Taking an idea to production is rarely straightforward. But choosing the right CAD tool shouldn’t make it harder. Still, we’ve seen it firsthand: navigating the CAD scene is often overwhelming. Not just if you’re a newcomer—even if it’s not your first time around the block, and you’re simply reevaluating your setup.
With this in mind, we set out to make the task lighter and more manageable by building out this hub. Inside, you’ll find:
Feature-by-feature CAD comparisons
Workflow-oriented recommendations
Technical benchmarks and integration tips
Best-fit CAD tools by role, industry, and team size
Looking for fast answers? If you’re under pressure to make a quick pick, check out the table below. Here’s our cheat sheet featuring the best-fit CAD tools based on common priorities.
Priority
Recommended Tools
Why we recommend these
Easy to learn
Shapr3D, Onshape, Autodesk Fusion
Quick answer: Fast onboarding, intuitive interfaces [QDS-1-3]
Shapr3D checks this box with a hybrid direct and parametric modeling engine built for speed and touch-first workflows. [QDS 2,4-6]
AutodeskFusion offers generative design to explore multiple form options simultaneously. [QDS-9]
Onshape enables browser-based collaboration, streamlining distributed team alignment. [QDS-1,11]
Design reviews
Shapr3D, Onshape, CATIA, Siemens NX
Quick answer: Real-time alignment with web/XR review options [QDS-1,10-15]
Capability cues: 🌐 Review Link via browser · 👥 Co-edit · 📝 Markup/threads · 🥽XR review [QDS-1,10-15]
More on this:
Shapr3D: Shareable web review link for in-browser viewing and commenting on any device; native visionOS with multi-user, real-time XR editing [QDS 12-15]
Onshape: Browser-based live co-editing, comments, tasks, and release workflows for easy distributed reviews. [QDS-1,11]
CATIA: Enterprise collaboration with platform-level visualization; opt in to immersive review paths. [QDS-10]
Siemens NX: NX Immersive Designer comes with in-CAD VR reviews; Teamcenter governs decisions and change history. [QDS-13,16-18]
SolidWorks ensures high precision for mechanical parts. [QDS-19]
Siemens NX and CATIA are built for enterprise environments. [QDS-20-22]
Shapr3D ensures Parasolid-level accuracy with the added advantage of a faster, lightweight workflow. [QDS-2,5,6]
Onshape offers browser-native parametric with configs and in-context design along with release-controlled 2D drawings and built-in PDM. [QDS 1,11,24-27]
Creo supports enterprise-grade parametric with advanced surfacing/sheet metal and robust MBD, integrated PLM for production control. [QD- 21,28-33]
Autodesk Fusion enables parametric and direct modeling with integrated CAM and detailed drawings. [QDS-8,34-35]
Large assemblies
CATIA, Siemens NX, Creo
Quick answer: Offers tolerance control and heavy model optimization [20-22,28]
FreeCAD is open-sourced and built on modular architecture and a parametric engine, making powerful CAD capabilities available without licensing fees [QDS-45-46]
The right CAD tool has a profound impact on how quickly and at what quality your team can transform an idea into a prototype and then into a manufactured product[WCT-2]. Tech-Clarity dove in and found that top-performing companies achieve significantly more with the right CAD tool. Just how much more?
19% faster development cycles[WCT-1]
15% lower development costs[WCT-1]
16% shorter ECO turnaround times[WCT-1]
The bottom line? Your CAD setup doesn’t just affect engineering. Product velocity and market responsiveness—your key indicators for success—hinge on the effectiveness of your CAD tools[WCT-2].
Find the most comprehensive comparison of the leading CAD platforms for manufacturing in 2025 here. You get a full breakdown of features, workflows, integrations, and device support.
Start here to check fundamental core capabilities side by side—modeling, assemblies, drawings/MBD, collaboration, data management/cloud, and interoperability. All in A→Z order. It’s intentionally high-level and scannable and keeps “Where it falls short” to make trade-offs explicit. Get a first-pass here to shortlist 2-3 tools before moving on.
