Title: STEP-NC- and XML-enabled e-manufacturing

Authors: Gong Lin Cang, Gui Sheng Gui, Jian Qiang Wang

Addresses: School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, PR China. ' School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, PR China. ' School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, PR China

Abstract: STEP-NC is a newly developed international standard (ISO 14649), which extends the STandard for Exchange of Product model data (STEP) geometric data exchange standard into the manufacturing domain by defining a bidirectional interface between Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM) systems and Computerised Numerical Control (CNC) controllers. Meanwhile, eXtensible Markup Language (XML) is emerging as the primary translation media for moving information across the internet. Some manufacturing experts are devoted to expressing and transferring the manufacturing information in the XML format. E-manufacturing integrates the manufacturing process with the functional objectives of an enterprise or collaborative enterprises through the internet. Combination of STEP-NC, a kind of standardised manufacturing data model, with XML, which offers facilities for structured data access, will provide quality e-manufacturing by connecting the shop floor with the enterprise-wide information network. The STEP-NC manufacturing information will be available for the web applications, so e-manufacturing becomes feasible.

Keywords: STEP-NC; ISO 14649; extensible markup language; XML; information flow; e-manufacturing; distributed manufacturing; computer-aided manufacturing; computerised numerical control.

DOI: 10.1504/IJCAT.2006.010081

International Journal of Computer Applications in Technology, 2006 Vol.26 No.1/2, pp.59 - 64

Published online: 16 Jun 2006 *

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