1. A STEP based Business Process “A Case Study” Bill Marler, Pratt & Whitney January 17, 2001
PDES, Inc.

2. A STEP based business process Objective
The purpose for this talk is to review the events of an actual ‘STEP pilot’ based upon the given business condition and summarize the ‘good, the bad, and the ugly’
My expectation is that the issues and answers resulting from this pilot activity will be beneficial for someone developing a STEP based business procedure

3. …..a little background Experience with ‘homegrown’ translators ~1991
AeroSTEP with Boeing ~ 1994
PowerSTEP project ~ 1995
Turbine pilot with MTU and P&W
Current PDES, Inc. pilot: Aerospace Engine Alliance
STEPnet and CAx-Implementors Forum test rallies

4. A STEP based business process ‘The Business Strategy’
Today’s business climate requires international partnering of products to stay competitive in the marketplace
Product Design and Manufacturing is out-sourced to partners worldwide
A conglomeration of ‘systems’ need to talk to each other to ensure product assembly and integrity
The Business Strategy: “Outsource”

5. A STEP based business process “The Product”

6. A STEP based business process ….this is the scenario
A major Aerospace Engine company, JetJockeys, is providing Digital Mock-up (DMU) Data and Interface Geometry to an Airframe Company , Flybywire, in the US.
The Engine company has partnered with 2 Overseas companies Fiazco and LeJette along with another US company, Fans-r-Us Inc., to share in the Design and Manufacturing of the Propulsion system.
As Integration manager for the Propulsion System, JetJockeys want to manage the Product Data using UG and Iman. Unfortunately, the other partners are on different CAD and PDM systems creating a Data Exchange dilemma.

7. A STEP based business process …”The Problem”
Multiple CAD and PDM systems involved in the Enterprise
Integration team has to ‘manage and integrate’ the partnered product and provide appropriate DMU (Digital Mock Up) and interface information to the customer

8. A STEP based business process “The Problem-Graphically”
Outsource
Outsource design
and Build
Outsource

9. A STEP based business process “CAD impact of globalization”
Company
Responsibility
CAD Tool
PDM Prod.
Flybywire
JetJockeys
Fiazco
LeJette
Fans-r-Us
Air-framer
Integrator
External
components
LPT
Fan
High Spool
Catia
Cadds UG
PTC
Enovia
Windchill
Iman
Location
Taiwan
Islip, NY
St.Louis, MO
Palermo,IT
Bordeaux,FR

10. A STEP based business process ….“At the Program Level”
A ‘Statement of Work’ is prepared for all members of the enterprise to endorse
The SOW spells out the areas of responsibilities and their products
Program Executives approve the SOW
Data Exchange (DEX) IPTs for each alliance member are identified
and of course an unrealistic ‘schedule’

11. A STEP based business process
The DEX Planning Phase

12. A STEP based business process DEX IPTs have face-to-face to...
Identify program DEX requirements
Agree to a STEP-based DEX process that supports the SOW business plan
Assign CAD/PDM responsibilities
Identify new ‘tools’ that need to be deployed to meet objectives
Document the entire ‘to-be process’
Dry run: walk the process….

13. A STEP based business process ….the face-to-face realizations
Current STEP success ratio < allowable
Integrated CAD-PDM data not “RFPT”
An effective STEP DEX procedure needs to be put in place at each site
Validation criteria needs work
DEX business process to be automated
Current STEP functionality insufficient

14. A STEP based business process …some immediate mitigators
A pilot process is initiated by all to begin de-bugging the to-be DEX process
CAD vendor participation is obtained to address throughput issues
Local IT support is obtained
Weekly conference calls are scheduled and action lists are maintained
STEP experts from PDES, Inc. agree to participate in the pilot

15. A STEP business process DEX IPT membership structure
DMU process owner
DMU DEX focal
Internal Design Process support
Internal IT participation
Hotline for CAD vendor(s)
PDES, Inc. representatives for STEP support

16. A STEP based business process
The DEX Integration and
Deployment phase

17. A STEP based business process ...results of pilot teamwork
Comprehensive requirements document

26. A STEP based business process ..results of pilot teamwork
Comprehensive requirements document
More effective STEP DEX process
Problem Resolution procedure

27. A STEP based business process schematic
Flybywire
“Catia”
STEP Exchange
JINX
“UG” X N
Fans-r-us
PTC N N
Fiazco UG X
LeJette
CADDS
JetJockeys UG
PDES, Inc.
PDES, Inc.

