, the methodologies provided by STEP enable us to write our own additional dedicated information resources as needed, and even map these dedicated resources into physical files and databases in formats that comply with the standard, even though the information contents is not defined in any standard resource model. The only demand is that the information model resources used by the receiving CA(X) system must be identical to those applied by the sending CA(X) system. This way, enterprises can develop quite elaborated but dedicated information model resources related to their specific domain and use those models together with the existing standard resources. Such dedicated information model resources have already proven to be very important as subject for further standardization work.
    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationThe Power of STEP for the Exchange of Engineering Information between CA(X) Systems
    PublisherFluid Power Net Publisher
    Publication date1999
    Publication statusPublished - 1999
    EventInternational Workshop on Computer Software for Design, Analysis and Control of Fluid Power Systems - Trondheim, Norway
    Duration: 17 Feb 199919 Feb 1999

    Conference

    ConferenceInternational Workshop on Computer Software for Design, Analysis and Control of Fluid Power Systems
    Country/TerritoryNorway
    CityTrondheim
    Period17/02/199919/02/1999

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