diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 967b48454..3fa43e8ba 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -9,7 +9,19 @@ project (lib3MF)
 # Define Version
 set(LIB3MF_VERSION_MAJOR 1)				# increase on every backward-compatibility breaking change of the API
 set(LIB3MF_VERSION_MINOR 3)				# increase on every backward compatible change of the API
-set(LIB3MF_VERSION_MICRO 1)				# increase on on every change that does not alter the API
+set(LIB3MF_VERSION_MICRO 2)				# increase on on every change that does not alter the API
+
+
+# Add targets
+# By default the shared libray is being built
+# To build the static library, add the cmake option -DBUILD_SHARED_LIBS:BOOL=OFF
+option(BUILD_SHARED_LIBS "build as shared library" ON)
+message("BUILD_SHARED_LIBS ... " ${BUILD_SHARED_LIBS})
+
+# By default the tests of the library are being built
+# To not build the tests, use cmake . -DBUILD_TESTING:BOOL=OFF
+option(BUILD_TESTING "build the tests of the library" ON)
+message("BUILD_TESTING ... " ${BUILD_TESTING})
 
 set(CMAKE_INSTALL_BINDIR bin CACHE PATH "directory for installing binary files")
 set(CMAKE_INSTALL_LIBDIR lib CACHE PATH "directory for installing library files")
@@ -32,6 +44,8 @@ elseif ("${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID}" STREQUAL "MSVC")
   add_definitions(-DBUILD_DLL -DLIB3MF_EXPORTS /W3)
   SET(CMAKE_SHARED_LINKER_FLAGS "${CMAKE_SHARED_LINKER_FLAGS} xmllite.lib")
   add_definitions(-D_CRT_NONSTDC_NO_DEPRECATE -D_CRT_SECURE_NO_WARNINGS)
+  set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_RELEASE "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_RELEASE} /MT")
+  set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_DEBUG "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_DEBUG} /MTd")
   if(NMR_COM_NATIVE)
 	add_definitions(-DNMR_COM_NATIVE)
   endif()
@@ -91,44 +105,28 @@ endif()
 
 
 #########################################################
-# Static library (as base for other targets)
-add_library(${PROJECT_NAME}_s STATIC ${SRCS_MAIN_PLATFORM} ${SRCS_COMMON})
-target_include_directories(${PROJECT_NAME}_s PUBLIC ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/Include)
-target_include_directories(${PROJECT_NAME}_s PUBLIC ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/Include)
-SET_TARGET_PROPERTIES(${PROJECT_NAME}_s PROPERTIES PREFIX "" IMPORT_PREFIX "")
-if (UNIX OR MINGW)
-	target_compile_options(${PROJECT_NAME}_s PUBLIC "-fPIC")
-	# Uncomment the following to but the version info into the .so-file.
-	SET_TARGET_PROPERTIES(${PROJECT_NAME}_s PROPERTIES VERSION "${LIB3MF_VERSION_MAJOR}.${LIB3MF_VERSION_MINOR}.${LIB3MF_VERSION_MICRO}.${BUILD_NUMBER}")
-	SET_TARGET_PROPERTIES(${PROJECT_NAME}_s PROPERTIES SOVERSION "${LIB3MF_VERSION_MAJOR}")
-	if (NOT APPLE)
-		SET_TARGET_PROPERTIES(${PROJECT_NAME}_s PROPERTIES LINK_FLAGS -s)
-	endif()
-	find_library(LIBUUID_PATH uuid)
-	if(NOT LIBUUID_PATH)
-		message(FATAL_ERROR "libuuid not found")
-	endif()
-	target_link_libraries(${PROJECT_NAME}_s ${LIBUUID_PATH})
-else()
-	# wd4996 masks the deprecated-warning
-	target_compile_options(${PROJECT_NAME}_s PUBLIC "$<$<CONFIG:DEBUG>:/Od;/Ob0;/Gm;/sdl;/W3;/WX;/FC;/wd4996>")
-	target_compile_options(${PROJECT_NAME}_s PUBLIC "$<$<CONFIG:RELEASE>:/O2;/sdl;/WX;/Oi;/Gy;/FC;/wd4996>")
-endif()
-
-
-#########################################################
-# Shared library
-add_library(${PROJECT_NAME} SHARED ${SRCS_MAIN_PLATFORM}
-	"./Source/Model/COM/NMR_DLLInterfaces.cpp"
+# The main lib3MF library
+add_library(${PROJECT_NAME} 
+	${SRCS_MAIN_PLATFORM} ${SRCS_COMMON}
 	${VERSION_FILES_OUTPUTLOCATION}
 )
+target_include_directories(${PROJECT_NAME} PUBLIC ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/Include)
+target_include_directories(${PROJECT_NAME} PUBLIC ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/Include)
 set(STARTUPPROJECT ${PROJECT_NAME})
 SET_TARGET_PROPERTIES(${PROJECT_NAME} PROPERTIES PREFIX "" IMPORT_PREFIX "")
-target_link_libraries(${PROJECT_NAME} ${PROJECT_NAME}_s)
 if (UNIX OR MINGW)
 	# Uncomment the following to but the version info into the .so-file.
 	SET_TARGET_PROPERTIES(${PROJECT_NAME} PROPERTIES VERSION "${LIB3MF_VERSION_MAJOR}.${LIB3MF_VERSION_MINOR}.${LIB3MF_VERSION_MICRO}.${BUILD_NUMBER}")
 	SET_TARGET_PROPERTIES(${PROJECT_NAME} PROPERTIES SOVERSION "${LIB3MF_VERSION_MAJOR}")
+
+	find_library(LIBUUID_PATH uuid)
+	if(NOT LIBUUID_PATH)
+		message(FATAL_ERROR "libuuid not found")
+	endif()
+	target_link_libraries(${PROJECT_NAME} ${LIBUUID_PATH})
+	if (NOT APPLE)
+		SET_TARGET_PROPERTIES(${PROJECT_NAME} PROPERTIES LINK_FLAGS -s)
+	endif()
 endif()
 install(TARGETS ${PROJECT_NAME}
 	ARCHIVE DESTINATION "${CMAKE_INSTALL_LIBDIR}"
@@ -138,20 +136,18 @@ install(DIRECTORY Include/Model DESTINATION "${CMAKE_INSTALL_INCLUDEDIR}")
 install(DIRECTORY Include/Common DESTINATION "${CMAKE_INSTALL_INCLUDEDIR}")
 install(DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/Include/ DESTINATION "${CMAKE_INSTALL_INCLUDEDIR}")
 