Legend:
✅ built-in/strong
🟠 add-on/limited
❗️via plug-in/partial
❌ not available
CAD tool
Modeling
Assemblies
Drawings + MBD
Collaboration
Data mgmt/Cloud
Interoperability
Where it falls short
AutoCAD
🟠 Direct 2D + lightweight 3D[ECM-1]
❌ Parametric assemblies [ECM-2]
✅ 2D drawings;
❌ 3D MBD [ECM-3]
🟠 Shared Views[4]; comments[ECM-5]
🟠 Vault add-on; web share; Offline: Yes[ECM-6]
🟠 DWG/DXF; limited 3D neutral [ECM-7]
❌ Parametric 3D ❌ PDM; ❌ XR[ECM-8]
Autodesk Fusion
✅ Parametric + direct + T-Splines; generative[ECM-9][ECM-10]
Lots of teams experience friction not with modeling but with downstream needs—struggling through analysis, toolpaths, review, and automation. Use this table to flag hidden costs and risks while noting critical capabilities to go live.
Having to swap out your CAD heavily impacts IT, security, and training. This table gives you a quick at-a-glance view of where work actually happens, whether teams can work offline, and how data is governed so you know exactly how your rollout plans are impacted. If you ship designs across locations or vendors, this overview is especially important for you.
CAD tool
Platforms and devices
Collaboration
PDM
Cloud-ready
Rendering
AR/XR
Modeling approaches
Best for
AutoCAD
Win, macOS, web, mobile
‼️ Shared views, DWG reviews
‼️ Vault enterprise
‼️ Cloud-share + review
✅ Integrated
❌ No XR
Direct 2D / light 3D solids
2D drafting, basic 3D
Autodesk Fusion
Win, macOS
✅ Cloud-based sharing, versioning
✅ Cloud PDM
✅ Hybrid cloud
✅ Integrated
‼️ Plugins required
Parametric + sculpting + generative
CAD + CAM, early prototyping
Autodesk Inventor
Win
‼️ Shared views, AnyCAD workflows
‼️ Vault integration
‼️ Hybrid file + cloud
✅ Integrated
❌ No XR
Parametric + direct edit tools
Mechanical assemblies, mid-tier
CATIA
Win
✅ Collaboration via 3EXPERIENCE
🟢 ENOVIA PDM/PLM22
✅ 3DEX cloud-native
🟢 High-end rendering (Live Rendering)
✅ Immersive XR
Advanced parametric + knowledgeware; some direct
Enterprise-scale assemblies
FreeCAD
Win, macOS, Linux
‼️ Plugins for collab
❌ None
❌ File-based only
‼️ Basic
‼️ Plugins only
Parametric (modular)
Budget-friendly, open-source
Onshape
Browser (Windows, macOS/Linux/iOS/Android apps)
✅ Real-time co-editing
✅ Built-in
✅ Browser-native
✅ Web-based rendering12
Mobile AR view only13
Parametric + direct blend
Distributed teams, cloud-first
PTC Creo
Win
✅ Windchill-integrated collab
🟢 Windchill PLM
‼️ Partial cloud
✅ Integrated but slower
✅ XR exporter
Parametric history-based
Simulation-driven design, MBD
Rhino
Win, macOS
Plugins for collab
❌ No built-in PDM
‼️ Limited sync
🟢 Real-time and raytraced16
VR via 3rd party plug-ins; not native
NURBS + freeform SubD; Grasshopper for parametric
Organic modeling, industrial design
Shapr3D
WindowsOS, macOS, iPadOS, visionOS
✅ Real-time co-editing, comments, review link sharing for browser opens on any device, versioning
✅ Built-in
✅ Native sync
✅ Real-time visualization
✅ Native muti-user and remote XR editing (Vision Pro)
Hybrid direct + history-based parametric
Fast concepting, design review, digital validation, cross-device workflows
Siemens NX
Windows desktop (browser under SaaS)
✅ Teamcenter enterprise workflows
🟢 Teamcenter PDM
‼️ Browser under SaaS
✅ Photorealistic add-ons
✅ NX Immersive Designer
Parametric + synchronous direct18
Large assemblies, enterprise pipelines
SolidWorks
Win
‼️ Export/share 3DEXPERIENCE add-on
🟠 Add-on
‼️ Cloud-connected via 3DEXPERIENCE; markups26
🟠 Integrated rendering/Visualization26
🟠 Extended Reality (XR) exporter27
Parametric history-based
Assemblies, manufacturing-ready
Workflow-driven recommendations
Start by using the comparison tables above to quickly check capabilities and limitations across 11 different CAD tools. Next, explore the workflow-driven picks below to choose a tool for your top priority.
