Here's a customer-facing introduction you can drop straight onto a support page:

Pattern Authoring Program

What is the Pattern Authoring Program?

The Pattern Authoring Program lets you capture a vehicle's glass or panel geometry directly in your shop and turn it into a precise, cuttable digital pattern. Instead of waiting for a pattern to become available, you can author it yourself using a simple physical tracing process, submit it to STEK, and receive a production-ready pattern back for your plotter.

It's designed for real shop conditions: no specialized measuring equipment, no CAD experience, and no software licenses required to get started.

How it works

1. Print the crosshair sheet. Download the STEK Crosshair Sheet (available in A4 and Letter, with standard and laser-print versions) and print it at 100% scale — no "fit to page."
2. Lay out and trace. Place the sheets over the glass or panel and trace the true edge following the steps in the Windshield Pattern Digitization Guide. The crosshair grid gives our team the reference points needed to correct for curvature and scale.
3. Photograph and submit. Capture the traced sheets as instructed and send them to STEK through your usual support channel.
4. We digitize it. Our pattern team converts your tracing into a vector pattern, checks it for fit and tolerance, and prepares it for cutting.
5. You receive the finished pattern. The pattern is delivered to your account and added to the catalog for future use.

What you'll need

• A printer (A4 or Letter) set to 100% / actual size
• The STEK Crosshair Sheet — standard or laser version
• A fine marker or pen suitable for tracing
• A smartphone or camera for submission
• The Windshield Pattern Digitization Guide (also available in a print-friendly version for the shop wall)

Resources

• Windshield Pattern walkthrough video — watch the full process start to finish before your first attempt
• Windshield Pattern Digitization Guide — step-by-step instructions (screen and print versions)
• STEK Crosshair Sheets — A4 and Letter, standard and laser

Tips for a first-time submission

• Always verify print scale before tracing — a scaled print is the most common cause of a rejected pattern.
• Clean the glass first; debris and residue distort the traced edge.
• Trace the actual glass edge, not the trim or molding line.
• Keep the sheets flat and fully seated against the surface.
• Shoot photos straight-on in even light, with the entire sheet in frame.

Getting help

If a tracing doesn't pass review, our team will tell you exactly what to correct and you can resubmit — there's no penalty for a retry. For questions about the process, submission status, or a specific vehicle, contact STEK support and reference "Pattern Authoring."