CAD Software STEP Support Matrix
This matrix summarizes the support status of the STEP standard in major CAD software, categorized into "Export" and "Import."
1. General Support Matrix (by I/O)
The table below shows the support status for Geometry (G) and PMI (P) as of December 2025.
| Software | Export (Out) | Import (In) | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Siemens NX | G:✅ / P:✅ | G:✅ / P:✅ | Industry-leading bidirectional compatibility. ed3 supported. |
| CATIA V5-6 | G:✅ / P:✅ | G:✅ / P:✅ | Export requires FTA + ST1 licenses. ed2 support is stable. |
| SolidWorks | G:✅ / P:✅ | G:✅ / P:✅ | Since 2024, PMI I/O in MBD standard features has been significantly enhanced. |
| PTC Creo | G:✅ / P:✅ | G:✅ / P:✅ | Among the fastest to adopt AP242 ed3. |
| Autodesk Inventor | G:✅ / P:✅ | G:✅ / P:✅ | Since 2024, the scope of Semantic PMI support has expanded. |
| Onshape | G:✅ / P:✅ | G:✅ / P:✅ | PMI support is progressing rapidly due to its cloud-native implementation. |
| Rhino 8 | G:✅ / P:⚠ | G:✅ / P:⚠ | Improved support for PMI (annotations) in Rhino 8, with some limitations. |
| FreeCAD | G:⚠ / P:❌ | G:⚠ / P:❌ | Basic geometry only. AP242 PMI support is limited via plugins. |
📚 Next Steps
- PMI Support - Detailed information on dimension and tolerance definitions.
2. PMI Support Details
Support levels for "Semantic" and "Graphical" PMI, where caution is particularly required.
| Software | Export (Semantic) | Import (Semantic) | Behavioral Characteristics |
|---|---|---|---|
| NX / CATIA | ✅ | ✅ | Capable of exchanging semantic information while preserving it. |
| SolidWorks | ⚠ (MBD) | ⚠ (2023+) | Prior to 2023, often became display-only upon import. |
| Inventor | ✅ | ⚠ | Imported PMI appears as "3D Annotations" but with limitations. |
| Creo | ✅ | ✅ | Maintains links between annotations and geometry well. |
3. Major Milestones by Software
Key milestones that significantly changed I/O capabilities.
| Software | Version | Content |
|---|---|---|
| SolidWorks | 2017 | Started AP242 Export (including PMI). |
| 2023 | Enhanced Semantic Import from third-party STEP files. | |
| NX | NX 11 | Established the foundation for full bidirectional AP242 support. |
| CATIA V5 | V5-6R2018 | Quality improvements for Graphical PMI and AP242 ed2 support. |
| Inventor | 2019.1 | First support for PMI Import from STEP AP242. |
| 2022.4 | Resolved AP242 Export issues for assemblies. | |
| Creo | Creo 11 | Latest support for AP242 Edition 3 Export. |
4. Persistence and Simulation (Face Naming)
Support for persistent “face naming” is critical for automated simulation workflows. In practice (especially in CAE toolchains), this often depends on how exporters emit attributes (e.g., layer/color/user-defined attributes) and how importers map those attributes into concepts like Named Selections. Avoid assuming a direct “reads SHAPE_ASPECT names” behavior unless you have verified it in your specific toolchain.
| Software | Export Name | Import Name | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Siemens NX | ✅ | ✅ | Excellent support via AP242 and AP214. |
| SolidWorks | ⚠ | ⚠ | Names often lost unless exported with specific "MBD" or "Face name" settings. |
| Rhino 8 | ✅ | ⚠ | Improved in Rhino 8; exports "Object Names" to AP242 SHAPE_ASPECT. |
| Ansys Workbench | N/A | ✅ | Can create "Named Selections" on import via Named Selection Processing + Attribute Processing; behavior depends on the Named Selections Key (often Layer/Color) and what the exporter writes. |
5. Implementation Notes
- Licensing: In many mid-range to high-end CAD systems, enabling AP242/PMI features requires dedicated packages (MBD, FTA, Extended STEP IF, etc.).
- Settings: Many systems have the "Import PMI" option turned off by default, so verification is necessary.
- CAx-IF: For the latest interoperability information, it is recommended to refer to test results from the CAx-IF (CAx Interoperability Forum).