AutoSTEP Success Continues to Streamline CAD/CAM Efficiency
28 July 1997
AutoSTEP Success Continues to Streamline CAD/CAM Efficiency
SOUTHFIELD, Mich., July 28 -- With a translation success rate
of more than 80 percent for importing and 93 percent for exporting AutoSTEP
(STandard for the Exchange of Product model data) files, suppliers are
realizing the cost and time benefits of incorporating STEP technology into
their business processes. The Automotive Industry Action Group's (AIAG) AUTO-
TECH '97 Conference & Exposition -- slated for Aug. 26-28 at Detroit's Cobo
Center --will feature several sessions on current and future STEP activities.
Aimed at standardizing data exchange to reduce the number of redundant
CAD/CAM systems throughout the supply chain, STEP has the potential to save
the North American automotive industry as much as $300 million per year. STEP
also will help companies dramatically slash product development cycles.
Initiated in 1995, the AIAG's AutoSTEP pilot is making major strides
toward reducing the redundancy of CAD systems in the auto industry by allowing
companies to use their preferred systems internally and use STEP to move files
of CAD data between their customers and suppliers.
"The ability to exchange solid part design geometry among a wide range of
CAD systems has been promising," said Frank J. Bay, AIAG associate director on
loan from Deere & Company. "In fact, one supplier has already reported that,
through STEP, solid model data exchange time has been reduced from three days
down to as little as four hours."
Assisted by a $1.2 million grant from the Defense Advanced Research
Projects Agency (DARPA), the project's goal is to demonstrate effective
product data exchange, build a business case for improvements to concurrent
development processes and lay the groundwork for broad deployment of STEP
technology within the automotive supply chain.
Phase one of the AIAG AutoSTEP pilot -- which concluded in early 1996 --
concentrated on solid geometry exchange and involved Chrysler, Ford, General
Motors, AlliedSignal, Dana, Delphi Saginaw, Eaton and TRW.
Now in phase two, the pilot continues to test the protocol for solid
modeling, while adding drafting, surface geometry, configuration management
and product definition data exchange. In addition to the participants from
phase one, second phase participants include General Dynamics Land Systems,
United Defense Limited Partners, Delco Electronics, Kearfott, ITW Deltar,
Nypro, Sealed Power, Shell Cast and Zovamax.
AutoSTEP's third and final phase, slated for 1998, will target the
development of mechanical design process protocols and full STEP
implementation into the third tier of the automotive supply chain.
Educational sessions on AutoSTEP at AUTO-TECH '97 include:
* Big Three CAD/CAM/CAE/PIM Strategy - Tues., Aug. 26 at 8:30 a.m.;
* OEM/Suppliers STEP Activities - Tues., Aug. 26 at 9:30 a.m.;
* PDES, Inc. Update - Tues., Aug. 26 at 11:30 a.m.;
* JAMA STEP Activities - Tues., Aug. 26 at 2:45 p.m.;
* STEPnet, Interoperability Testing Over the Internet - Tues., Aug. 26 at
3:45 p.m.;
* AutoSTEP: Putting STEP on the Road - Wed., Aug. 27 at 8:30 a.m.;
* CAD/CAM & PDM Vendors STEP Update - Wed., Aug. 27 at 11 a.m.;
* PDM & STEP (BOM Product Structure) - Wed., Aug. 27 at 3:15 p.m.; and
The Virtual Enterprise Data Warehouse: STEP on the Web - Wed., Aug. 27
at 4:15 p.m.
For AUTO-TECH '97 registration, exhibition and conference information,
interested parties should contact the AIAG at 248-358-3570.
Founded in 1982, AIAG is a not-for-profit trade association of more than
1,300 North American auto and truck manufacturers and their suppliers.
Originally recognized for its efforts to standardize electronic data
interchange (EDI) and bar code standards to assist Tier One suppliers, AIAG's
mission has expanded to cover all levels of the OEM supply chain, as well as
to include numerous programs and initiatives aimed at improving its members'
productivity and quality.
More information about AIAG and the annual AUTO-TECH Conference &
Exposition can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.aiag.org.
SOURCE Automotive Industry Action Group