Collaboration around CAD models represents a major challenge for industrial companies. Each year, thousands of work hours are lost due to technical data exchange problems between partners. Technical Data Packaging (TDP) has become a strategic issue for optimizing these exchanges and ensuring the integrity of shared design information.
Industrial companies exchange considerable volumes of CAD data with their partners, customers, and suppliers daily. These technical exchanges, often complex and time-consuming, can represent up to 30% of engineers' working time in certain sectors. Automation and security of these exchange processes are therefore essential to maintain a competitive advantage.
Table of contents
- Technical collaboration challenges between industrial partners
- Essential components of an effective TDP
- Automation of technical data exchange processes
- DEXcenter: Solution for technical data packaging and exchange
- Implementation methodology for a TDP solution
Technical collaboration challenges between industrial partners
The complexity of technical data exchanges between industrial partners has increased considerably in recent years. This evolution is explained by the multiplication of CAD systems used within value chains and the increasing requirements for data security.
The complexity of multi-CAD environments
Industrial companies today use a multitude of CAD systems to design their products. This diversity generates significant interoperability challenges, including:
- Proliferation of native formats (CATIA V5, NX, SolidWorks, ProENGINEER, etc.)
- Incompatibilities between versions of the same software
- Frequent loss of critical information during conversions (construction history, annotations, etc.)
- Structural differences between models from different systems
This technological heterogeneity leads to recurring problems: unusable models, corrupted geometries, loss of design intelligence, or missing annotations. In the aerospace sector, for example, a recent study shows that more than 40% of exchanged CAD models require manual corrections before use.
Risks associated with traditional exchange methods
Conventional technical data exchange practices present numerous limitations:
- Use of unsecured channels (emails, FTP servers)
- Lack of exchange traceability
- Time-consuming manual processes prone to errors
- Lack of standardization in conversion methods
- Difficulties maintaining data consistency during design iterations
These artisanal approaches generate considerable hidden costs, both in terms of mobilized resources and additional delays. A major aerospace company estimated that each hour invested in manual corrections of CAD models represented a direct cost of approximately €150, to which indirect impacts on time-to-market are added.
Regulatory and contractual requirements
Beyond technical challenges, CAD data exchanges must comply with strict regulatory and contractual frameworks:
- Regulations on technical data export (ITAR, EAR)
- Intellectual property protection
- Compliance obligations in regulated sectors (aerospace, defense, medical)
- Long-term technical data archiving requirements
These constraints require companies to implement rigorous processes to avoid legal and financial risks associated with poor management of technical data.
Essential components of an effective TDP
An effective Technical Data Package (TDP) relies on several key components that guarantee the quality, usability, and consistency of information shared between industrial partners.
Exchange formats and standards
The choice of formats constitutes a fundamental element in the technical data exchange strategy. Two complementary approaches coexist:
| Format type | Advantages | Disadvantages | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native formats |
|
|
CATIA V5, NX, ProENGINEER, SolidWorks |
| Neutral formats |
|
|
STEP, JT, 3D PDF, Parasolid |
The STEP standard (ISO 10303) has established itself as the reference for neutral CAD data exchanges. Its latest versions (AP242) support numerous advanced information types such as 3D annotations (PMI), thus facilitating the adoption of Model Based Enterprise (MBE) approaches.
Data structure and organization
A coherently structured TDP facilitates data exploitation by different stakeholders. This organization typically includes:
- A clearly defined assembly hierarchy
- A bill of materials (BOM) synchronized with 3D models
- Technical metadata (materials, tolerances, etc.)
- Management information (version, status, confidentiality)
- Associated technical documentation (specifications, reports)
This structuring ensures the consistency of the data package and facilitates integration operations into the recipient's systems.
Model quality validation
Model quality is a major issue for ensuring the usability of exchanged data. A robust validation process involves several levels of control:
- Geometric verification (absence of invalid or degenerated geometries)
- Topological control (consistency of relationships between elements)
- Validation of annotations and PMI
- Compliance with company standards and industry norms
- Verification of package completeness (all required components are present)
Precise quality criteria must be defined according to downstream uses, whether for manufacturing, analysis, simulation, or archiving. Automation of these controls allows proactive identification of potential problems before transmission to partners.
Automation of technical data exchange processes
Automation constitutes a major lever for optimizing technical data exchange processes between industrial partners. This approach transforms manual, time-consuming, and error-prone tasks into standardized, reliable, and traceable processes.
Benefits of exchange automation
Adopting an automation strategy for technical data exchanges generates quantifiable advantages:
- Significant reduction in processing times (up to 80% according to case studies)
- Decrease in human errors and associated rework
- Standardization of conversion and exchange methods
- Liberation of technical resources for higher value-added tasks
- Improved exchange traceability
These gains translate into accelerated development cycles and reduced operational costs. In the automotive sector, for example, automation of exchange processes with suppliers has allowed some manufacturers to reduce their time-to-market by several weeks.
Key processes to automate
An effective automation strategy should prioritize the following processes:
| Process | Objectives | Associated technologies |
|---|---|---|
| Conversion between CAD systems |
|
Direct translators, standard-based converters, repair tools |
| Quality validation |
|
Geometric analysis tools, PMI validators, version comparators |
| Distribution to partners |
|
Secure exchange portals, HTTPS/SFTP protocols, notification solutions |
| Archiving and traceability |
|
Logging systems, long-term archiving, audit tools |
Automating these processes allows the creation of complete and coherent workflows, from data preparation to archiving, through conversion, validation, and distribution.
