The STEP Protocols AP203 and AP214

The STEP protocols AP203 and AP214 were the first ones for 3D CAD software:

  • AP203 - Configuration Control Design - applied to Mechanical CAD in general,
  • AP214 - Core Data for Automotive Mechanical Design Process - was more focused on Automotive Industry.

Below are brief descriptions of AP203 (Editions 1 and 2) and AP214.

AP203 : 3D Design and configuration control for mechanical parts and assemblies

Scope of AP203 (Edition 1) covered:

  • Products as mechanical parts and assemblies,
  • Data for configuration control applied to design phase,
  • Data related to the documentation of design change process, approval, security classification,
  • Geometrical data as : wireframe, surfacic models, faceted models, manifold surfaces and solids (BREP).
AP203 Edition 2 : evolution of AP203

This version has been firstly published in 2004.

AP203 edition 2 provided better interoperability. It provided, in a modular way:

  • Colors and Layers,
  • Textual annotations associated to the geometry,
  • Geometrical Dimensions and Tolerances (GD&T), with graphical presentations,

At that time additional definitions were already under study, in particular to complete the Geometrical Dimensions and Tolerances (GD&T).

AP214 : Core Data for Automotive Mechanical Design Process

The whole scope of AP214 covered:

  • Products as mechanical parts, assemblies, tools used by manufacturing (in principle applied to description of cars),
  • Information for process plan, configuration control, applied to design phase,
  • Data related to the documentation of design change process, approval, security, classification,
  • Geometrical data as: wireframe, surfacic models, faceted models, manifold surfaces and solids (BREP), constructive solid geometry, hybrid models,
  • References to product data represented in an other format than STEP,
  • Kinematic structures,
  • Tolerance data,
  • Surface conditions.

Organization of STEP STEP AP242 protocol