+
 #########################################################
-if(NOT DEFINED LIB3MF_TESTS)
-	set(LIB3MF_TESTS TRUE)
-endif()
-message("LIB3MF_TESTS ... " ${LIB3MF_TESTS})
-if(LIB3MF_TESTS)
+if(${BUILD_TESTING})
 	include(CTest)
 	# platform independent tests on the C-interface of the library
 	add_subdirectory(UnitTests)
 	
-	# windows specific tests
+	# windows specific tests for the C++ classes of the library
 	if (WIN32)
 		SET(UNITTEST_NAME "${PROJECT_NAME}unittests")
-		add_library(${UNITTEST_NAME} SHARED "${SRCS_WIN_MANAGEDTEST}")
+		add_library(${UNITTEST_NAME} SHARED ${SRCS_MAIN_PLATFORM} ${SRCS_COMMON} ${SRCS_WIN_MANAGEDTEST})
+
 		target_include_directories(${UNITTEST_NAME} PUBLIC ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/Include)
 		target_include_directories(${UNITTEST_NAME} PUBLIC "${VCINSTALLDIR}/../../../UnitTest/include")
 		target_include_directories(${UNITTEST_NAME} PUBLIC ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/Include)
@@ -159,9 +155,6 @@ if(LIB3MF_TESTS)
 		target_compile_options(${UNITTEST_NAME} PUBLIC "$<$<CONFIG:DEBUG>:/Od;/Ob0;/Gm;/sdl;/W3;/WX;/FC;-DNMR_USEASSERTIONS;-DNMR_UNITTESTS;/wd4996>")
 		target_compile_options(${UNITTEST_NAME} PUBLIC "$<$<CONFIG:RELEASE>:/O2;/sdl;/WX;/Oi;/Gy;/FC;/wd4996>")
 		
-		add_dependencies(${UNITTEST_NAME} ${PROJECT_NAME}_s)
-		target_link_libraries(${UNITTEST_NAME} ${PROJECT_NAME}_s)
-		
 		file(MAKE_DIRECTORY "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/TestOutput")
 	endif()
 endif()
diff --git a/UnitTests/CMakeLists.txt b/UnitTests/CMakeLists.txt
index 7c8d4b0b8..df3a9843e 100644
--- a/UnitTests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/UnitTests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #########################################################
 # platform independent tests on the C-interface of the library
 
