IGES is a data-neutral format for cross-platform digital exchange of CAD files. It was created in 1979 to solve the problem of transferring design files between different programs and people. STEP is a similar project intended to be the successor to IGES. CAD has become an integral aspect of many industries, and IGES ensures easy exchange of CAD data between systems.
IGES stands for Initial Graphics Exchange Specification. It is a data-neutral format that allows cross-platform digital exchange of computer-aided design files or CAD files. With IGES, engineers and other CAD modelers can transfer their designs in the form of wireframes, circuit diagrams, or a variety of other styles. The official title of IGES is Digital Representation for Communicating Product Definition Data and was first published in 1980 by the National Bureau of Standards.
Even in the early years of CAD modeling, modelers suffered from the inability to transfer their design files to different programs and people. The CAD designer had to be sure he was using the same program and file type as everyone else he was working with. This could be very costly and time-consuming, as CAD programs were initially quite complex and expensive. A great deal of time and money could be spent on ensuring that designs were usable on a given company’s systems.
In the fall of 1979, a two-day meeting of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers resulted in a decision to create an IGES. A core team has been formed to look into the issue and create a neutral file type. Many different companies, including Boeing and General Electric, contributed data and personnel to the project. On October 10, 1979, another meeting was held at the National Academy of Sciences to announce the birth of IGES.
Another similar project, underway, is STEP, the standard for product model data exchange. Its development started in 1984 and it was intended to be the successor to IGES. Its purpose was to provide a platform for the transfer of all product data throughout the entire product lifecycle. IGES, on the other hand, was only intended for the neutral transfer of CAD data. Due to the overwhelming complexity of the project, STEP is still under development.
Computer aided design has become an integral aspect of many industries. Without it, teams of draftsmen poring over charts and taking measurements by hand would be doing a job that a single person with a computer can do today. The information presented in the CAD drawing is meaningless, however, if it is not accessible on a variety of systems by all who need to use it. This is the role of IGES. The neutral file format allows for easy exchange of CAD data between systems, ensuring CAD designers remain useful and convenient.
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