Parametric STEP for concurrent engineering

The international standard ISO 10303 (STEP) provides representations of CAD and other product models in a standard neutral format suitable for exchange and sharing between different computer-based systems. However, the standard cannot currently transmit parametric CAD models, and this fact makes it difficult to work with a model in a system other than that in which it was created. Efforts are under way within the STEP development community to enhance STEP for the representation and exchange of feature-based CAD models with parameterization and constraints. This should overcome the problems mentioned and render STEP models much more suitable for use in a concurrent engineering environment.