STEP Tools v21 Coming Soon!

We are preparing the Version 21 release of our STEP and IFC programming libraries, scheduled for this summer. This version will introduce support for the latest STEP and IFC standards. They expand our meshing and viewing with better algorithms, benefit from extensive testing, and include many performance improvements. We are also expanding our supported platforms to include Windows on ARM64 and Visual Studio 2026.

Our STEP libraries will now cover the fourth edition of AP242, published in August 2025 which contains enhancements for datum sets and tolerance modifiers as well as a variety of new definitions. They also cover the fourth edition of AP238, at DIS stage in May 2026, which maintains compatibility with AP242e4 designs and expands STEP-NC into powder-bed fusion processes and drilling and fastening large structures.

The STEP meshing library has been revised with new algorithms for spline surface faceting, resulting in significantly faster performance. In addition, special attention has been paid to making sure that the meshes are watertight, for more effective boolean operation when slicing for additive manufacturing.

Our IFC libraries cover the latest IFC 4x3 schema, as well as all earlier versions back to IFC 2x3. We have built in extensive data migration capabilities to accommodate places where the different versions have changed the names of definitions, added fields, or removed fields.

The IFC meshing library has been greatly expanded with support for many new kinds of geometry, like revolved area solids, swept disk solids, surface curve swept area solids, and more CSG constructs. Extensive testing and refinement against a set of 380 real-world customer files has eliminated issues with many problematic faces and boolean calculations. Meshing is now 40% faster on average, with much greater improvements for specific types of files.

The STEP Tools^® libraries power commercial CAD, analysis, and visualization systems and this latest release will provide the tools that you can rely on to reach your goals! Contact us to discuss how we can apply our software solutions to your specific needs!