CAD Translation, Preparation, and Sharing: Wasting Time and Money - feature-based translation, interoperability, restructuring, de-featuring, automated transformation, Scott Collins, American Machinist, Sep 18, 2008

The Cost of Indecision Ultimately Means Lost Jobs - indecision on interoperability issues causes companies to reuse poor CAD data, causes rework, David Prawel of Longview Advisors, Inc., Desktop Engineering, Sep 1, 2008

Autodesk and Bentley Interoperability - both companies to support reciprocal use of available APIs, benefiting both sets of customers, Martyn Day, AEC Magazine, Aug 23, 2008

Export to AutoCAD - sharing Civil 3D drawing by exporting it as AutoCAD 2000 format, Scott McEachron, Civil 3D - Paving the Way, Aug 15, 2008

ODA to Autodesk: In Your Face - USPTO web site posts issues over Autodesk's question of ODA's existence in 1998, Ralph Grabowski, WorldCAD Access, Aug 6, 2008

Examining the Autodesk-Bentley Agreement - what is behind the interoperability agreement and is it good for the industry?, Evan Yares, Cadalyst, Aug 1, 2008

Everyone's Talking About CAD Migration - globalization, competitive pressure, reuse existing product designs all drive the need to migrate product data, David Prawel, Desktop Engineering, July 2, 2008

Proper Preparation - understanding production CAD and analysis CAD plus discussing issues related to CAD import/repair, Paul Schreier, MCAD Online, Apr 29, 2008

An Interoperabiliy Update - geometry representation, intelligence of models still affect data translation, Paul Hamilton, Machine Design, Mar 14, 2008

CADdoctor Dedicated to Data Translation - dedicated data translation solution translates successfully and repairs file properly unlike neutral translators, Abdul Shammaa of Elysium (makers of CADdoctor), Desktop Engineering, Feb 1, 2008

Lost and Found in Data Translation - CAD data translation solutions with dynamic algorithms and APIs help MCAD software in file conversion, Ken Tashiro of Elysium Inc., Design News, Nov 19, 2007

The Dawn of CAD 2.0 - CAD equivalent of Web 2.0 is whole new modeling technique that exchanges data in neutral formats, Deelip Menezes, CADdigest.com, Sep 21, 2007

CAD File Conversion Misses the Bus - is file formats conversion problem solved?, Alex Neihaus, 3D MOJO, Aug 27, 2007

3D Mojo Misses The Point - CAD data is useless if not converted properly, Deelip Menezes, Aug 28, 2007

An Interview with Francis Cadin, CEO of Datakit - effect of the CAD market consolidation on data exchange, future of evolution of current CAD systems, preferred CAD file formats, more, Franco Folini, Novedge Blog, June 28, 2007

CAD Vendors Take the Stand in Their Interoperability Defense - vendor panelists at RAPID 2007 conference had their own formats to offer for interoperability, Peter Heath, CADdigest.com, June 25, 2007

Interoperability -- A Modest Proposal - should manufacturers buy the CAD companies and fix the interoperability problem, Roopinder Tara, CAD Insider, May 6, 2007

Interoperability: Structural Engineering - Pete Baxter of Autodesk and Huw Roberts of Bentley comment on effectiveness of neutral file formats in structural engineering field and future of 2D CAD as well as hard copy drawings, AEC Magazine, March 30, 2007

Imports and Exports - Kubotek's interoperability survey reports many CAD users rebuild models from scratch due to interoperability issues, Mike Hudspeth, Desktop Engineering, March 2007

Interoperability - The CAD Vendors Speak Out - Alibre, CoCreate, Dassault Systemes, Kubotek, PTC, Rhino and UGS express on CAD interoperability issues, Rachael Dalton-Taggart, CADdigest.com, March 15, 2007

BIM and the U.S. GSA - IFCs and Autodesk Revit Building 9.1 helping in data interoperability for US GSA projects, Rick Rundell of Autodesk, Cadalyst, January 1, 2007

Common Language - XML qualifies as a universal system for sharing any type of engineering information in any form, Jean Thilmany, Mechanical Engineering, December 2006

The Secret World of File Formats - even "open" file formats are also controlled by organizations to maintain a share of consumers of the format, Owen Wengerd, Outside the Box, December 10, 2006