Overview
In CAD’s early days, designated specialists spent days on end mapping complex designs like airplane wings as splines and producing CAD documentation in secluded rooms. As product development shifted to speed up documentation-heavy stages, CAD evolved to accelerate design itself.
Over time, CAD has matured into a diverse tool ecosystem tailored to team workflows, hardware environments, and collaboration styles. To aid the process of selecting the right tool, we’ve broken down the process into two steps. This covers both choosing for workflow priority, followed by tailoring to the design stage.
Step 1: Identify your workflow priority
Tired of weeks of concepting delays? Cumbersome concepting is not only frustrating—delays at this stage can cascade into months downstream. But every stage comes with its common glitches. That’s why we went ahead and created this workflow priority matrix to group tools based on how they serve your priorities. This way you can choose based on what matters most.
Workflow Priority
Best-fit CAD Tools
Why they excel
Fast concepting and ideation
Shapr3D, Onshape
Intuitive interfaces, direct modeling, mobile-first, fast iteration cycles
Large assembly performance, kinematics, BOM governance
Simulation-driven design
PTC Creo, Siemens NX, CATIA
Built-in CAE, generative simulation, and digital twins for performance validation
CAM-integrated workflows
Fusion360, NX CAM, Creo
Seamlessly generates toolpaths, integrates with shop floor, and supports manufacturing-ready outputs
Collaboration and cloud-first
Onshape, Fusion, Shapr3D
Real-time multi-user editing, browser-native workflows, and built-in PDM/versioning
Step 1 FAQ
Which CAD tools are easiest to learn?
The top three CAD tools that are easiest to learn include Shapr3D, Onshape, and Fusion.
Shapr3D comes with an adaptive user interface that cuts down significantly on learning time, bringing onboarding to 3-5 days.
Onshape, with no installs, built-in tutorials and instant start make the onboarding process easy.
Fusion supports the onboarding process with guided workflows for beginners.
Which CAD tool is best for assemblies?
Teams needing to work with heavy assemblies and strict tolerances often opt for CATIA, Siemens NX, or Creo. This is particularly the case in aerospace, automotive, and industrial manufacturing industries. Some teams still couple heavyweight CAD with more lightweight tools for earlier product development phases.
Assemblies necessitate thousands of components, complex tolerances, and downstream manufacturing integrations. CAD that covers this scope includes:
CATIA manages highly complex geometries for assemblies and integrates deeply with PLM workflows, making it a go-to in automotive and aerospace industries.
Siemens NX scales well for enterprises looking to manage data and control change with strong PLM integration.
PTC Creo offers hybrid parametric and direct modeling, advanced analysis tools such as for topology optimization and CFD, as well as tight design-to-manufacture integration through PLM.
SolidWorks is used widely by high-volume product development teams building assemblies, who take advantage of its broad modeling and simulation toolbox, file compatibility, and collaboration features.
What’s the best CAD for cloud collaboration?
Onshape, Fusion, and Shapr3D excel for cloud collaboration. Here’s why:
Onshape comes with browser-native modeling and real-time editing.
Fusion provides a hybrid cloud-native environment along with integrated CAD/CAM/CAE.
Shapr3D makes mobile workflows seamless with cross-device functionality.
Step 2: Match to your design stage
Early design and exploration
Kicking off the product development process requires speed over perfection. Team success in ideating, exploring, and validating concepts depends on their level of speed, flexibility, and alignment. That’s why CAD tools best suited for this stage unlock rapid iteration, immersive reviews, and AR/XR prototyping.
Design stage
Primary needs
Best-fit CAD
Concepting and ideation
Speed, flexibility, easy visualization
Shapr3D, Onshape
Design review
Real-time alignment, immersive collaboration
Shapr3D, Onshape, CATIA
Digital validation and prototyping
AR/XR validation, reduced reliance on physical builds
SolidWorks, Fusion, NX, Shapr3D
Design development
After a concept is finalized, the validated concept is built upon to create engineering-ready designs. Optimal CAD tools for this stage emphasize precision, performance, and manufacturability. This often comes with robust support for assemblies and simulation-driven validation.
