1. Toronto STEP Meeting – Oct. 6-11, 1996
Canadian STEP Workshop
Dr. Patrice POYET Head of the Computer Integrated Division
C.S.T.B., Sophia-Antipolis, France
SDAI based modelling tools & platforms
Integration of Knowledge base systems
STEP in a distributed computing environment

2. Implementing STEP: Major Concepts
STEP : ISO TC 184/SC4/ 10303
STandard for the Exchange of Product data
Goal :
Enable product data to be exchanged / shared between partners and during the whole life cycle of the product.
Instances file
STEP Physical Format
ISO
Meta-model and API
Standard Data Access Interface
(SDAI) - ISO
Modeling Language
EXPRESS
ISO
Modeling Language
to define the entities
Exchange of the instances
(objects) of the entities
defined in EXPRESS
Data structures
and functions to deal with
entities and instances

3. SDAI based Modelling Tools & Platforms
The SDAI offers a means for the representation & manipulation of data defined in EXPRESS (the dictionary schema is a natural option for the late bound representation of EXPRESS schemas and data instances) - Shared STEP data repository.
XP-EXPRESS-G based on a late bound SDAI platform (Lisp, Talk, C) and front-end compiler plus back-end EXPRESS generator
Easily supports twin-track approach :
EXPRESS -> EXPRESS-G (reuse of models)
EXPRESS-G -> EXPRESS (creation ex-nihilo of models)
Served as a benchmark of part of our late bound SDAI implementations
XP-SDAI is a late lisp & C binding of the SDAI specification

4. SDAI supported Knowledge Bases & CBRs
SDAI based repository structure
SDAI based operations on data models
Extended Computing capabilities such as:
KBS development platforms
Rule language compiled into SDAI operations
Control structure and unification mechanisms
Backtracking and hypothetical reasoning
Case based reasoning
Partitioning the data (classification)
Defining a distance between cases
A library of archival and retrieval functions (API)

5. Extending STEP computing capabilities ?
Knowledge base and case base systems must be part of an integrated infostructure:
Cases are records of engineering knowledge, of parts & technical solutions
Rules are knowledge cells of interest for a variety of paradigms such as diagnosis, code compliance, quality checking, assisted design, Conf. Mgmt. & maintenance, etc.
Experts systems
Knowledge based project models converters
Compatibility of long term storage and high value-added applications
Interoperability between AI-based and conventional applications

6. Knowledge based management of model resources & enterprise repositories
Resource Models are often layered and show dependency relationships making of KBS powerful software tools
Generalisation / specialisation
Semantic mapping
etc.
LSE
PtM
Building PtM
Process P.
VtM Archi.
VtM Struct.
AtM
SpeedI.
CADS

7. KBs at work including project model mapping !
VtM
ARCHITECTURE
VtM
ACOUSTICS
BUILDING CODE
COMPLIANCE
CHECKER
CUSTOMIZED
AUTOCAD
RULE-BASED
VIEW
MAPPERS
SEMANTICS SUPPLEMENTER
CBR

8. Mapping is reasoning RULE archi_enclosingwall->acou_separator :
LET archi_wall A Wall IN MODEL VtM_Archi
[...]
IF THE wall_type of archi_wall IS EQUAL TO "enclosing"
THEN
CREATE acou_separator A Facade IN MODEL VtM_Acou

9. From data exchange to distributed computing and cooperative engineering
STEP - SPFF
Exchange Mapping
Process Chains
Data Sharing
Simultaneous Engineering
STEP DB - SDAI
Distributed Data Sharing Workflow
Co-operative Engineering
STEP DB - CORBA

10. New R&D projects and new product line
A number of european projects supporting our activities in the area of distributed computing
RISESTEP (automotive & aerospace) - integration of distributed computing in manufacturing processes
VEGA (LSE) - virtual enterprises & groupware
GENIAL - the engineering office of the future
LTR / PERDIS
New software product line for deployment of PDT in the LSE sector
C++ late binding on PC platforms
KBS modules
CORBA modules (X->IDL for client stubs, implementation class inheriting from both SDAI C++ early bound class & skeletons