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Tips and Comments for Successful STEP Translations

Tips and Comments for Successful STEP Translations

Peter HeathSr. Product ManagerIntegration and TranslatorsSDRC Imageware - 2600 Green Rd.Ann Arbor, MI 41005Mobile 734.260.3718Office 734.623-5809

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2S STEP Workshop at JPL Jan 16, 2001

OverviewOverview

• SDRC's STEP Products- I-DEAS

• AP214, AP203

- Metaphase

• AP232, AP203, AP214

- SLATE

• Requirements Exchange

• PDES, Inc. Initiatives Support- History Translation

- Verification

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3S STEP Workshop at JPL Jan 16, 2001

I-DEAS STEP TranslatorI-DEAS STEP Translator

• Optional product

• Third party product using Open I-DEAS to read/write from I-

DEAS database

• Consistent reports as better than IGES

• Product pricing has positioned it against Direct Translators

rather than against IGES

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4S STEP Workshop at JPL Jan 16, 2001

SDRC Translation DirectionsSDRC Translation Directions

• Development cost versus capability and market ability to pay

• Pay per conversion (ASP?)

• License purchase (like today)

• Special Services- Data verification- Healing/Repair

• Part History- Customer Expectations

• PDM- Standards vs. Customization

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5S STEP Workshop at JPL Jan 16, 2001

The Translation ProcessThe Translation Process

• Import and Export- Understand the purpose of the translation

• Config Management Data

• Geometry assumptions

• Design, Analysis, Visualization, or Meta-data only

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6S STEP Workshop at JPL Jan 16, 2001

The Translation ProcessThe Translation Process

• Options- I-DEAS supports 4 variations of STEP

• AP203 IS – Standard Default version

• AP203 IS - with extensions

• AP214 CD

• AP214 DIS

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7S STEP Workshop at JPL Jan 16, 2001

Additional OptionsAdditional Options

• Entity Mapping

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8S STEP Workshop at JPL Jan 16, 2001

Geometry Translation ProcessGeometry Translation Process

CADSYSTEM

CADSYSTEM

STEP

GeometryConversion

GeometryConversion

GeometryValidation

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9S STEP Workshop at JPL Jan 16, 2001

Murphy’s LawMurphy’s Law

• Geometry - Curve and Surface Math Formulation

• NURBS, Bezier, Others

- Trim Curves

• Parameter Space vs. Model Space

• Tolerance to surface

- Topology

• Tolerance of edge vs. tolerance of trim curve on surface

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10S STEP Workshop at JPL Jan 16, 2001

Geometry ExamplesGeometry Examples

Surface with twisted Control

points

Single Surface with C0

discontinuities

Trim curve lies outside surface definition (after trim is

complete)

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11S STEP Workshop at JPL Jan 16, 2001

Topology ExampleTopology Example

Two edges with common endpoints and a common center. Partial overlaps close to tolerance are

very subtle to discover.

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12S STEP Workshop at JPL Jan 16, 2001

RecommendationsRecommendations

• Know the source of your data

• Test YOUR parts between the systems and vendors

you will be using

• Set standards (flavors) and minimize variations

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13S STEP Workshop at JPL Jan 16, 2001

Metaphase: MetaSTEPMetaphase: MetaSTEP

• MetaSTEP- Supports Version 1.1 of the PDM Schema

• Product History- Primarily of interest during evaluation phase and as a basis for

customization- In the environment where a Tier 1 supplier is communicating

within itself, there is little need for STEP. Tier 1’s are still in the process of rolling out full up PDM solutions.

- STEP appears to have the most value in Supplier integration- SDRC has identified requirements to update this product to

support newer schema versions; just waiting for market demand to justify the expenditure.

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14S STEP Workshop at JPL Jan 16, 2001

STEP activities & PDES, Inc.STEP activities & PDES, Inc.• MDA Group is participating in Tech meetings

- Annotation may be next critical path item

- Expectations for History project

- Evaluating transfer quality

- Ongoing efforts with ITI to support PDES, Inc. and STEP acceptance

• Slate is working on AP233- Seen as a natural extension of SDRC activities in PDM and knowledge

capture.

• Metaphase- STEP is a central part of many customers implementation plans for PDM

and supplier management

- Customer Implementation support projects will drive STEP product enhancements

• CAE investigating business case for AP209

• General agreement that STEP is the standards based data exchange

vehicle for the future

• Continuing investigation of business drivers for enhancements.

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15S STEP Workshop at JPL Jan 16, 2001

Questions & CommentsQuestions & Comments