CAD Translation Remains a Problem for Engineers - Kubotek survey reveals that 44% of users face interoperability problem when exporting 3D CAD models into their CAD systems, Terry Costlow, Design News, November 20, 2006

Is There a Solution to the Interoperability Problem? - Rhinoceros makes CAD data exchange easy as its copyright policy allows commercial use, Deelip Menezes, November 29, 2006

Why Can't All Our CAD Files Just Get Along? - Kubotek CAD interoperability survey reveals 72% CAD users, more or less, make designs from scratch due to inefficiency at data reuse, Kenneth Wong, Cadalyst, November 20, 2006

Project CAD Data Exchange Checklist - information like contact details, CAD file format, CAD standards, units, CAD resources, etc., should be received before exchanging any AEC project data, Eat Your CAD, October 13, 2006

Project CAD Data Exchange Media: Pros and Cons - optical read-only data carriers, USB sticks, data storage cards, and network-based technologies, Eat Your CAD, October 13, 2006

Project CAD Data Exchange Formats: Pros and Cons - digital drawing, flat CAD drawing, non-flattened CAD drawing, and CAD model, Eat Your CAD, October 13, 2006

Autodesk Plans to Ease 2D to 3D Data Sharing Headaches - Autodesk previewed Beta version of automated translation technique to translated CAD data, Terry Costlow, Design News, October 9, 2006

Translation Time - discrepancy in design and analysis programs worsens as industry lacks one common solution, Jean Thilmany, Mechanical Engineering, October 2006

Standards for Data Sharing Gain Momentum - history of development of IFC standards for sharing of AEC project data, Matthew Phair, Building Design and Construction, September 1, 2006

Accord via Lightweight 3D, Part 2 - 3D data collaboration and communication tools are Acrobat 3D with Universal 3D format, JT format from UGS, 3DXML format supported in CATIA V5R15, and Autodesk Design Review, David Prawel & Wolfgang Geist, Desktop Engineering, July 2006

What Do You do with Legacy Data? - options like scanning 2D CAD drawings and 3D parts, translating data, and some MCAD programs can convert old CAD data to new formats, Mike Hudspeth, Cadalyst, July 1, 2006

Accord via Lightweight 3D: Part 1 - standardized design processes are required for effective collaboration of CAD data globally, David Prawel & Wolfgang Geist, Desktop Engineering, June 2006

Small Manufacturers, Big File-Exchange Issues - Kubotek survey reports job shops burdened by multi-CAD environments and financial pressure, Kenneth Wong, Cadalyst Manufacturing, May 15, 2006

Do Engineers Play Well with Others? Not When it Comes to CAD - most still report problems with interoperability of CAD data, Karen Auguston Field, Design News, May 2, 2006

Free IFC Viewer - view IFC files (vendor neutral data exchange format) for applications like DDS Building Services Partner for free, Brendan McFarlane, BuildingSmart the DDS Way, March 15, 2006

Forgotten Habits of AutoCAD Users, Part 3 - look into help files, purge and audit your files, save files in a timely manner, Mark W. Kiker, AUGI, March 2006 (may require free registration)

Engineering Bugaboo: Software Interoperability - Kubotek survey says almost all users face CAD interoperability issues specially in mold/tool/die and forging industries, Karen Auguston Field, Design News, February 6, 2006

CAD Interoperability Not Here Yet, Users Say - in spite of companies' efforts on standardization and vendors' claims on solving CAD interoperability, there is no ideal solution to this problem, based on Kubotek research, Jeffrey Rowe, Advanced Manufacturing, October 2005

CAD Data: Format-to-Format Getting Better - good translators are required when moving data from OEM to the mold designer, Clare Goldsberry, Modern Plastics, June 1, 2005

Spot the Difference - feature based modeling and working in non-native CAD/CAM/CAE environments are giving rise to relatively new fields like CAD model geometry comparison in interoperability process, MCAD Online, August 9, 2005

Successful Access to Legacy Data - several changes of technology can occur over an aircraft's lifetime which leads to issues in managing data associated with such large projects, Laurent Ducom, COE News Net, July 2005

Real MCAD Data Exchange: Part 2 - business factors to consider as a cost-effective MCAD interoperability strategy is built, David Prawel, Desktop Engineering, May 2005