Integration into the PLM ecosystem
To maximize its effectiveness, an exchange automation solution must integrate harmoniously into the existing PLM ecosystem:
- Connection with technical data management systems (PDM/PLM)
- Integration of validation and approval workflows
- Synchronization with configuration management processes
- Alignment with company security policies
This integration guarantees the consistency of shared information and avoids data silos that compromise the overall efficiency of product development processes.
DEXcenter: Solution for technical data packaging and exchange
Facing complex challenges related to technical data exchanges, DEXcenter provides a structured and comprehensive response. This solution specialized in process automation allows industrial companies to optimize their CAD data flows while ensuring security and traceability.
General presentation of the solution
DEXcenter is a secure and scalable enterprise portal designed to manage technical data exchanges, particularly CAD conversions, between suppliers and customers. Its modular architecture is built around several key components:
- A web portal accessible via standard internet browser
- An automation engine for conversion and validation processes
- An adaptive user interface for occasional users and experts
- Exchange security mechanisms (SSL/HTTPS, SFTP)
- A complete exchange traceability system
This flexible architecture allows DEXcenter to adapt to different technical environments and business needs, whether used standalone or integrated with existing PLM systems.
Key features
DEXcenter offers a comprehensive set of features to optimize technical data exchange processes:
- Multi-format translation: Conversion between major CAD systems (CATIA V4/V5, NX, ProENGINEER, SolidWorks, I-DEAS, AutoCAD) and neutral formats (STEP, JT, 3D PDF, Parasolid)
- Intelligent quality validation: Integration with CADIQ for model quality analysis and programmable revision comparison
- Model repair: Use of CADfix for automatic correction of geometric problems
- Model intelligence preservation: Possible integration with Proficiency for conversions with construction history preservation
- Intellectual property marking: Protection of sensitive information during exchanges
- Automated distribution: Notification and secure transmission to recipients according to their profiles
These features are articulated within configurable workflows that can adapt to the specific needs of each organization and type of exchange.
Security and compliance
DEXcenter integrates advanced mechanisms to ensure exchange security and regulatory compliance:
- Secure architecture: Modular architecture compatible with firewalls, JBoss server combined with Oracle or MySQL database
- Transmission protection: SSL encryption for HTTPS exchanges, SFTP support for voluminous transfers
- Access management: DEXcenter authentication, LDAP or SSO, fine-grained user rights management
- Regulatory compliance: Support for ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations) constraints
- Complete traceability: Detailed logging of all exchanges and operations
These features allow companies to meet their obligations regarding sensitive data protection and regulatory compliance, particularly important in the aerospace, defense, and automotive sectors.
Concrete advantages
Implementing DEXcenter generates quantifiable benefits for industrial companies:
- Reduction of operational costs: Decrease of more than 80% in labor costs associated with manual exchange processes
- Cycle acceleration: Significant reduction in technical data exchange and processing times
- Quality improvement: Decrease in errors and standardization of exchange practices
- Resource optimization: More efficient use of CAD licenses and reallocation of technical resources to higher value-added tasks
- Enhanced collaboration: Simplification of interactions with external partners
These advantages directly contribute to improving company competitiveness by accelerating their development cycles while reducing operational costs.
Implementation methodology for a TDP solution
Implementing a technical data packaging and exchange solution requires a methodical approach to ensure its adoption and maximize return on investment. This methodology revolves around three main phases.
Preparation and needs analysis
The initial phase consists of conducting a precise diagnosis of the existing situation and defining the objectives of the future solution:
- Mapping current processes: Identification of exchange flows, involved actors, and tools used
- Inventory of formats and systems: Census of CAD systems, handled formats, and conversion needs
- Volume analysis: Evaluation of daily/weekly exchange volumes and activity peaks
- Definition of quality rules: Establishment of expected quality criteria for different types of exchanges
- Constraint identification: Census of applicable regulatory and security requirements
This phase allows establishing precise specifications and correctly dimensioning the solution according to the organization's real needs.
Deployment and integration
The technical deployment phase requires rigorous planning to minimize impact on current operations:
- Infrastructure installation: Server setup, network and security configuration
- Process configuration: Parameterization of conversion, validation, and distribution workflows
- Integration with existing systems: Connection with PLM, PDM, and other business applications
- Validation tests: Functional verification and load tests to ensure performance
- Progressive migration: Planned transition from existing processes to the new solution
A phased approach allows securing the deployment and adjusting the configuration based on initial feedback.
Training and adoption
The success of a technical data exchange solution largely depends on its adoption by users:
- Adapted training program: Specific training for different user profiles (occasional, experts, administrators)
- Customized documentation: Creation of guides and procedures adapted to the company context
- Proximity support: Implementation of assistance during startup
- Communication on benefits: Awareness of concrete advantages for users
- Measurement of results: Implementation of indicators to track effective gains
This phase is crucial to maximize return on investment and sustainably transform technical data exchange practices within the organization.
Conclusion
Optimization of technical data packaging represents a strategic lever for industrial companies facing CAD collaboration challenges. In an environment characterized by increasingly distributed value chains and accelerated development cycles, the ability to efficiently exchange technical data constitutes a significant competitive advantage.
Process automation, via specialized solutions like DEXcenter, allows radically transforming these exchanges by making them faster, more reliable, and more secure. Concrete benefits include a drastic reduction in operational costs, acceleration of development cycles, and improvement in the quality of exchanged models.
The successful implementation of such a solution, however, requires a methodical approach, from precise needs analysis to user support, through careful integration into the existing technical ecosystem. Companies that succeed in this transformation can not only optimize their internal processes but also strengthen their collaboration with partners, customers, and suppliers.
In a context of continuous innovation, organizations must consider their technical data exchange strategy as a central element of their digital transformation, directly contributing to their agility and competitiveness in constantly evolving markets.
