Datakit’s 3D Data Conversion Tools Support Evolution of the STEP Standard

The latest evolution of STEP AP242, edition 2, is now public. Datakit actively participated in its development, and is already ready to offer reading and writing of STEP AP242E2 data with its CAD data exchange tools.

Edition 2 of STEP AP242 (AP242E2) was published by ISO (ISO 10303-242:2020), at the end of April 2020, with its batch of novelties:

Regarding the exchanges and archiving of technical data (PLM), STEP AP242 takes up and completes the descriptions of AP203, AP214 in EXPRESS and introduces a description based directly on XML technologies, STEP Business Objects Model (BOM), which becomes Domain Model with AP242E2. This set introduces from AP242 Edition 2 a new architecture, to allow a coherent management of the set based on modern technologies.

For the EXPRESS part, we can note in the evolutions: continuation of the complements on the FDT, in particular, “FDT with minimal graphic (placeholder),” features holes with their dimensioning and new definitions of tessellation.

STEP Business Objects Model becomes STEP Domain Model: its implementation is based on XML, open technology, aiming to allow evolutions, not only in the coverage of cases but also in the modes of communication. Domain Model is intended to take into account data with strong semantic content. For AP242E2, the evolutions concern in particular: electrical harness, kinematics, PDM.

STEP AP242 is the backbone of STEP definitions, other protocols synchronize: AP209 (analysis, finite elements, etc.), AP238 (machining, numerical control, etc.)

The case coverage in the available implementations is managed in the framework of the implementor forums (MBx-IF), for the definition, the criteria of validity of the exchanges, the interoperability tests.

Datakit actively participates in work on the STEP AP242 standard: standardization committee (AFNOR, ISO TC184 SC4), working groups, prototypes and pilot projects (within the LOTAR group), implementation forums (MBx-IF framework: CAX-IF, EWIS-IF, PDM-IF), which allows it to be up to date with its evolution, for the standard as well as for its implementation.

The next version (V2020.3) of the CrossCad/Ware SDK and the CrossManager converter edited by Datakit will support STEP AP242E2, and will introduce the first new features already tested in the framework of the implementation forums (MBx-IF), starting with the FDT with minimal graph, the tessellations with precision parameters, the tessellations with curved triangles ... and for Domain Model, the product structures, PDM data (effectiveness, version, multiple identifiers). This version will be available from the beginning of July 2020.

Datakit's data exchange tools closely follow the conclusions of the implementation forums, which define the types of data eligible for exchanges and archiving by STEP and integrate them during its quarterly updates.

With the release of Datakit version 2020.3, support for AP242 E2 will be available for developers, via the CrossCad / Ware software development kit, and for end-users, via the standalone CrossManager converter.

Software vendors have, through the SDK CrossCad/Ware, the possibility of offering STEP AP242 Edition 2 import in their own software. This is in addition to the many other supported formats. More than a hundred software products published worldwide use Datakit's exchange technology, which has become the benchmark in the field.

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.