The STEP standard is widely recognized and used internationally for BIM standards, with IFC being the most prominent example. However, there are several other standards for building information exchange, including STEP itself and CIS/2. Today, I will introduce the STEP standard.
STEP (Standard for the Exchange of Product Model Data) is an international product information exchange standard developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), identified by the code ISO 10303. Its main goal is to provide a comprehensive framework for describing information throughout the entire product lifecycle, enabling seamless data exchange. STEP covers a broad range of products across nearly all manufacturing industries, including construction, electromechanical, shipbuilding, and aviation sectors.
The standard is maintained by ISO Technical Committee 184, Subcommittee 4 (ISO TC184/SC4), which regularly meets to update and revise the specifications. STEP is composed of many parts, categorized into nine distinct areas, described as follows:
1. Description Methods (Parts 1-19)
These parts define the core specifications of STEP. Notably, Part 11 specifies the EXPRESS data modeling language, which applies object-oriented concepts to information description. EXPRESS syntax resembles the PASCAL programming language but remains largely programming-language independent, functioning as pseudocode to describe information flows. EXPRESS is also used to define the specifications of IFC and CIS/2.
2. Implementation Methods (Parts 20-29)
These sections explain how to implement the STEP standard. Part 21, in particular, defines the STEP Physical File format, which represents information models as entity files. This format is also employed by IFC and CIS/2 to represent their information models.
3. Consistency Testing Methodology and Framework (Parts 30-39)
After design completion, data must be validated to ensure compliance with the STEP standard. This section outlines the methods and tests used to verify data consistency.
4. Integrated Generic Resources (Parts 40-49)
This area defines descriptions for general resources applicable across various fields, such as shape, size, and units.
5. Integrated Application Resources (Parts 100-199)
Building upon the general resources, this section defines resources specific to particular domains, such as beams, columns, and walls within the construction industry.
6. Application Protocols (Parts 200-299)
These parts specify the required data for implementing standards within specific fields.
7. Abstract Test Suites (Parts 300-399)
This section provides tests to verify compliance with the application protocols.
8. Application Interpreted Constructs (Parts 500-599)
Used for the development of new data models.
9. Application Modules (Parts 1000 and beyond)
These are designed for small-scale information models used in creating new application protocols.
That concludes today’s overview of the STEP BIM standard. Tomorrow, I will introduce another important BIM standard: CIS/2. See you then!
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