An Internet based STEP data exchange framework for virtual enterprises

In virtual enterprise companies, a wide variety of software systems are used at geographically distributed locations. In this environment of heterogeneous computer based systems, a crucial issue is the data communication and exchange between these systems. The technical objective of the STandard for the Exchange of Product model data (STEP) is to enable the communication of product data between heterogeneous CAD/CAE/CAPP/CAM/CAx systems. The Internet (a global network of computers) allows companies to collaborate electronically. Therefore, the combination of the Internet and STEP will provide an effective and efficient mechanism to support virtual enterprises. Since applications of STEP are still in its infant stage, many systems used in the virtual enterprises do not support it. To implement the data exchange, individual STEP translators for various systems need to be developed. Developing these translators in every virtual enterprise company is neither economic nor possible. A possible solution to this problem is to provide the Internet based services for STEP data translation. This paper introduces an Internet based STEP data exchange framework for virtual enterprises. It demonstrates an avenue for on-line STEP data translation services for virtual enterprises. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.