# Presentation: 434807

## STEP TutorialEffective Exchange of STEP dataJanuary 16, 2001

##   .....a little background:   

- Experience with ‘homegrown’ translators ~1991
- AeroSTEP with Boeing  ~ 1994
- PowerSTEP project ~1995
- Turbine pilot with MTU and P&W 1995-99
- current PDES pilot:  Aerospace Engine Alliance
- STEPnet and CAX-IF  test rallies

## What constitutes effective STEP exchange? 

- cheaper and faster than alternatives
- more efficient: ‘requires fewer people’
- all inclusive data exchange, and
- satisfies customers request

**...****from the management perspective**

## What constituents effective STEP exchange? 

- quicker and more reliable than other means
- dependable: wisiwyg
- “what I sent is what you got”
- easy to use, consistent process
- no specialized training required
- satisfies customers’ request

**..and from a technical point of view**

## Effective STEP exchange“Expectations”

- STEP will:
- handle solids and surfaces
- multiple use parts and assemblies
- subset of configuration (PDM) data
- support colors/layers/valprops extensions
- Step doesn’t support:
- parametrics, design features, or csg history
- imbedded tolerances
- prayer

## Effective  Step Exchange“the  problem”

## Effective  Step Exchange “expectations”

- Today

- Low

**   ****Step**
**Problems**

- High

- Time

- 70 - 75% Success

- 90 - 95% Success

- Add quality
- checking

- Incorporate
- Healing Tech

- Model Quality

- Accuracy

## Effective STEP exchange

**     “****GIGO”       **

## Effective STEP exchange“Ingredients”

- ‘bullet proof’  native model
- Sending system capability
- Receiving system capability
- identify customer requirements
- consistent procedure
- establish success criteria
- build Best Practices & Lessons Learned

## Effective  Step Exchange “High level Perspective”

## Effective  Step Exchange “model correct”

- Native
- Model

- Create
- Target
- File

- Do Quality Checks

- Create Step File

- Check for Errors

- Documentation.

- Step

- Validate/heal

- Notify Sender
- & Recipient

- Archive

- Send STEP file

## Effective Step Exchange“model correct”?

## Effective Step Exchange“model correct”?

## Effective  Step Exchange “accuracy & tolerance”

- Effective  Step Exchange “accuracy & tolerance”

- Native
- Model

- Create
- Target
- File

- Do Quality Checks

- Create Step File

- Check for Errors

- Documentation.

- Step

- Validate/heal

- Notify Sender
- & Recipient

- Archive

- Send STEP file

## Effective  Step Exchange “accuracy & tolerance”

- Acis			0.000001in
- Unigraphics	0.00001 mm
- Pro-E		0.0012 in
- Cadds		0.001 mm
- I-DEAS		0.01 mm
- Catia			0.1 mm

## Effective STEP exchange“Accuracy Issues”

- Effective STEP exchange“Accuracy Issues”

**       **

## Effective STEP exchange“Corrective action”

## Effective STEP exchange“Accuracy Issues”

**       **

## Effective STEP exchange“Corrective action”

**       **

## Effective  Step Exchange “Model quality/Best Practices”

- Effective  Step Exchange “Model quality/Best Practices”

- Native
- Model

- Create
- Target
- File

- Do Quality Checks

- Create Step File

- Check for Errors

- Documentation.

- Step

- Validate/heal

- Notify Sender
- & Recipient

- Archive

- Validation OK?

- Send STEP file

- To heal or not to heal..

- Target system
- capabilities?

- Bspline tolerances

## Effective STEP exchange“Model Quality checks”

## Effective STEP exchange“Model Quality checks”

## Effective STEP exchange“Model Quality checks”

## Effective STEP exchange“Model Quality checks”

- Sliver Face in Bolt

## Effective STEP exchange“Model Quality checks”

## Effective STEP exchange“ Best Practices”

## Effective STEP exchange“ Best Practices”

## Effective STEP exchange“ Best Practices”

## Effective STEP exchange“ Best Practices”

## Effective  Step Exchange “create STEP file”

- Native
- Model

- Create
- Target
- File

- Do Quality Checks

- Create Step File

- Check for Errors

- Documentation.

- Step

-  Best Practices
- & model quality

- Validate/heal

- Notify Sender
- & Recipient

- Archive

- Send STEP file

- Complete Model?

- Target system
- capabilities?

## Effective STEP exchange“successful STEP file”

## Effective  Step Exchange “ready to send”

- Native
- Model

- Create
- Target
- File

- Do Quality Checks

- Create Step File

- Check for Errors

- Documentation.

