How Product Manufacturers Can Grow Sales with BIM

If you’re a product manufacturer sharing 3D models in STEP or STL format, you’re not alone. These are common in mechanical design and 3D printing—but they don’t translate well into Building Information Modeling (BIM) workflows. And that’s a missed opportunity.

Without BIM-native formats, your products are less likely to be discovered, evaluated, or specified—and that means lost sales.

BIM Requires More Than Just Shape

STEP and STL files represent geometry, but they don’t offer the parametric flexibility designers need. Architects and engineers expect BIM objects that they can adjust, configure, and fit to the project’s unique needs. A static 3D shape just doesn’t cut it anymore.

Designers Need Data-Driven Models

BIM is more than a visual tool—it’s about information. A BIM object carries key metadata such as:

Product model numbers
Material composition
Fire and acoustic ratings
Green certifications

Neither STEP nor STL includes this kind of data. Without it, your product won’t show up in BIM-based search filters, making it harder for specifiers to find and select you.

Usability Drives Specification

STL files tend to be large and unwieldy, while STEP files—though more accurate—lack the intelligence needed in BIM. Most architects won’t spend time converting or cleaning these files. If your competitor offers a BIM-ready file, they win the spec.

Formats That Help You Win

To maximize your chances of being specified, offer your products in BIM-native formats:

.rfa for Autodesk Revit
.ifc for OpenBIM and ISO 16739 compliance
.gsm for Graphisoft Archicad

These formats combine geometry and metadata, making them plug-and-play for most BIM workflows.

BIM-Ready Products = Sales-Ready Products

Adopting BIM-native formats isn’t just a tech upgrade—it’s a sales strategy. When your models are BIM-ready:

You’re more likely to be included in design specs
Your product can be integrated into digital twins and maintenance systems
You become easier to evaluate, compare, and procure

Put simply: BIM-ready products sell better.

Start Growing Sales with Better Digital Assets

The construction industry is digitizing fast. Designers want ready-to-use, data-rich models that work natively within their software. If you want your product specified in the next school, airport, or data center, you need to meet that expectation.

✅ Start converting your models to BIM-ready formats today.
👉 Need help? Contact us for a free consultation.