28. A STEP based business process detailed schematic
LeJette
JetJockeys
Methods
Process
Owner
Process
Owner
Server
LeJette
data exchange
focals
Data Exchange
focal
JJs
Send
Methods
EagleSTEP
Server
Supplier
send
Firewalls
“VPN”
environment
Supplier
Library
PDES, Inc.

29. STEP based business process “effective STEP DEX procedure”
Complete Model?
Best Practices &
model quality
Native
Model
Problem Resolution
Do Quality Checks
Target system
capabilities?
Create Step File
Bspline tolerances
Check for Errors
Send STEP file
Documentation.
STEP
Log file look ok?
Validation OK?
Create
Target
File
Contents complete?
Validate/heal
To heal or not to heal..
Notify Sender
& Recipient
Archive
PDES, Inc.

30. A STEP based business process Pilot effectiveness
High
Accuracy
issues
% Success
Begin pilot
Model Quality
Issues
STEP
Problems
Add quality
checks
Incorporate
Healing
Low
TARGET: % successful exchanges
Time
Production use

31. A STEP based business process ..results of pilot teamwork
Comprehensive requirements document
More effective STEP DEX process
Problem Resolution procedure
Integrated and automated business process

32. A STEP business process Process Improvements
Sending System
Visualization
Program
“Automated Process”
Prepare UG file
Add Attributes
Add CM
Val props
Run EagleSTEP
Check for errors
Target
Archive & FM
Autoname +
Send
MPA
STEP-in
validate
ftp
PDES, Inc.

33. A STEP based business process Process Improvements

34. A STEP business process Process Improvements
Sending System
Visualization
Program
“Automated Process”
Prepare UG file
Add Attributes
Add CM
Val props
Run EagleSTEP
Check for errors
Target
Archive & FM
Autoname +
Send
MPA
STEP-in
validate
ftp
PDES, Inc.

35. Effective STEP exchange “Integration Tools”

36. A STEP based business process Process Improvements
Library
Notify
Owner
Archive & Library
Prep
CM Template
Validate
geometry
Create CM Data
Set
Check Log File
STEP UG
Sending
CAD System
Receive
Send
STEP
Meta Data
PDES, Inc.

37. A STEP based business process “Integration Tools”

38. A STEP based business process ..results of pilot teamwork
Comprehensive requirements document
More effective STEP DEX process
Problem Resolution procedure
Integrated and automated business process
Improved validation technique

39. Upper image highlit part selected for mass property table
INSTANCE VPs
Upper image highlit part selected for mass property table
Lower image shows mass properties for:
a) Individual comp.
b)CG to parent asm.
Here is an example of what differentiates PTC from our competition.
Upon import of a STEP file containing validation properties, A log file with a comparison of the as received, as calculated, and a difference value is generated in the working directory. This allows a user to determine if the exchange is VALID within some acceptable range.
Future additions to this will be a visible display of the validation properties in the model tree, a user definable % difference for the volume & surface area, a max distance deviation of CG, and RED flagged icons for assembly components outside of this value.

40. INSTANCE VPs Post process CADDS part with GVP
Display results in DXN or browser
Checking Instance craig11/l-bracket_asm
Mass Properties Check - INSTANCE
Centroid STCENTROID = E+03, E+02, E+02
CALCULATED = E+03, E+02, E+02
CADDS Calculated Centroid location is outside tolerance
Here is an example of what differentiates PTC from our competition.
Upon import of a STEP file containing validation properties, A log file with a comparison of the as received, as calculated, and a difference value is generated in the working directory. This allows a user to determine if the exchange is VALID within some acceptable range.
Future additions to this will be a visible display of the validation properties in the model tree, a user definable % difference for the volume & surface area, a max distance deviation of CG, and RED flagged icons for assembly components outside of this value.