Real MCAD Data Exchange: Part 1 - without effective MCAD interoperability successful collaboration between international business partners is not possible, David Prawel, Desktop Engineering, April 1, 2005

Examining AEC File Exchange - survey reveals 41% of design professionals never use CAD files, Michael Dakan, Cadalyst, March 3 2005

The Costly Indifference of Autodesk - a Conversation with Tony Flynn - Bentley's chief marketing officer offers his opinion on inadequate software interoperability, BE Magazine, March 2005 (see page 15)

NCS v3.1: No, Not Many Care - CAD users find any number of reasons not to employ the National CAD Standard in their offices, Michael Dakan, Cadalyst AEC Tech News #138, February 17, 2005

Scanning Checklist - how to eliminate most vectorization problems, Steve Hannath, Scan2CAD, January 27, 2005

Raster Quality Checklist - how to determine whether your raster image is suitable for vectorization, Steve Hannath, Scan2CAD, January 27, 2005

JPEG and GIF Files - why these file formats are unsuitable for most raster to vector conversions, Steve Hannath, Scan2CAD, January 27, 2005

CAD File Formats - a true XML model data standard would help everyone in the CAD world, Arnold Rowntree, CADtrainer.biz, January 5, 2005

Mechanism of Transfer of CAD Data Between Various Organizations - explores the pros and cons of three methods of 3D CAD data transfer - IGES, STEP and direct translation, Prabhu Swaminathan, CADdigest.com, November, 11 2004

JPEG and GIF Files - explains why these file types are unsuitable for most raster to vector conversions, Softcover.com, October 2004

Design Intelligence Addresses CAD Disconnect - as product lifecycle management extends design collaboration, a growing challenge is ensuring CAD interoperability, John Teresko, Information Week, November 1, 2004

The Data Translation/Migration Roundup: Commentary on Choosing a Translator and the Vendor Reference Guide - guidelines on choosing the appropriate data translation tool for a particular job and a list of translation software and service providers, ConnectPress staff and contributors, Inventor Connections, September 28, 2004 (requires free registration)

Data Loss - tips to clarify some possible confusion over data loss and accuracy issues related to the exchange of neutral format data files, such as IGES and STEP, Don LaCourse, CADdigest.com, September 21, 2004

The Future Brightens for MCAD-to-CAM Connectivity - new ISO and ASME standards and enhanced MCAD interoperability initiatives are helping to improve communication between MCAD and CAM systems, Louise Elliott, Desktop Engineering, September 2004

CAD Data Exchange - an overview of the available methods of data exchange and the pros and cons of each method, David Prawel, Desktop Engineering, September 2004

CAD Companies Spar Over Translations - Autodesk and SolidWorks are set to square off over the latter's new DWG editor, Paul E. Teague, Design News, September 13, 2004

Using Scan2CAD to Convert Logos - tip for converting logos to DXF for editing in CAD or CNC, Softcover.com, August 2004

Multi-CAD Interoperability Halves Automotive Supplier's Production Time - Tier 1 automotive supplier Magneti Marelli use of Proficiency’s Collaboration Gateway, Lynda Rutledge, CATIA Community, July 13, 2004 (free registration required)

CAD Neutral File Formats: Seeking a Common Language - how do you share CAD information across CAD vendor boundary lines and achieve meaningful communication?, Bruce Pilgrim, UGS Community, July 21, 2004 (requires free registration)

Web3D Consortium Announces CAD Distillation Format For Visualization - discusses the ongoing attempt to develop a truly neutral CAD data format for viewing and other purposes, Jeffrey Rowe, MCAD Weekly, June 7, 2004

Perfecting the CPD Process - the challenges of collaborative product design, Alan Earls, Manufacturer.com, June 2, 2004

The State of CAD Interoperability 2004: Survey Results - Proficiency and TenLinks studied the issue of CAD interoperability to determine how engineering model data is delivered today to manufacturers and suppliers, how CAD conversion, geometric translation and/or feature-based CAD interoperability is handled, at what expense and under whose authority, CADdigest.com, April 16, 2004

Pioneering Hybrid Approach for 2D to Solid Model Conversions, Saves Automotive Supplier Time and Money - CADCAM-E helped an automotive supplier convert 2D CATIA drawings to Unigraphics solid models using data translation methods that combine automated and manual techniques, Jerry Fireman, CATIA Community, April 13, 2004 (may require free registration)

