Interoperability between two (or more) CAD software is a big challange. In gerneral, neutral data formats provide the possibility to exchange geometrical and some structural data as well as additional information, e.g. IGES (geometry data based on B-spline conversion), STEP (geometrical and some structural data of assemblies), JT (geometrical data, some structural data of assemblies, additional slot for parameters). All these neutral data formats have the disadvantage, that they do not exchange model history, design method and parametrization.

One way to improve interoperability of CAD models between different CAD software is based on the definition of uniform model structure by use of start-up models. These start up models exactly describe how a CAD model has to be built up, including geometrical elements, parametrization and structuring. In general, start-up models can be defined for both, single components and assemblies. Having available CAD models in a predefined structure, it is possible to use translating software, which reads all elements of the native model from one CAD software and translate it into a native model of another CAD software. This translating software is subject of research; it has to be programmed according to specific requirements of data conversion.

Kind regards,

Mario

Hi

ive made the experience that one can agree on common definition and what so ever - but in the end... it is more or less a mess. if it is possible agree on one CAD Software and on Release of it. And try to keep this until the end of the Project.

Even by using files which are per definition equal with every CAD system there are some sorts of trouble. Would be nice if the CAD - Company's could agree an a real standard. ;)

regards,

@Mr Alok

What I want to say is partly mentioned by Mr Mario Hirz, that is to change the way a model is prepared in CAD. Today we use either BREP or CSG approach for modelling using 2D and 3D primitives. What happens during exchange is these primitives are lost or are not recognized. So if we change the way we model a object,  keeping in mind the interoperability. It may include a new approach toward modelling or some standard uniform model structure as mentioned above by Mr Mario.

Regards

Some aspects of CAD- interoperabilty are discussed in a publication, which is available on this platform: "Multi-CAD Approach for Knowledge-Based Design Methods".

Kind regards,

Mario

Subject to CAD- interoperabilty, I believe that an international standard with sevaral definitions of graph elements is an aim of all engineers and informatikers. We are suffering quite alot from lacking of CAD-interoperabilty .

I agree with Pu Chen - this is an aim of all engineers. But I am afraid, that it is not an aim of software manufacturer - quite the contrary, they may have different interests.

In this way, engineers have to work on methodical approaches to enable a certain interoperability between different CAD software packages. In my research group, we distinguish between interoperability of CAD files (models, assemblies) and interoperability of CAD methods and tools. CAD methods and tools often use knowledge-based approaches, which enable more efficient work. An interoperability of these methods and tools may have a big influence on efficient design processes, independent from the actual applied software.

Kind regards,

Mario

In response to the CAD model data loss problem caused by the lack of explicit semantics in STEP neutral files, serval kinds of approaches have been proposed during the past decade. Among these kinds of approaches, Semantic Web technologies based approaches may be the most dominant kind [1]. This kind of approaches tries to use the technologies in the field of the Semantic Web [2] to implement the semantic interoperability of CAD model data among heterogeneous CAD systems. These used technologies mainly include rule reasoning technology and hybrid technologies which combine both rule reasoning and semantic similarity measure technologies. According to these used technologies, Semantic Web technologies based approaches are further classified into rule approaches [3-9] and hybrid approaches [10-13].

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