Step Services for Sharing Product Models in a Virtual Enterprise

Abstract

Abstract This paper focuses on managing product data in a distributed information infrastructure for a virtual enterprise. It exploits the emerging STEP standards as a common representation for exchanging product data within this infrastructure. A set of STEP services is defined that provide the capability for engineers to retrieve and edit parts or a product model and to integrate those edited parts back into the product model. A demonstration of these services as part of a National Industrial Information Infrastructure Protocols Consortium demonstration is then described. The paper ends by discussing lessons learned from this demonstration. It also discusses future plans for development of the STEP services.