- Step

-  Best Practices
- & model quality

- Validate/heal

- Notify Sender
- & Recipient

- Archive

- Send STEP file

- Complete Model?

- Target system
- capabilities?

## Effective Step Exchange“ready to send”

- Most, if not all, vendors have 2nd or 3rd generation STEP translators in use
- Generally, all vendors have undertaken some form of ‘step file certification’
- Tools to check step file structure, syntax, and semantics are used to ensure compliant STEP files are created
- participate in CAX Implementors  forum

## Effective  Step Exchange“Validation & Healing”

- Native
- Model

- Create
- Target
- File

- Do Quality Checks

- Create Step File

- Check for Errors

- Documentation.

- Step

-  Best Practices
- & model quality

- Validate/heal

- Notify Sender
- & Recipient

- Archive

- Send STEP file

- Contents complete?

- Complete Model?

- Log file look ok?

- Target system
- capabilities?

## Effective STEP exchange“validated STEP file”

- Effective STEP exchange“validated STEP file”

**Target system data**

**Native system data**

## Effective STEP exchange“problem STEP file”

**       **

## Effective STEP exchange...the problem ‘healed’

**       **

## Effective  Step Exchange “Problem Resolution Process”

- Effective  Step Exchange “Problem Resolution Process”

- Native
- Model

- Create
- Target
- File

- Do Quality Checks

- Create Step File

- Check for Errors

- Documentation.

- Step

-  Best Practices &
- model quality

- Validate/heal

- Notify Sender
- & Recipient

- Archive

- Send STEP file

- Contents complete?

- Log file look ok?

- Target system
- capabilities?

- Bspline tolerances

## Effective   STEP ExchangeProblem Resolution

- Effective   STEP ExchangeProblem Resolution

- Prepare/Translate and make
- ready for Export

- CAD Model

- Output
- OK

- Model
- OK

- Send to Process Owner
- @ Target System

- Translate & Import to
- Target System

- Delighted/Customer

- A

- C

- D

- B

- E

-  Problem Resolution team

-     Problem Resolution team

- N

- Y

- Y

- N

- Native Model
- Problem

- IPT focal has responsibility for the
-  data exchange of the
- Design/Product Definition (A)

-     model passes validation checks

## Effective Step ExchangePRP      

- “Problem Resolution Process (PRP)
- Responsibility Center”

- Source
- Of
- Failure

- Identify
- Source of
- Failure

- Vendor
- part?

- Model
- Quality
- Issue

- Update Lessons
- Learned

- PR team Fixes
- Model

- C

- Software
- Problem

- DST/CSC/UGS  Work
- Solution

- Design
- Process

- Notify
- Process
- Owner

- Send to
- Vender for
- Correction
- & Notify IPT

- Notify IPT
- Of Problem

- y

- N

- n

## Effective Step ExchangePRP

- Target
- System

- D

- Review Error message
-  from Target System

- PR team Identifies
- Source of Error

- Who
- Owns
- Problem

- Model corrected
- or updated

- Is Target
- System a
- Customer

- Notify IPT
- & Discipline Manager

- Fix Process
- & update Lessons
- Learned

- DST

- N

- Y

- Target
- System
- fixes problem

- Work with
- customer to
- fix process

- UG - info/exam geometry
- CAD - IQ
- Theorem DXN
- Mass Property Data
- Other Tricks and resources

- Native System

- Design Systems Technology
- “Problem Resolution Process”

- DST

## Effective  Step Exchange “check list”

- Effective  Step Exchange “check list”

- Native
- Model

- Create
- Target
- File

- Do Quality Checks

- Create Step File

- Check for Errors

- Documentation.

- Step

-  Best Practices
- & model quality

- Validate/heal

- Notify Sender
- & Recipient

- Archive

- Send STEP file

- Contents complete?

- Log file look ok?

- Target system
- capabilities?

- Bspline tolerances

## Effective STEP exchange“ coming soon”

- New Release of AP203:
- Modular Extension architecture
- includes colors and layers
- imbedded validation properties
- In test with CAX Implementors:
- enhanced validation properties
- dimensional tolerances
- CSG, GD&T in development phase

## Effective STEP exchange“ summary /recommendations”

- Current step exchange rate is >90%
- Incorporate Best Practices/model quality into your design practice; try  www.caxif.org/bestprac/practice.html
- Quality checkers and Healing tools can improve STEP ‘successes’
- Stay on top of your CAD vendor STEP translator development; practice regression testing on new releases
- Understand Native and Target system STEP capabilities