STEP: solids & assemblies
STEP reliably carries B-rep solids, assemblies and metadata.
Comparison中文
STEP vs IGES
STEP and IGES are both neutral CAD exchange formats, but they are not equal. STEP is the modern standard with strong solid and assembly support, while IGES is older and best for surfaces, wireframe and legacy compatibility.
Published Jun 10, 2026Updated Jun 10, 2026
IGES: surfaces & legacy
IGES excels at surfaces/wireframe and feeding older CAD/CAM tools.
Default to STEP
For modern collaboration, STEP is the safer choice unless IGES is required.
When to choose each
Choose STEP for cross-CAD engineering exchange, assemblies, archiving and most modern workflows.
Choose IGES only when a CAM tool, legacy system or client specification explicitly requires it.
Converting between them
You can upgrade legacy data by converting IGES to STEP, gaining better solid support.
When a recipient needs IGES, convert STEP to IGES to interoperate without manual rework.