41. A STEP based business process
Ongoing improvements...

42. A STEP business process Ongoing Improvements
More robust translators

43. A STEP business process Ongoing Improvements
5 Universal Joints
in UG are hollow

44. A STEP business process Ongoing Improvements
5 Universal Joints in
Cadds are not hollow

45. A STEP business process Ongoing Improvements
Reflective testing:
File processes OK

46. A STEP business process Ongoing Improvements
Problem Solids isolated
in UG for translations
Problem Solids isolated
for STEP translation

47. A STEP business process Ongoing Improvements
Problem Solids in Cadds
file are the “inverse” of
the actual geometry

48. A STEP business process Ongoing Improvements
CATIA STPCAT
..reads OK into
catia!!

49. A STEP business process Ongoing Improvements
STEP file fails to
read into ProE!!

50. A STEP business process ..after much PRP with PDES, Inc. team
The problem was solved by identifying “how” the vendors processed the information in the STEP files
Some STEP processors handled the two CIRCLEs trimming the SPHERICAL_SURFACE (the 'outer' portion of the bearing) as the two 'tops' of the Sphere; others used the CIRCLEs as the middle of the Sphere
Both methods were “valid” according to STEP, but an agreement between the vendors had to occur to avoid this problem in the future
Updated Recommended Practices for CAD vendor implementation

51. A STEP business process Ongoing Improvements
Translator improvements
Enhanced validation properties

52. A STEP business process …more STEP functionality
CADDS FILE VPD DATA
L-Bracket S/A
Instance 1
L-Bracket S/A
Instance 2
L Bracket
L Bracket
NAUO
NAUO
Rod S/A vpd1
x14.59,y20.20,z10.0
Rod S/A vpd1
x14.59,y20.20,z10.0
NAUO
Bolt
NAUO
Bolt
Nut/Bolt
SubAssy
instance 1
Bolt vpd1
x0.0,y0.0,z16.94
Nut/Bolt
SubAssy
instance 1
Bolt vpd1
x0.0,y0.0,z16.94
NAUO
NAUO
NAUO
Nut
NAUO
Nut
N-B S/A vpd1
x10.0,y7.50,z1.50
Nut vpd1
x10.0,y7.5,z1.5
N-B S/A vpd1
x10.0,y7.50,z1.50
Nut vpd1
x10.0,y7.5,z1.5
Nut/Bolt
SubAssy
instance 2
NAUO
Bolt
Nut/Bolt
SubAssy
instance 2
NAUO
Bolt
Bolt vpd1
x0.0,y0.0,z16.94
Bolt vpd1
x0.0,y0.0,z16.94
NAUO
NAUO
NAUO
Nut
NAUO
Nut
N-B S/A vpd1
x10.0,y7.50,z1.50
Nut vpd1
x10.0,y7.5,z1.5
N-B S/A vpd1
x10.0,y7.50,z1.50
Nut vpd1
x10.0,y7.5,z1.5
NAUO
Bolt
NAUO
Bolt
Nut/Bolt
SubAssy
instance 3
Bolt vpd1
x0.0,y0.0,z16.94
Nut/Bolt
SubAssy
instance 3
Bolt vpd1
x0.0,y0.0,z16.94
NAUO
NAUO
NAUO
Nut
NAUO
Nut
N-B S/A vpd1
x10.0,y7.50,z1.50
Nut vpd1
x10.0,y7.5,z1.5
N-B S/A vpd1
x10.0,y7.50,z1.50
Nut vpd1
x10.0,y7.5,z1.5

53. A STEP business process …more STEP functionality
Bracket
SubAssy
instance 1
Sonbrh
Assy vpd1
x92.17,y76.59,z18.0
Bracket S/A vpd1
x16.72,y-50.0,z17.33
C1 Bracket
C2 Nut-
BoltAssy
C3 Nut-
C4 Nut-
UG FILE VPD DATA
Assembly
instance 2
Plate
Rod Sub
Plate vpd1
x90.0,y75.0,z10.0
Rod S/A vpd1
x0.0,y0.0,z100.0
NAUO
Rod
Nut
Nut vpd1
x10.0,y7.5,z1.5
Rod vpd1

