Support and use of STEP format

Here we mostly focus on mechanical CAD (3D models and assemblies, and associated data). In that scope, use of STEP concerns primarily a common sub-set of AP203 and AP214.

Nowadays, STEP is more and more a basis for CAD data exchanges that can't be ignored anymore. Support of STEP is now part of most CAD offers available on the market. This has lead users and vendors of CAD softwares and solutions to join their efforts to reach the needs of the industry.

In view of what STEP can describe and exchange in CAD, the need quickly arose to facilitate and accelerate the implementation and use of STEP, and to ensure that user's requirement are satisfied. This has motivated industrial users and software vendors to join their efforts and experience in dedicated work groups, in particular :

CAx-IF forum for common test activity in the CAD area. It is jointly organized by ProSTEP in Germany and PDES.Inc in the USA,
PDM-IF forum which is dedicated to PDM data,
other groups work on specific domains, like computation and analysis, electro-mechanics ..
Also the LOTAR group which is involved in the topic of long term archiving of CAD data, considers STEP as a suitable approach and works in conjunction with implementor forums.

The aim of these working groups is to identify the real needs of industrial users with regard to STEP, to support the use of this standard by establishing recommended practices and user guides, and to organize interoperability tests. In addition, efforts are being made to broaden the scope of STEP's use in industry: pilot projects, prototype implementations, proofs of feasibility.

As a specialist in solutions for CAD data exchanges, including the use of STEP, DATAKIT is involved in works in charge of STEP : by actively participating in the CAx-IF forum, as member of ProSTEP, also participating in the works of the LOTAR group by providing its expertise.

This makes it easier for DATAKIT, supplier of STEP-based CAD data exchange tools, to keep up with current practices and tools in use in the industrial world.
DATAKIT is at the forefront of the state of the art and future developments of the standard and its real-life uses, testing and improving our solutions for interoperability.
In the workshops organized by the LOTAR group, in which DATAKIT acts as expert in data exchanges, we keep in touch with the industrial needs, the capabilities and limits of STEP, to address them and how to improve the situation.

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