Enriching Semantics of Geometry Features and Parameters for Additive Manufacturing Peculiar Structure Based on STEP Standards

Abstract

Owing to the requirements of the AM system integration and standardization for an AM part structure, the AM features and parameters need to extend their related data entities for better information exchange and sharing based on STEP-NC Part 17 for additive manufacturing. In this paper, we propose an architecture to transfer the manufacturing layer feature and process parameter information among the CAD/CAPP/CAM systems. We classify the AM layer features into four: general geometry feature, foam structure feature, honeycomb structure feature, and lattice structure feature. These features include detailed parameters and a physical performance that represent specific feature data with related entity definitions and relation descriptions. The process information specifies the optimal process parameters that provide the possibility for optimization data interoperability in various application systems. Based on the concepts of the manufacturing layer feature and process parameters in AM, we simultaneously present the specific STEP/STEP-NC-compliant data model to represent the AM layer feature and process parameter information exchange. Absolutely, we also give the conformance analysis and implementation for each application object and the data entities in the interoperability process.