identifying and using AP242 STEP files

dtimberlake · 2025-03-21T16:02:21+0000

A supplier sent us a STEP file of a model they created from our drawings for a fairly simple cast part.
The STEP file was Exported from Solidworks 2024 I believe, although that may not be too important.
I inquired if the STEP file was AP242 . No reply yet.

They also sent an approval form that asked "Dimensionally , is the solid model built to your requirements?"

Generally we don’t “approve” suppliers’ drawings or models
Our expectation is the parts we get from suppliers will meet our drawings.
Our Purchase Order has boilerplate stating If suppliers feel they can’t meet something on the drawing they need discuss all variances with us before sending their quote against which we'll be issuing a Purchase Order.

Anyhow, I thought I'd take a look at their STEP file and opened/imported into Autodesk Inventor Pro 2021.
Supposedly when a is opened with Inventor, embedded “Product Manufacturing Information (PMI) and Model Based Definition ( MBD) will be available.

Has anyone opened imported AP242 STEP files ? Is the information listed in the model tree, or are the dimensions and tolerances just slathered all over the screen?

3DDave · 2025-03-21T16:19:10+0000

You can open the file with a text editor to see the header to tell what format it is.

There might be a small case to be made for looking at the model that would be used for a machining operation, but for a casting there are too many variables, such as shrinkage, to make looking at what the pattern for the casting worthwhile.

dtimberlake · 2025-03-21T20:52:24+0000

We still sell some of our parts that have been in production for over 50 years.
We have patterns for many of them, made back in the day when there were still foundries in Massachusetts and the sales volumes were much higher.

We provide finished part drawings, not pattern drawings.
When a foundry needs to make a pattern we rely on their expertise on shrinkage, distortion, machining allowances etc.

I don't know if the supplier/foundry's model is intended to be a pattern. I'll ask.

Just heard the STEP file was exported as AP214 file.
The file header confirms that.

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identifying and using AP242 STEP files

dtimberlake

Mechanical

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3DDave

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dtimberlake

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