+set(BUILD_SHARED_LIBS OFF CACHE BOOL "" FORCE)
 ADD_SUBDIRECTORY (googletest EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL)
 enable_testing()
 SET(TEST_CINTERFACE "Test_CInterface")
@@ -30,7 +31,9 @@ if (WIN32)
 	target_compile_options(${TEST_CINTERFACE} PUBLIC "$<$<CONFIG:RELEASE>:/O2;/sdl;/WX;/Oi;/Gy;/FC;/MT;/wd4996>")
 endif()
 
+message(CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR=${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR})
 target_include_directories(${TEST_CINTERFACE} PRIVATE ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/Include ${gtest_SOURCE_DIR}/include)
+
 target_link_libraries(${TEST_CINTERFACE} ${PROJECT_NAME} gtest gtest_main)
 add_dependencies(${TEST_CINTERFACE} ${PROJECT_NAME})
 set_target_properties(${TEST_CINTERFACE} PROPERTIES RUNTIME_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/")
diff --git a/Include/UnitTests/UnitTest_Utilities.h b/UnitTests/Include/UnitTest_Utilities.h
similarity index 100%
rename from Include/UnitTests/UnitTest_Utilities.h
rename to UnitTests/Include/UnitTest_Utilities.h
diff --git a/UnitTests/Source/UnitTest_Attachments.cpp b/UnitTests/Source/UnitTest_Attachments.cpp
index 6c809b912..00f6c9356 100644
--- a/UnitTests/Source/UnitTest_Attachments.cpp
+++ b/UnitTests/Source/UnitTest_Attachments.cpp
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ in 3MF files.
 
 --*/
 
-#include "UnitTests/UnitTest_Utilities.h"
+#include "UnitTest_Utilities.h"
 #include "Model/COM/NMR_DLLInterfaces.h"
 
 #include <vector>
diff --git a/UnitTests/Source/UnitTest_BeamLattice.cpp b/UnitTests/Source/UnitTest_BeamLattice.cpp
index 805dc7e9d..22e41ca85 100644
--- a/UnitTests/Source/UnitTest_BeamLattice.cpp
+++ b/UnitTests/Source/UnitTest_BeamLattice.cpp
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ UnitTest_ReadWrite.cpp: Defines Unittests for reading and writing of 3MFs
 
 --*/
 
-#include "UnitTests/UnitTest_Utilities.h"
+#include "UnitTest_Utilities.h"
 #include "Model/COM/NMR_DLLInterfaces.h"
 
 #include <vector>
diff --git a/UnitTests/Source/UnitTest_Extensions.cpp b/UnitTests/Source/UnitTest_Extensions.cpp
index 0100eaed0..1501f4156 100644
--- a/UnitTests/Source/UnitTest_Extensions.cpp
+++ b/UnitTests/Source/UnitTest_Extensions.cpp
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ UnitTest_Extensions.cpp: Defines Unittests for general extension handling
 
 --*/
 
-#include "UnitTests/UnitTest_Utilities.h"
+#include "UnitTest_Utilities.h"
 #include "Model/COM/NMR_DLLInterfaces.h"
 #include <memory>
 #include <vector>
diff --git a/UnitTests/Source/UnitTest_OPC_Issues.cpp b/UnitTests/Source/UnitTest_OPC_Issues.cpp
index 248a9d348..b602e2f25 100644
--- a/UnitTests/Source/UnitTest_OPC_Issues.cpp
+++ b/UnitTests/Source/UnitTest_OPC_Issues.cpp
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ UnitTest_OPC_Issues.cpp: Defines Unittests for OPC related requirements of a
 3MF-reader/writer.
 --*/
 
-#include "UnitTests/UnitTest_Utilities.h"
+#include "UnitTest_Utilities.h"
 #include "Model/COM/NMR_DLLInterfaces.h"
 
 #include <vector>
diff --git a/UnitTests/Source/UnitTest_Production.cpp b/UnitTests/Source/UnitTest_Production.cpp
index 2265aae67..77bf8b065 100644
--- a/UnitTests/Source/UnitTest_Production.cpp
+++ b/UnitTests/Source/UnitTest_Production.cpp
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ Defines Unittests for reading and writing the production extenstion to 3MF.
 