Design stage
Primary needs
Best-fit CAD
Detailed design
High precision, drawings, manufacturing standards
SolidWorks, CATIA, NX, Creo
Engineering and assemblies
Large assemblies, constraints, BOM integration
CATIA, NX, Creo, SolidWorks
Simulation-driven design
Integrated CAE, FEA, CFD workflows
Creo, NX, CATIA
Manufacturing preparation
The bridge between design and production, smooth handoff at the manufacturing preparation stage requires manufacturability check, tool and fixture design, and CAM handoff. Support for tolerancing, toolpath generation, and PLM/ERP integration is key at the manufacturing preparation stage.
Once a product is launched, CAD is needed to support maintenance, redesigns, and iterative updates. This includes using digital twins and configuration control to update parts and incorporate contextual insights into future iterations and design cycles.
Design stage
Primary needs
Best-fit CAD
Maintenance
CAD tied to service documentation, digital twins for predictive maintenance
CATIA, NX, Creo, Shapr3D
Continuous improvement
Integration between CAD data and PLM systems, tools enabling variant studies and rapid prototyping
CATIA, NX, Creo, SolidWorks, Shapr3D for agile iterations
Cross-functional processes
Throughout the product development process, cross-functional team alignment is vital for consistently pushing projects forward with high quality. CAD tools best for facilitating collaboration and alignment feature real-time multi-user editing, built-in PDM, and project oversight. This ensures design, engineering, manufacturing, and business stakeholders stay connected and make the best decisions possible faster.
Design stage
Primary needs
Best-fit CAD
Collaboration
Real-time, multi-user editing, also in AR/VR; built-in PDM/version control; agile-compatible dashboards, mobile/browser capabilities
CATIA, NX, Creo, Shapr3D
Project management
Multi-discipline workflow coordination
CATIA, NX, Creo, SolidWorks
CAD roadmap: Insights into usage patterns
Why these patterns matter
As CAD enters a new era, understanding its role in product development and the best way to leverage it is essential for strategic use. The biggest takeaway is this: different teams need different tools at different times. Each phase of product development, and every professional role involved, performs best with tools suited for their unique balance of capabilities.
This section highlights key insights to help you track:
Where today’s CAD tools excel and where limitations create friction
How more recently launched features like cloud workflows, clean UIs, and seamless collaboration are removing longstanding workflow friction
Why 2D CAD still matters for manufacturing-critical documentation, and where intuitive 3D CAD acts as a more effective stand-in
How adaptive, connected workflows make it easier to make better, more informed decisions earlier, while leveraging existing tool investments
Think of these insights as a roadmap: how CAD is evolving, why it’s not about one tool replacing another, and what integrated ecosystems mean for innovation.
By product development stage
Traditional CAD was built for precision and control so it shows its strength in the finalization and documentation stages of design. The earlier stages—concepting, iterating, and reviewing—are a hurdle for capturing intent, slowing collaboration, and limiting innovation when it’s needed most.
Research shows:
Early design decisions directly impact a large share of the lifecycle cost, hovering at 70-80% of the cost[BPD-1,2].
Design collaboration bottlenecks come in high: Of 240 companies surveyed by Tech-Clarity, 99% reported significant delays, reworks, and cost hits stemming from lack of collaboration opportunities. Teams cited CAD availability on any device or viewing on browser as a key way to reduce bottlenecks[BPD-3].
Engineers collaborate with a broad range of professions: Manufacturing (67%), Suppliers (57%), Customers (52%), and prefer cloud-style sharing (sending a link, viewing in browser) for collaboration[BPD-4].
Modern CAD simplifies these stages with more intuitive user interfaces and flexibility that speeds up the earlier stages of design, empowering users to make better decisions earlier together.
By profession
For decades, CAD existed in silos, showing a sharp intersection between the CAD needs of design professionals, engineering professionals, and manufacturing professionals.
Designers were caught up either using just concepting tools and then handing off to a CAD specialist for precise documentation, or struggling through the concepting stage in complex tools
Engineers geared toward traditional CAD for complex parametric modeling
Manufacturers mostly stuck to 2D, with the rare few trying their hand at 3D
Today, modern CAD has broken down many of these silos. With tools evolving, workflows have converged and enabled cross-functional collaboration. By supporting faster iteration and adapting to user workflows, modern tools reduce platform reliance and empower professionals to innovate their workflows.
