STEP in a Nutshell

Abstract

This chapter gives an overview of STEP (Standard for the Exchange of Product model data), assuming that the reader may not be familiar with STEP. The chapter gives a short example of an industrial use of STEP. Then it touches briefly on the history and objectives of STEP, followed by the organization of the Parts of STEP. Next, it goes into technical details of (1) information modelling using EXPRESS and EXPRESS-G, (2) data representation using STEP Part 21 files and other methods, (3) the STEP integrated resources, (4) application protocols (APs), including application activity models (AAMs), application reference models (ARMs), units of functionality (UOFs), application interpreted models (AIMs), application interpreted constructs (AICs), application modules (AMs), and conformance classes, and (5) STEP-NC. The chapter closes with some comments on the future of STEP. The Appendix at the end gives some additional sources of information about STEP.