54. A STEP business process …more STEP functionality
UG SONBRH ASSY VS CADDS SONBRH
ASSY VPD DATA
Sonbrh
Assy vpd1
CADDS
Sonbrh
x90.0,y75.0,z18.86
Assembly
NAUO
NAUO
NAUO
NAUO
Bracket
Bracket
SubAssy
SubAssy
instance 1
Bracket S/A vpd1
instance 2
Bracket S/A vpd1
x16.78,y-50.0,z17.30
x16.78,y-50.0,z17.30
Plate
Rod Sub-Assy
Plate vpd1
Rod S/A vpd1
C of G values
x90.0,y75.0,z10.0
x0.0,y0.0,z100.0
do not match
Sonbrh
Assy vpd1 UG
Sonbrh
x92.17,y76.59,z18.0
Assembly
NAUO
NAUO
NAUO
NAUO
Bracket
SubAssy
Bracket
instance 1
SubAssy
Bracket S/A vpd1
instance 2
Bracket S/A vpd1
x16.72,y-50.0,z17.33
x16.72,y-50.0,z17.33
Plate
Rod Sub-Assy
Plate vpd1
Rod S/A vpd1
x90.0,y75.0,z10.0
x0.0,y0.0,z100.0

55. A STEP business process …more STEP functionality

56. A STEP business process …more STEP functionality

57. A STEP business process …more STEP functionality

58. Instance Validation Properties
Upper image highlight part selected for mass property table
Lower image shows mass properties for:
a) Individual comp.
b) CG to parent asm.
Here is an example of what differentiates PTC from our competition.
Upon import of a STEP file containing validation properties, A log file with a comparison of the as received, as calculated, and a difference value is generated in the working directory. This allows a user to determine if the exchange is VALID within some acceptable range.
Future additions to this will be a visible display of the validation properties in the model tree, a user definable % difference for the volume & surface area, a max distance deviation of CG, and RED flagged icons for assembly components outside of this value.

59. A STEP business process …more STEP functionality
UG FILE VPD DATA
Sonbrh
Assy vpd1
x92.17,y76.59,z18.0
Sonbrh
Assembly
NAUO
Shove-it vpd2
NAUO
Shove-it vpd2
NAUO
Shove-it vpd2
NAUO
Shove-it vpd2
Bracket
SubAssy
Bracket
instance 1
SubAssy
instance 2
Bracket S/A vpd1
Bracket S/A vpd1
x16.72,y-50.0,z17.33
x16.72,y-50.0,z17.33
Plate
Rod Sub-Assy
Plate vpd1
Rod S/A vpd1
x90.0,y75.0,z10.0
x0.0,y0.0,z100.0
NAUO
Shove-it vpd2
NAUO
Shove-it vpd2
NAUO
Shove-it vpd2
Rod
Rod vpd1
x0.0,y0.0,z100.0
NAUO
Shove-it vpd2
C1 Bracket
Nut
C1 Bracket
C2 Nut-
BoltAssy
Nut vpd1
C2 Nut-
BoltAssy
C3 Nut-
BoltAssy
x10.0,y7.5,z1.5
C3 Nut-
BoltAssy
C4 Nut-
BoltAssy
NAUO
Shove-it vpd2
Nut
C4 Nut-
BoltAssy
Nut vpd1
x10.0,y7.5,z1.5

60. A STEP business process Ongoing Improvements
Translator improvements
Enhanced validation properties
Expanded STEP functionality

61. A STEP business process …more STEP functionality
‘Build to Design using 100% Product Data requires more complete STEP file’
Need Parametrics
Lost in STEP exchange
Features/tolerances also missing
Annotation and text also needed
All required to eliminate drawings and obtain full benefit of STEP in Enterprise

62. A STEP based business process CAx Implementor Forum activities

63. A STEP business process Summary
“Pilot” activity benefits process development efficiency
Management buy-in is critical
Use PDES, Inc., CAD vendors, and CAx Implementor Forum to help get improvements in process
Dedicated team and automated STEP process are keys to success