Tips and Comments for Successful STEP Translations

1. Tips and Comments for Successful STEP Translations Peter Heath Sr. Product Manager Integration and Translators SDRC Imageware - 2600 Green Rd. Ann Arbor, MI 41005 Mobile 734.260.3718 Office 734.623-5809

2. Overview • SDRC's STEP Products • I-DEAS • AP214, AP203 • Metaphase • AP232, AP203, AP214 • SLATE • Requirements Exchange • PDES, Inc. Initiatives Support • History Translation • Verification

3. I-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

4. SDRC 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

5. The Translation Process • Import and Export • Understand the purpose of the translation • Config Management Data • Geometry assumptions • Design, Analysis, Visualization, or Meta-data only

6. The Translation Process • Options • I-DEAS supports 4 variations of STEP • AP203 IS – Standard Default version • AP203 IS - with extensions • AP214 CD • AP214 DIS

7. Additional Options • Entity Mapping

8. Geometry Translation Process CAD SYSTEM GeometryConversion STEP GeometryConversion CAD SYSTEM GeometryValidation

9. Murphy’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

10. Geometry Examples Trim curve lies outside surface definition (after trim is complete) Surface with twisted Control points Single Surface with C0 discontinuities

11. Topology Example Two edges with common endpoints and a common center. Partial overlaps close to tolerance are very subtle to discover.

12. Recommendations • Know the source of your data • Test YOUR parts between the systems and vendors you will be using • Set standards (flavors) and minimize variations

13. Metaphase: 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.

14. 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.

15. Questions & Comments