A STEP AP203 file defines the geometry, topology, and configuration management data of solid models for mechanical parts and assemblies. The Application Protocols (APs) essentially define what type of data the file will contain. STEP allows users to save files in two format types: AP203 and AP214.Įxample of STEP AP203 and AP214 file types. STEP File Typesįrom the image below you can see that there are numerous types of files that a 3D model can be saved as. STEP is a newer technology with more than 20 years of global use and continual development. The IGES format has not been updated in more than 20 years. So, while there is nothing wrong with using IGES files in CAD, STEP files tend to be solid models, whereas IGES files are more often surface models, which could have gaps and missing faces. While it is still used in a variety of manufacturing industries, after the initial release of STEP in 1994, interest in further development of IGES declined, and Version 5.3 was the last published standard in 1996. IGES was designed as a neutral format for the exchange of CAD models and was first published in January 1980 by the U.S. For example, when a company sends a 3D model to a manufacturer for them to produce a part, both companies may use different software programs but can work together exchanging instructions and ideas and can pass models back and forth for evaluation.īefore the onset of the STEP file, Initial Graphics Exchange Specification (IGES) files were the most popular format used to share data. Since its inception, the STEP file has become the most popular exchange format, as users do not need to use the same modeling program to work together. This specification created a file structure which could be recognized by multiple modeling programs, thus enhancing the ability for design data to be exchanged. STEP files are used to store 3D-image data in an ASCII format, following the standards defined in ISO 10303-21, introduced by the ISO committee in 1994. But what exactly is it? A STEP file is a 3D-model file formatted in STEP, which stands for Standard for the Exchange of Product Data. You may have encountered the acronym STP or STEP while learning about or working on projects that involve computer-aided design.

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