STEP Writer
Standard for the Exchange of Product Data (STEP) |
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File Extension: STEP STP STPZ |
STEP STP STPZ |
Supported Versions |
AP 203 Ed2 - AP 214 Ed1 - AP 242 Ed1, Ed2 (beta), Ed3 (beta) |
Platforms |
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STEP (Standard for the Exchange of Product Data) is a widely-used ISO standard file format for representing 3D product data. It is commonly employed in industries such as manufacturing, engineering, and aerospace for exchanging 3D models between different CAD systems. The STEP format supports detailed and accurate representations of 3D objects, including geometry, topology, and product manufacturing information (PMI). This makes it ideal for applications requiring interoperability, data exchange, and long-term archiving of product information.
Our STEP reader provides full access in reading and writing to the assembly, B-rep and PMI.
STEP uses Application Protocols (AP) as versions, which can be seen as specific subsets of the STEP standard.
How to Export to STEP
Our STEP reader supports the following Application Protocols (AP) of the standard:
AP 203 Ed2
AP 214 Ed1
AP 242 Ed1
AP 242 Ed2 (beta)
AP 242 Ed3 (beta)
To export a model file to STEP format, call A3DAsmModelFileExportToStepFile()
.
The format-specific A3DRWParamsExportStepData
is used to describe how to export it.
A3DRWParamsExportStepData sParamsExportData;
A3D_INITIALIZE_DATA(A3DRWParamsExportStepData, sParamsExportData);
// ... set export parameter options
A3DAsmModelFileExportToStepFile(pModelFile, &sParamsExportData, "path/to/file.step");
Compression
The full assembly tree is exported with all the instancing information maintained. Views, camera definitions, sections, and PMI visibility are supported by our STEP file writer.
To export to a compressed STEP file, change the output file extension to “stpz”. Please note that this feature is only available with STEP AP 242 standard.
Tessellation
Our STEP writer supports the export of tessellated geometry to the AP242 format. This includes tessellated solids, shells, wires, and point sets.
HOOPS Exchange only export tessellated data from import files originally containing only tessellation data.
As such, to write to tessellated STEP, your originating file needs to have been imported with A3DRWParamsGeneralData.m_eReadGeomTessMode
set to kA3DReadTessOnly.
Writing B-rep and tessellation together is not yet supported.
If a part contains solids with no B-rep, all of the geometry for this part will be exported as tessellated geometry for the AP242 format.
This includes TESSELLATED_SOLID
, TESSELLATED_SHELL
, TESSELLATED_WIRE
, and TESSELLATED_POINT_SET
.
B-rep
When we export to STEP we look at the source data and map each surface to one of the following:
B_SPLINE_SURFACE
B_SPLINE_SURFACE_WITH_KNOTS
CONICAL_SURFACE
CYLINDRICAL_SURFACE
DEGENERATE_TOROIDAL_SURFACE
OFFSET_SURFACE
RATIONAL_B_SPLINE_SURFACE
RECTANGULAR_TRIMMED_SURFACE
SPHERICAL_SURFACE
SURFACE_OF_REVOLUTION
TOROIDAL_SURFACE
Curves are mapped to:
B_SPLINE_CURVE
B_SPLINE_CURVE_WITH_KNOTS
CIRCLE
COMPOSITE_CURVE
POLYLINE
RATIONAL_B_SPLINE_CURVE
PMI
PMI is supported by our STEP file writer. HOOPS Exchange supports export of semantic PMI to the STEP AP242 format.
This includes:
ANGULARITY_TOLERANCE
CIRCULAR_RUNOUT_TOLERANCE
COAXIALITY_TOLERANCE
CONCENTRICITY_TOLERANCE
CYLINDRICITY_TOLERANCE
DATUM_FEATURE
DATUM_TARGET
DIMENSIONAL_LOCATION
DIMENSIONAL_SIZE
FLATNESS_TOLERANCE
GEOMETRIC_TOLERANCE_WITH_DATUM_REFERENCE
GEOMETRIC_TOLERANCE_WITH_DEFINED_AREA_UNIT
GEOMETRIC_TOLERANCE_WITH_DEFINED_UNIT
GEOMETRIC_TOLERANCE_WITH_MAXIMUM_TOLERANCE
GEOMETRIC_TOLERANCE_WITH_MODIFIERS
LINE_PROFILE_TOLERANCE
MODIFIED_GEOMETRIC_TOLERANCE
PARALLELISM_TOLERANCE
PERPENDICULARITY_TOLERANCE
POSITION_TOLERANCE
ROUNDNESS_TOLERANCE
STRAIGHTNESS_TOLERANCE
SURFACE_PROFILE_TOLERANCE
SYMMETRY_TOLERANCE
TOTAL_RUNOUT_TOLERANCE
UNEQUALLY_DISPOSED_GEOMETRIC_TOLERANCE
It is possible to export PMI representation as polylines (text will be outlined) or tessellated (text will be filled).
Miscellaneous
The following information is also supported for export by our STEP writer:
File attributes * Authorization Name. * Organization Name * User Name
User-defined attributes on geometry and part (AP242 only)
validation properties on geometry, part and PMI (AP242 only)
Limitations
Currently the HOOPS Exchange API does not support export of STEP drawings. Support for STEP AP 242 Ed2 and Ed3 is in beta.