Solutions for Interpreting STEP-NC Based Part Program

Abstract

STEP-NC is a new CNC data interface proposed to replace ISO 6983, and has been partly formed into the draft international standard (ISO 14649). In this paper, the STEP-NC-based part program is analyzed, and the general methodology and tools for STEP-compliant application development are introduced. Then a framework for STEP-NC interpreter is proposed based on the SDAI method and the implementation solutions are presented. The EXPRESS compiler is used to convert the milling schema into C++ classes, and the information is extracted from the file in aid of data access tools. The said interpreter, which is fundamental to STEP-NC based machining, is also implemented with supporting tools in the ST-Developer environments. It is used to read the STEP-NC file into ROSE working form, and then extract and organize the manufacturing information in an object-oriented way.

A STEP-NC Programming System for Prismatic Parts

“…Suh et al implemented a prototype system called ProSFP, which read in STEP files and produced STEP-NC files for STEP-compliant CNC [5]. Liu et al developed an interpreter for interfacing CNC with the STEP-NC (AP 238) file [6]. Lee et al developed a STEP-NC compliant milling machine that took XML style ISO 14649 files as input [7].…”

STEPNCMillUoA: a CNC system based on STEP-NC and Function Block architecture

“…The benefits of the STEP-NC data model can be further strengthened if combined with an open-architecture CNC controller, and object-oriented, high-level machining interface or language (Nassehi et al, 2006;Ho et al, 2005;Brecher et al, 2006;Fortin et al, 2004;Peng et al, 2005;Heusinger et al, 2006;Liu and Zhang, 2004). …”