Standard: STEP (ISO 10303)

From Wikipedia: ISO 10303:

ISO 10303 is an ISO standard for the computer-interpretable representation and exchange of product manufacturing information. Its official title is "Industrial automation systems and integration - Product data representation and exchange", known as "STEP" or "Standard for the Exchange of Product model data".

The International standard's objective is to provide a mechanism that is capable of describing product data throughout the life cycle of a product, independent from any particular system. The nature of this description makes it suitable not only for neutral file exchange, but also as a basis for implementing and sharing product databases and archiving.

Typically STEP can be used to exchange data between CAD, Computer-aided manufacturing, Computer-aided engineering, Product Data Management/EDM and other CAx systems. STEP is addressing product data from mechanical and electrical design, Geometric dimensioning and tolerancing, analysis and manufacturing, with additional information specific to various industries such as automotive, aerospace, building construction, ship, oil and gas, process plants and others.

From http://www.ap233.org/:

STEP, more formally known as ISO 10303, is an International Standard for the computer-interpretable representation and exchange of product data. The objective is to provide a mechanism that is capable of describing product data throughout the life cycle of a product, independent from any particular system. The nature of this description makes it suitable not only for neutral file exchange, but also as a basis for implementing and sharing product databases and archiving.

AP233 (Application Protocol 233) is the STEP Systems Engineering Project, one of several dozen projects each focusing on specific exchange and integration problems within a given domain. Examples of other STEP projects are:

* AP203 - 3D Designs of Mechanical Piece Parts and Assemblies (MCAD)

* AP209 - Structural Analysis and Related Design (Analysis)

* AP210 - Electronic Assembly, Interconnect, and Packaging Design (ECAD)

* AP212 - Electrotechnical Design and Installation (Cable Harnesses)

* AP238 - Application interpreted model for computer numeric controllers (Machining)