Research supports this evolution:
Direct vs. Parametric Modeling Direct modeling outperforms when it comes to quick edits and faster, more flexible conceptual design, while the rigor of parametric modeling remains essential for legacy control, versioning, and complex engineering workflows[BPU-1].
Continued dependence on 2D CAD Despite the rising availability of 3D modeling tools, roughly 75% of manufacturing companies continue to rely on 2D CAD. This is often due to legacy constraints, delivery standards, and resource considerations[BPU-2].
2D’s enduring role vs increasing use of 3D CAD models Manufacturing companies maintain the high 2D CAD usage for clear communication of GD&T, tolerances, and manufacturing-critical details, where traditional 3D may not clearly convey the necessary information[BPU-3]. However, modern manufacturing increasingly views 3D CAD models created with modern CAD tools as the preferred standard. This is due streamlining of virtual prototyping, improved design clarity, and reduction of costly errors, enabling faster, more accurate quoting and production readiness.
Rapid cloud-based adoption Cloud usage nearly doubled between 2022 and 2023 from 15.9% to 28.3% showing growing adoption[BPU-4].
Key drivers for cloud adoption The top drivers for cloud adoption include: collaboration/sharing (59%), anytime-anywhere access (56%, and running in-browser/no install (46%)[BPU-4].
By CAD seniority
Learning CAD once demanded a high commitment level: months, if not years, of training and daily practice. With the steep learning curve, even skilled users risked losing proficiency after time away.
Research insights give us more context:
Timeline for SolidWorks certifications Solidworks CSWA (Associate) typically requires anywhere from 6-9 months of experience while CSWP necessitates 1-2 years of experience[BCS-1].
Practice hours for Autodesk Fusion certification Autodesk Certified Professional (Design and Manufacturing) requires 400-1,200 hours of Fusion experience, alongside months of regular use[BCS-2].
Cloud CAD and learning friction reduction Cloud CAD reduces onboarding friction due to lightweight installs, browser accessibility, and real-time UX. These ensure faster ramp-up and improved retention[BCS-3].
Modern CAD tools built for quick learning with intuitive interfaces support fast onboarding and stronger retention, removing CAD barriers for entry based on seniority level.
Observed patterns references
By product development stage references
Blanchard, B. S., & Fabrycky, W. J. (2011). Systems engineering and analysis (5th ed.). Pearson.
Ulrich, K. T., & Eppinger, S. D. (2015). Product design and development (6th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
1. What’s the best CAD software for startups vs. enterprises?
Startups do best with a more lightweight, low-cost CAD like Shapr3D, Fusion, or FreeCAD, while enterprises can benefit from heavyweight CAD such as CATIA, Siemens NX, or Creo—sometimes alongside lightweight tools like Shapr3D or Fusion, depending on their needs.
Companies making the right CAD choice hinge on budget, workflow complexity, and regulatory needs:
Startups and SMBs prioritize fast onboarding and mobile workflows, making Shapr3D, Fusion, Onshape go-to options.
Historically, enterprises have turned to CATIA, Siemens NX, or PTC Creo to build out advanced assemblies, meet regulatory requirements, and secure deep PLM integration. However, there has been a recent uptick in enterprise usage of lightweight CAD like Shapr3D and OnShape that make onboarding and maintaining proficiency more feasible while ensuring faster, contextual workflows in real-world environments.
For accessible early-stage prototyping, everyday CAD users turn to Free CAD and Shapr3D.
Instead of religiously sticking to one tool, many enterprises adopt a hybrid stack. The mult-tool approach ensures that they can trim costs and support more efficient multi-disciplinary workflows. The combo generally includes heavyweight CAD for later product development stages and lightweight CAD for early-stage exploration.
2. What’s the difference between direct and parametric modeling?
Direct modeling is used for direct and fast geometry edits, while parametric modeling is leveraged for its precision and design intent control with a history tree and constraints.