How to Develop Your CAD Standards - a guide designed to explain the importance of CAD standards within the construction industry, Construct I.T. for Business, March 3, 2004 (pdf)

Raising the Standard - how to implement CAD standards to improve design and project management, Rob Lion, Design Productivity Journal, December 2003 (pdf) (requires free registration)

Click, Convert, Review - aerospace equipment supplier Smiths Aerospace deployed Theorem Solutions’s CADverter software to help bridge different CAD systems during the development of integrated electrical power and remote input/output systems for the Lockheed Martin Joint Strike Fighter program, Barb Schmitz, DE Online, September 2003

Software Interoperability Makes Strides, but Hurdles Still Remain - examines the progress the AEC industry has made in file format standardization, Deborah Snoonian, Architectural Record, September 2003

When Is A CAD File Not A CAD File? - the CAD industry is still not providing many useful solutions when it comes to standardization for information-sharing among various file formats, Nigel Davies, bentleyuser.org, August 26, 2003

Open All Hours - AutoCAD's DWG and Bentley's DGN file formats are standards now, but will these formats always be available to you, and if not, what happens to your files?, Nigel Davies, bentleyuser.org, July 9, 2003

One Size Fits All: Not for Data Exchange Solutions - it's crucial to choose the right MCAD interoperability system to help control costs and improve the efficiency of design engineering operations, Tom Kopinski, Desktop Engineering, June 2003

Staring Down the Divide - electrical and mechanical engineers work together on products like cell phones--too bad their software programs don't, Jean Thilmany, Mechanical Engineering, Aug 2003

How to Choose the Most Appropriate CAD Interoperability Solution - with the right CAD interoperability software, you can save weeks or even months during a major product development program, Dennis Tompkins, timecompress.com, November 2002

Please Stop Howling - the manufacturing industry needs to establish rigorous standards for CAD interoperability, Mike Bryan, 2PLM, December 16, 2002

CAD Standards for Objects - What Does This Mean? - explores how standards are applied to design objects, Barrie Mathews, Softco Engineering, December 2002 

Dealing with Drawings in Old Setup Standards - Part 3 - how to overcome the difficulties with non-conforming drawings and establish industry standards that will reduce the frequency of having to deal with problem drawings, Barrie Mathews, CADinfo.NET, October 15, 2002

Dealing with Drawings in Old Setup Standards, Part 2 - how to determine processes for dealing with problem drawings, and how to change symbol blocks, linetypes, colors, layers, plotstyles, textstyles, and dimstyles, Barrie Mathews, CADinfo.NET, August 7, 2002

Feature Data Replacing Geometry as Key to CAD Interoperability - giving engineers the ability to reuse models with little or no effort requires a different philosophy; one based on the exchange of feature information, John J. McEleney, CEO, SolidWorks, timecompress.com, July 2002 

Why Won't It Work? - a look at the types and causes of interoperability problems (part 2), Andy Chinn, CAD User, June 2002

Dealing with Drawings in Old Setup Standards, Part 1 - how to handle old and external drawings that may not conform to your standards, Barrie Mathews, CADinfo.NET, June 4, 2002

CAD Interoperability Challenge Survey Results - what interoperability users want, from Joe Greco's field guide to evaluating CAD systems, 2nd in series, MCAD Vision, April 2002

The Future of Collaboration? - Arenium provides an impressive basis for collaborative design but as with any new product to hit the market, is still in its infancy, Cadserver, Greg Corke, April 9, 2002

Arenium Remedy For Document Control Hell - review of change management software for civil engineering projects, George L. Rowe, AEC Vision, April, 2002

Interoperability, Part 1 - an overview of how the most popular mid-range MCAD systems handle interoperability, Joe Greco, DE Online, March 2002

Data Exchange - Is Sharing Really a Pain? - half of those surveyed use a neutral format to exchange data and -- and despite what you have read, many are satisfied with the current state of affairs in data exchange, CAD SPAGHETTI, Oct 2001

The Costs of CAD Incompatibility - lack of standard data format has automotive industry spinning its wheels, Tim Stevens, Business Week, June 11, 2001

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