STEP, XML, and UML: Complementary Technologies

Published

December 15, 2004

Author(s)

Russell S. Peak, Joshua Lubell, Vijay Srinivasan, Stephen C. Waterbury

Abstract

One important aspect of product lifecycle management (PLM)is the computer-sensible representation of product information. Over the past 15 years or so, several languages and technologies have emerged that vary in their emphasis and applicability for such usage. ISO 10303, informally known as the Standard for the Exchange of Product Model Data (STEP), contains the highquality product information models needed for electronic business solutions. By using STEP, the aerospace, automotive, and shipbuilding industries are saving $150M/yr primarily in areas related to geometric modeling. However, traditional STEP-based model information is represented using languages that are unfamiliar to most application developers, thus impeding widespread usage in other areas. This paper discusses efforts underway to make STEP information models available via mechanisms familiar to more business application developers, specifically XML and the Unified Modeling Language (UML ). We also present a vision and roadmap for STEP integration with XML, UML, and other technologies to enable enhanced PLM interoperability.

Citation

Journal of Computing and Information Science in Engineering

Volume

4

Pub Type

Journals

Download Paper

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Keywords

STEP, UML, XML, PLM, EXPRESS, Product Lifecycle Management

Citation

Peak, R. , Lubell, J. , Srinivasan, V. and Waterbury, S. (2004), STEP, XML, and UML: Complementary Technologies, Journal of Computing and Information Science in Engineering, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=904154 (Accessed December 15, 2024)