 --*/
 
-#include "UnitTests/UnitTest_Utilities.h"
+#include "UnitTest_Utilities.h"
 #include "Model/COM/NMR_DLLInterfaces.h"
 
 #include <vector>
diff --git a/UnitTests/Source/UnitTest_ProgressCallback.cpp b/UnitTests/Source/UnitTest_ProgressCallback.cpp
index 6dd049f8f..cbd6d3dab 100644
--- a/UnitTests/Source/UnitTest_ProgressCallback.cpp
+++ b/UnitTests/Source/UnitTest_ProgressCallback.cpp
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ UnitTest_ProgressCallback.cpp: Defines Unittests for the progress callback funct
 
 --*/
 
-#include "UnitTests/UnitTest_Utilities.h"
+#include "UnitTest_Utilities.h"
 #include "Model/COM/NMR_DLLInterfaces.h"
 
 #include <vector>
diff --git a/UnitTests/Source/UnitTest_ReadWrite.cpp b/UnitTests/Source/UnitTest_ReadWrite.cpp
index e016b9cfe..94a0bbbe0 100644
--- a/UnitTests/Source/UnitTest_ReadWrite.cpp
+++ b/UnitTests/Source/UnitTest_ReadWrite.cpp
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ UnitTest_ReadWrite.cpp: Defines Unittests for reading and writing of 3MFs
 
 --*/
 
-#include "UnitTests/UnitTest_Utilities.h"
+#include "UnitTest_Utilities.h"
 #include "Model/COM/NMR_DLLInterfaces.h"
 
 #include <vector>
diff --git a/UnitTests/Source/UnitTest_ReaderStrictMode.cpp b/UnitTests/Source/UnitTest_ReaderStrictMode.cpp
index cf594259f..8806ff8d1 100644
--- a/UnitTests/Source/UnitTest_ReaderStrictMode.cpp
+++ b/UnitTests/Source/UnitTest_ReaderStrictMode.cpp
@@ -29,10 +29,9 @@ UnitTest_UnitTest_ReaderStrictMode.cpp: Defines Unittests for the StrictMode of
 
 --*/
 
-#include "UnitTests/UnitTest_Utilities.h"
+#include "UnitTest_Utilities.h"
 #include "Model/COM/NMR_DLLInterfaces.h"
 
-
 #include <iostream>
 #include "gtest/gtest.h"
 
diff --git a/UnitTests/Source/UnitTest_Slice.cpp b/UnitTests/Source/UnitTest_Slice.cpp
index ea9a2eb77..47a36373b 100644
--- a/UnitTests/Source/UnitTest_Slice.cpp
+++ b/UnitTests/Source/UnitTest_Slice.cpp
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ UnitTest_Slice.cpp: Defines Unittests for the slice extension to 3MF
 
 --*/
 
-#include "UnitTests/UnitTest_Utilities.h"
+#include "UnitTest_Utilities.h"
 #include "Model/COM/NMR_DLLInterfaces.h"
 
 #include <vector>
diff --git a/UnitTests/Source/UnitTest_Textures.cpp b/UnitTests/Source/UnitTest_Textures.cpp
index a2f36a4b9..909ecaf03 100644
--- a/UnitTests/Source/UnitTest_Textures.cpp
+++ b/UnitTests/Source/UnitTest_Textures.cpp
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ UnitTest_Textures.cpp: Defines Unittests for reading and writing textures from/t
 
 --*/
 
-#include "UnitTests/UnitTest_Utilities.h"
+#include "UnitTest_Utilities.h"
 #include "Model/COM/NMR_DLLInterfaces.h"
 
 #include <vector>
diff --git a/UnitTests/Source/UnitTest_Thumbnails.cpp b/UnitTests/Source/UnitTest_Thumbnails.cpp
index be871984e..6b85fd69f 100644
--- a/UnitTests/Source/UnitTest_Thumbnails.cpp
+++ b/UnitTests/Source/UnitTest_Thumbnails.cpp
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ a 3MF package or individual objects within a model.
 
 --*/
 
-#include "UnitTests/UnitTest_Utilities.h"
+#include "UnitTest_Utilities.h"
 #include "Model/COM/NMR_DLLInterfaces.h"
 
 #include <vector>
diff --git a/cmake/README.md b/cmake/README.md
index cc2b189be..21c79123f 100644
--- a/cmake/README.md
+++ b/cmake/README.md
@@ -12,3 +12,8 @@ A new folder “build” is created and contains projects for the IDE/build targ
   1. navigate to the “build”-folder 
   2. Call “make” to build the projects
   3. Run/debug a project 
+
+By default, lib3MF is built as a shared (dynamic) library, and tests are enabled.
+- The shared library only offers the C-like interface
+- The static library offers both the C-like interface as well as the underlying C++ classes. To enable static library building, add the cmake option `-DBUILD_SHARED_LIBS:BOOL=OFF` either in the scripts in this folder or in the parent project that includes the lib3MF-project.
+- To disable the tests, add the cmake option `-DBUILD_TESTING:BOOL=OFF` either in the scripts in this folder or in the parent project that includes the lib3MF-project.