How to identify the model features in STEP file?

[aminhas]

In Step files, how can we identify the what are all features they used to create the model...?

I hope someone could help!!!

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[RV_5434567]

You can use 'Feature recognition', but I'm not a big fan of it. It doesn't work that well I think.

It doesn't find the features that were used to create the model, it just finds a shape, i.e. a hole, removes it, and creates a new feature making that hole on the same spot. Then you can modify it, dimensional or in positioning.

Sometimes this can be handy, but I prefer to keep clear from this messing about. If it's only a small change, like one hole that needs to be moved, I close it using an extrude, and make a new hole with an extrude or hole feature. If there is a lot to be changed, I usually remodel the whole part.

[aminhas]

please check my file and guide me how to work on it?

[LukaszMazur · Accepted solution]

STEP files contain only geometry information, so all features information is lost by definition when exporting to STEP/IGES format and that's why it's often used to exchange data, so people get the geometry, but not the know-how of building the specified part

Feature recognition tool Robbie mentioned doesn't find features from original model but rather analyses geometry and tries to create Creo feature resembling that geometry like hole, extrude, round or chamfer.

If you want make edits to imported geometry I'd rather consider Flexible Modeling extension for Creo Parametric - it allows for easier modifications of geometry without features.

[ft-2]

Hello,

STEP files not only contains geometry information : It can also contains features or PMIs, especially in STEP AP242 which will become ISO very soon.

More information here : http://www.datakit.com/en/step_coming_evolution.php

[LukaszMazur]

Interesting, didn't know that functionality in STEP files. Thanks for the info.

[MartinHanak]

Felix,

I think that the word feature mentioned on this web page does not mean "construction feature".

Martin Hanak

[dschenken]

Interesting place for info about STEP: http://cax-if.org/joint_testing_info.html#recpracs

From the STEP Application Handbook:

(available for free download on three websites: SCRA/ISG (http://isg-scra.org/), U.S. Product Data Association (https://www.uspro.org/), and SC4 On-Line Information Service (http://www.tc184-sc4.org/))

(As far as I know, the original STEP documentation structure:)

10303-501:2000 Edge-based wireframe

10303-502:2000 Shell-based wireframe

10303-503:2000 Geometrically Bounded 2D wireframe

10303-504:2000 Draughting annotation

10303-505:2000 Drawing structure and administration

10303-506:2000 Draughting elements

10303-507:2001 Geometrically bounded surface

10303-508:2001 Non-manifold surface

10303-509:2001 Manifold surface

10303-510:2000 Geometrically bounded wireframe

10303-511:2001 Topologically bounded surface

10303-512:1999 Faceted boundary representation

10303-513:2000 Elementary boundary representation

10303-514:1999 Advanced boundary representation

10303-515:2000 Constructive solid geometry

10303-517:2000 Mechanical design geometric presentation

10303-518/DIS Mechanical design shaded presentation

10303-519:2000 Geometric tolerances

10303-520:1999 Associative draughting elements

10303-521:2003 Manifold subsurface

10303-522:2006 Machining features

10303-523:2004 Curve swept solid

----

The upgrades to this framework uses the above segments and adds a lot more, such as Work Orders.

The failure of STEP is that it has so many pieces that claiming STEP support is almost meaningless. Unless you know exactly which pieces are exported and what pieces are imported and how they map from the original system to the target system, you are just guessing. Might as well strip all the labels from the cans in supermarkets and replace them with the word Food or maybe Fruit, Soup, or Vegetables. It's right, but it's hard to get exactly what you want.

STEP is well enough understood and used enough that simple exchanges generally work; it's not a total loss. Most suppliers handle surface geometry exchanges well enough that PTC can usually join them into solid models.

Do you see that section Constructive Solid Geometry? That's the history driven features tree. It's in there, but doesn't get used often.