Development of a STEP and STEP-NC standard based integrated product lifecycle management solution to increase the competitiveness of European machine tool manufacturing SMEs

STEPMAN project aims to produce an instrument for European Machine Tool Manufacturing SMEs, which helps to increase their competitiveness:- By providing efficient quality control software, increasing the quality of their products. The reproduction of a product will be much more accurate using a STEP-NC compliant integrated file format throughout the whole production chain. The differences in translating CAD/CAM information to post-processors will be eliminated, and the changes in CAD/CAM models will be recorded and stored in a reusable form.- By savings on production time (faster response delivery), decreasing their manufacturing costs. The very usua repeated production of a given product in this sector will take an estimated 20% less time.- By developing a software tool, which makes possible joining design and production made by different companies using different CAD/CAM software (e.g. due to different software suppliers). Difference in data formats is one of the most important limiting factors in flexibility and cooperation of machine tool manufacturing SMEs.