We are looking at the possiblity of using FT&A on a project that requires Model Based Definition.  Are there best practices and/or industry standards that we can look at and start with?

Initial Topics:

1) FT&A data directly on Design part or  should it be added to a "Wrapper" Product

2) Step convertion, Can CATIA export FT&A to Step 214

Probably 99% of the design models I get from major OEM's have the FT&A built into the part. This way, they don't have to give me the entire assembly for me to work on just one part. So, I recommend you do it in the part. Of course, it depends on what you are doing. I'd put specifics to the part in the part, and specifics to the ASSY in the Product.

As far as I know, you cannot export FT&A to Step. Typically designers will create "Views" when the create the annotation and when you double click a view (which can be a section view) only the selected annotation will show up. Sorry, I don't have the license to create annotation, so I can't be more specific on how to do this. Basically, if someone doesn't have Catia, then they can't read the FT&A, so they can take snap-shots of the "views" and send to someone that's working on the part and doesn't have Catia. Obviously, this is more work for the customer, so they prefer to work with guys that have Catia. You do not need to have the FT&A license in order to view FT&A.

I like the popular practice these days with MBD to use FT&A directly on the model. Less paper, good clarity, and easier on the design engineers since they can create critical FT&A as they design (instead of the error-prone old way, of doing it all on a blueprint after the design is complete.) By that time, the designers are exhausted from their design efforts, and minds can get a little cloudy.