Direct modeling: Editing geometry directly occurs with natural movements such as move, pull, and reshaping faces without having to manage a history tree. This makes it a top choice for:
Early-stage design exploration
Rapid concepting and iteration
Editing imported geometry
Parametric modeling: Records designs in a history tree and defines the design by constraints, parameters, and relationships. This makes it ideal for:
Complex assemblies
Controlled design updates
Ensuring manufacturing consistency
Hybrid modeling approaches: Some tools like Siemens NX, Fusion, and Shapr3D combine both direct and modeling approaches in one platform. Depending on the exact execution, this is also known as synchronous modeling, or enabling both modeling approaches in one environment.
3. Which CAD programs work best on Mac or iPad?
The best CAD options for Mac are Fusion, AutoCAD for Mac, Shapr3D, Rhino, and FreeCAD.
For iPad, Shapr3D is the go-to, followed by AutoCAD Web, uMake, and SketchUp for iPad.
For Mac:
Fusion: Full-featured CAD/CAM coupled with collaboration capabilities
AutoCAD for Mac: Industry-standard 3D/3D drafting
Shapr3D: Cross-device workflows across Mac and iPadOS
Rhino: Flexible surfacing and NURBS modeling
FreeCAD: Open-source, parametric modeling
For iPad:
Shapr3D: Native run with touch-first CAD optimized for Apple Pencil and local and cloud workflows
AutoCAD Web/Mobile: Offers lightweight drafting and markup tools
uMake: Fast sketching and conceptual 3D exploration
SketchUp iPad: Spatial modeling, ideal for architectural modeling
4. How do different CAD tools handle PDM and PLM integration?
Tools like CATIA + ENOVIA, NX + Teamcenter, and Creo + Windchill offer deep native integrations. Look to PDM to manage CAD data and versions and use PLM to control the broader product lifecycle.
5. Which CAD tools support XR for design review?
Teams prioritizing real-time immersive prototyping turn to XR CAD leaders: Shapr3D, Siemens NX, and CATIA. These offer real-time immersive prototyping and collaborative visualization or XR editing.
Shapr3D includes native visionOS integration for immersive XR editing in context
Siemens NX offers NX Immersive Designer for advanced mix-reality reviews
CATIA enables XR visualization via 3DEXPERIENCE platform integration
6. Do cloud CAD tools perform as well as workstation CAD?
Cloud-native CAD such as Onshape, Fusion, and Shapr3D perform comparably for light-to-moderate workflows. For large assemblies, traditional workstation CAD like Siemens NX and SolidWorks are preferred.
Team prioritizing mobile and contextual workflows use Cloud CAD. This way, they experience major benefits like browser-based access, real-time collaboration, and reduced IT overhead.
Onshape: Browser-based and fully cloud-native, offering built-in version control
Fusion: Hybrid cloud workflows, maintaining strong performance with local caching
Shapr3D: Local compute, seamless sync to cloud
Glossary
Core CAD concepts
Computer-aided design (CAD) The use of computers to aid in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimization of a design, improving productivity and design quality. [G-1]
Mechanical computer-aided design (MCAD) Software used to create and modify 2D/3D geometry for mechanical parts, assemblies, and products, supporting evaluation and documentation. [G-2]
Computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) The use of computers to control machine tools and related machinery in the manufacturing of workpieces. [G-3]
Parametric modeling A CAD approach in which dimensions and constraints drive geometry, enabling intent-driven edits and design variants. [G-4]
Direct modeling A history-free approach to CAD that edits geometry directly without relying on a feature tree. [G-5]
Hybrid modeling / synchronous modeling Combines parametric and direct methods so users can alternate between constraint-driven edits and freeform changes in the same model. [G-6]
Generative designA process where software explores design alternatives based on goals and constraints provided by the designer, returning multiple candidates for selection/refinement. [G-7]
Kinematics The branch of mechanics describing motion (position, velocity, acceleration) without regard to forces causing it. [G-8]
NURBS (Non-Uniform Rational B-Splines) A standard mathematical representation for precise curves and surfaces in CAD/graphics, offering flexibility and accuracy (including conics). [G-9]
Subdivision surfaces (SubD) Smooth surfaces defined as the limit of repeatedly refining a coarse control mesh via a subdivision scheme. [G-10]
Feature tree / history treeA hierarchical record of features and operations that captures the sequence (history) used to build a parametric model. [G-11]
Data and file management
Neutral file formats (STEP, IGES, JT) Vendor-independent standards for representing and exchanging product data across tools and organization. [G-12][G-13][G-14]
