format STEP

CONT: The Standard for the Exchange of Product Model Data format ... or STEP format is used to transfer solid models between high-end CAD [computer-aided design] packages. The advantages of the STEP format are that it includes not only the geometrical features that make up the model but it also includes the history tree - that is, the list of operations or construction stages that led to the model. This enables a model developed in one CAD package to be edited, revised or redesigned in another CAD package.