STEP Tools News for Monday December 20

[Martin Hardwick]

This weekly newsletter is a brief update of what is going on in STEP
and at STEP Tools, Inc.  If you want to know more, try the STEP Tools
web site (http://www.steptools.com).


-------------------
Super Model Meeting

The first meeting of the Super Model project was very successful.
Highlights included:

1. A demonstration showing how an ST-Repository STEP database can be
   updated using Microsoft Office tools such as Access and Excel.

2. A demonstration of a "Jiffy" Feature editor showing how AP-224
   features can be defined for an AP-203 file by using OLE/COM to
   connect a Excel spreadsheet to the ST-Viewer 

3. A demonstration of the Part 3 Java interface to ISO 14649.

4. A demonstration by Honeywell of their FBTol and FBMach software
   in which they were able to automatically recognise 90% of the
   features in the ISO 14649 (STEP-NC) test part.

There were over 30 representatives of the machine tool controller
industry at the meeting, and the party at our new headquarters on
Wednesday night was attended by more than 200.


--------------------------
New ST-ACIS Translator 2.0

Version 2.0 can now be used to translate ACIS solid, surface, or wire
bodies to and from STEP AP 214 or AP 203. The translator now also
supports STEP assemblies by translating each node in the assembly tree
into a collection of ACIS bodies.

The ST-ACIS Translator uses the same code base as the ST-ACIS Library.
The ST-ACIS library is used by the STEP translators of CADKEY 99,
Alibre Design, IronCAD, Grade/CUBE II, and numerous other customers
worldwide.  The library and translator are based on Version 5.0 of
ACIS.


--------------------------
Site Map

A site map has been added to our web site.

   http://www.steptools.com/site_map.html


--------------
Class Schedule

Please see the following master schedule for details on the classes
available in each month. These classes will be held at the times shown
in Troy or they can be held offsite by arrangement.

   http://www.steptools.com/training/


------------------------------------
Translation Service

Summary:
Period Covered: Sun Dec 12 03:25:03 1999 -- Sun Dec 19 03:25:03 1999
Total usage: 143
Successful usage: 134 (94%)
Errors: 9 (6%)


Translator	total	errors	success rate

acis-ap203	85	0	100%
ap203-acis	18	1	94%
ap203-stl	1	0	100%
ap203-vrml	10	4	60%
ap203check	3	0	100%
expfront2	7	0	100%
express2html	1	0	100%
gifviz		2	0	100%
para-step	9	3	66%
step-para	0	0	100%
step2xml	5	1	80%
steptoimage	2	0	100%

=======================================
All-Time stats

------------------------------------
Summary:
Period Covered: Wed Dec 31 19:00:00 1969 -- Sun Dec 19 03:25:25 1999
Total usage: 7161
Successful usage: 6107 (85%)
Errors: 1054 (14%)


Translator	total	errors	success rate

acis-ap203	1408	57	95%
ap203-acis	2480	263	89%
ap203-stl	146	53	63%
ap203-vrml	708	211	70%
ap203-xml	87	18	79%
ap203check	428	38	91%
expfront	124	17	86%
expfront2	162	1	99%
express2html	290	2	99%
expxfront	11	1	90%
gifviz		236	62	73%
iges-ap202	10	0	100%
para-step	195	97	50%
sp203-xml	13	2	84%
step-para	229	130	43%
step2xml	229	20	91%
steptoimage	340	61	82%
xml2step	65	21	67%

--------------------
Our Tools

Programming:
* ST-Developer -- programming tools for understanding and writing
  STEP/EXPRESS applications, translators and databases.

* ST-ACIS Library -- programming functions to convert STEP data to 
  and from ACIS models and SAT files.

* ST-Parasolid Library -- programming functions to convert STEP
  data to and from Parasolid models.

* ST-Visualizer Library -- programming functions to visualize STEP
  data.

Desktop:
* ST-ACIS Translator -- desktop tool for translating STEP data to
  ACIS and vice versa.

* ST-Parasolid Translator -- desktop tool for translating STEP data to
  Parasolid and vice versa.

* ST-Viewer -- desktop tool to view, analyze and annotate STEP data.

Database:
* ST-Repository -- Parts library database for the supply chain with
  services for translating, viewing and editing product data using
  web browsers and desktop applications such as MS Excel and MS Access.


== ST-Announce Administrative Notes ==================================
To be removed from this mailing list, send mail to majordomo at steptools.com
with the line "unsubscribe st-announce" as the body of the message.  To be
added to this list, send mail with the body "subscribe st-announce"
-
Short news items can be submitted to st-announce-owner for inclusion in
the next STEP Tools newsletter.  Other questions or requests can be sent
to info at steptools.com.