OBJ A widely used geometry definition file format for 3D models (mesh-based) in graphics and CAD pipelines. [G-15]
USDZ A package format (based on Pixar’s USD) for 3D/AR assets enabling portable, uncompressed distribution—commonly used for AR experiences. [G-16]
STL A de facto standard mesh format that encodes triangular surfaces for additive manufacturing and rapid prototyping. [G-17]
3MF An open 3D printing format designed to accurately convey models, materials, and metadata beyond STL’s limits. [G-18]
Product Data Management (PDM) A system and practice for storing, controlling, and sharing product data (CAD files, BOMs, documents) across teams. [G-19]
Release management (PDM) The structured process of planning, scheduling, testing, and deploying releases to production with minimal disruption. [G-20]
Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) A strategy and supporting systems that manage product data and processes from concept through disposal across the enterprise. [G-21]
Revision control (version control) The practice of tracking and managing changes to files or artifacts, enabling history, branching, and collaboration. [G-22]
Check-in / check-out A file governance approach where users “check out” a file to obtain edit control and “check in” to commit and share changes. [G-23]
Kernel formats Persistence formats produced by geometric modeling kernels, storing the kernel’s native B-rep/topology for robust exchange within that ecosystem. [G-24]
Parasolid geometry kernel A commercial 3D geometric modeling kernel used by many MCAD tools, providing operations for creating and editing B-Rep models. [G-25]
ACIS geometry kernel A commercial 3D geometric modeling kernel used across CAD/CAE/CAM, based on NURBS for free-from geometry. [G-26]
Collaboration and digital workflows
Digital twin A digital representation of a physical entity that supports monitoring, analysis, and prediction of that entity’s performance. [G-27]
Cloud-native Software designed to leverage elastic cloud infrastructure (containers, microservices, declarative APIs) for resilience and scalability. [G-28]
Browser-based Delivered as a web application accessed via a browser rather than installed locally. [G-29]
On-prem Computing deployed on an organization’s own infrastructure rather than hosted by a cloud provider. [G-30]
Design review A formal evaluation of a design against requirements and risks at defined milestones, such as PDR or CDR. [G-31]
Configuration control The disciplined evaluation, approval, and implementation of changes to a product’s defined configuration across its life cycle. [G-32]
Constraints / parameters Rules and values that define and control geometry (e.g., dimensions, relationships) so designs update predictably when edited. [G-33]
Model-based definition (MBD) Embedding product and manufacturing information (PMI) directly into the 3D model so it serves as the authoritative design definition. [G-34]
Bill of materials (BOM) A comprehensive list of components, assemblies, and quantities required to build a product. [G-35]
Design for Manufacturing (DFM/DFMA) A development practice emphasizing manufacturing considerations during design to reduce cost and complexity (often paired with DFA). [G-36]
ERP / MES (enterprise integrations) ERP integrates core business processes across the enterprise; MES connects, monitors, and controls production on the factory floor. [G-37] [G-38]
Visualization and immersive tech
Augmented reality (AR) Technology that superimposes computer-generated content onto the real world in real time. [G-39]
Extended reality (XR) An umbrella term encompassing AR, mixed reality, and virtual reality experiences and technologies. [G-40]
Virtual reality (VR) A fully computer-simulated 3D environment that immerses the user, typically via a head-mounted display. [G-41]
XR editing / immersive review Using AR/VR to evaluate and discuss designs at scale and in context during review activities. [G-42]
visionOS The operating system for Apple’s Vision Pro headset, built for spatial computing experiences and 3D app interaction [G-43]
Photoreal / ray-traced rendering Computer-graphics techniques (notably ray tracing) that simulate light transport to produce images with photorealistic lighting and materials. [G-44]
Manufacturing and toolpaths
Additive / subtractive toolpaths Programmed motion paths that direct a machine tool or deposition head—either removing material (subtractive/CNC) or depositing it (additive/AM). [G-45][G-46]
5-axis machining CNC machining in which the cutting tool or part can move along five axes, enabling efficient, precise machining of complex shapes. [G-47]
Large assemblies Very large multi-component CAD models whose size/complexity impacts performance and workflows, requiring specialized handling. [G-48]
Tolerancing The standardization specification of permissible variation in size, form, orientation, and location to communicate design intent unambiguously. [G-49]
