Best Practices for CAD Data Migration

March 2011
Best Practices for CAD Data Migration | March 2011

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Abstract ............................................................................................. 3

Abbreviations .................................................................................... 4

Introduction........................................................................................ 5

Business Drivers for CAD Data Migration ......................................... 6

Data Migration Challenges ................................................................ 7

Recommended Processes and Best Practices ................................. 8

Options for CAD Data Translation .................................................. 11

Author Info ....................................................................................... 13

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 Best Practices for CAD Data Migration | March 2011

Abstract
To standardize the data and collaborate efficiently, OEMs are
finding constant need for CAD data translation and data migration
from one CAD system to another CAD system. There are multiple
processes and standard tools available in the market to perform
CAD data translation. However, migrating to a new CAD system
requires in-depth analysis, preparation, complete understanding of
the future needs, detailed planning, selection/development of right
translation tools and strong management support.
This white paper attempts to briefly describe the typical business
drivers for CAD data translation, challenges for data migration, an
overview and best practices to be followed for data migration,
various translation options and their pros and cons.

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 Best Practices for CAD Data Migration | March 2011

Abbreviations

Acronyms Full form

OEM Original Equipment Manufacturer

PMI Product Manufacturing Information

GD&T Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing

Standard for the Exchange of Product model data
STEP (ISO 10303)

IGES Initial Graphics Exchange Specification

PLM Product Life Cycle Management

API Application Programming Interface

PoC Proof of Concept

OOTB Out of the box

SDK Software Development Kit

ROI Return On Investment

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 Best Practices for CAD Data Migration | March 2011

Introduction
In Today’s scenario, the engineering departments in an enterprise
are using multiple CAD systems and these are required to
collaborate internally with other departments/divisions and with
external suppliers and partners. In addition, there are business
requirements of data standardization at some times. These are
some of the key drivers demand for efficient CAD data translation
and migration.
Detailed planning, analysis, selection and prioritization of the data
are some of key parameters for successful data migration. It is
important to try to establish the value of the data that is considered
for conversion and the scope of that effort.
CAD data translation and migration from one system to other
system is increasingly difficult based on the volume of data, quality
and complexity. Automation of data translation and validations at
each step helps to achieve higher ROI.

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 Best Practices for CAD Data Migration | March 2011

Business Drivers for CAD Data Migration

Following list captures some of the critical drivers because of which
the native CAD data is to be converted from one format to another -
 Heterogeneous CAD environment in an enterprise – OEMs
often use multiple CAD systems / applications by different
groups, but still need to collaborate while assembling the
product. For example, CAB group in an OEM uses CATIA
for CAB design and Engine group uses ProE for engine
design in the same organization and both these groups has
to collaborate their designs along with vehicle group for
vehicle integration.
 Supplier Collaboration – Generally suppliers would be
working with multiple OEMs and these OEMs would be
using different CAD applications. Suppliers have to covert
the native CAD files shared by OEMs to their preferred CAD
system in their environment. Similarly, OEMs are required
to translate the supplier’s CAD data to their preferred data
formats for integration aspects.
 Strategic Initiative : CAD platform standardization – ex:
standardization initiative at an enterprise level, mergers &
acquisitions (M&A), etc
 Strategic Initiative : Migrating to new CAD platform
 Data translation to light weight / visualization formats to
share design data with downstream agencies

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 Best Practices for CAD Data Migration | March 2011

Data Migration Challenges

Following are some of the challenges, choices and tradeoffs are to
be considered
 Understanding of the legacy CAD data & as-is processes
 Inconsistent design practices across the engineering groups
 Understanding of data usage scenarios in the target system
 Functional differences between CAD systems
 Multiple data representations, software versions and
revisions
 Quality of the legacy CAD data
 Quality of translated data and manual updates to complete
in the target system
 Higher cost of standard (OOTB) translation tools
 Longer lead time of overall process
 Conversion of 2D and paper drawings to 3D
 Adoption of users to new CAD platform – the current user
teams with their industry specific domain knowledge are put
in practice to the existing CAD tools over years and this is to
be addressed

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 Best Practices for CAD Data Migration | March 2011

Recommended Processes and Best Practices

The following two aspects are to be considered while performing
migration from one CAD system to another –
 Custom CAD Application migration
 Data Migration
 Adoption of users to new CAD platform

Custom CAD Application Migration

The current design practices and processes are to be thoroughly
studied which includes the implemented custom design/business
processes in the source CAD application and design automations,
etc.
 The customizations using API/SDK based in the source
system are to be recreated if the target system does not
provide those functionalities.
 The automations/analysis codes along with business
processes could be reused while implementing in the target
CAD system.

Data Migration
The diagram in figure -1 depicts the overview of CAD data migration
programs and highlighting some of the steps which are potential for
automation.
Migration process is broadly divided into the following four phases –
 Initiation – this phase involves defining high level strategy
& goals, formation of core team and project kick-off, etc
 Planning – some of the activities in this phase are as-is
study, requirement definition and analysis, scope definition,
high level project plan, prioritization of the data and
identifying pilot requirements, etc.
 Pilot/Preparation – Core PoC is to be developed and
performed with sample data, the tools are to be extended
further to other use cases and tested. Based on the quality
of as-is data, data cleansing is to be considered. Translated
data is be validated and tested in the target CAD systems.
This phase helps to identify any other processes / tools to
be developed and detailed planning will be carried.
 Production – data extraction from source system, data
cleansing, data conversion and validation are the important

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 Best Practices for CAD Data Migration | March 2011

steps which will be carried and tested with 2-3 dry runs
before performing production update. Data mastering into
PLM system is also be required for certain customer
scenarios.
The following list captures some of the activities in the migration
process which are potential for automation –
 Extraction of CAD data from PLM systems along with
dependencies
 Tools to perform data cleaning, healing and repair
 Data translation from one CAD format to another
 Tools to identify data quality issues
 Aid for designers to complete the translated data in the
target CAD system
 Tools to check-in converted CAD data in to target PLM
systems
 Workflow and automation capabilities that provide end-to-
end solution, supports the data migration framework –
extract, check, convert, complete, validate and
import/deliver.

Figure 1 – Overview of CAD Data Migration process

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 Best Practices for CAD Data Migration | March 2011

Adoption of users to new CAD platform

The current user teams of an enterprise might be working with

existing CAD tools over several years. These teams are having
industry specific domain knowledge and they are put in practice with
the existing CAD tools. Bringing these users into new CAD platform
requires thorough planning of resources along with staffing, re-
skilling and training.
Engaging key users in planning, training and all other critical phases
of the project helps to get their acceptance and success of the
project. Buy-in from end user community is one of the critical factors
to complete the migration projects successfully.

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 Best Practices for CAD Data Migration | March 2011

Options for CAD Data Translation

The native CAD data can be converted from one format of CAD
application to other format by various methods and some of the key
options are discussed below.

Manual Re-Creation
The native CAD files are to be studied and re-created in the target
CAD system. This approach is generally driven with low cost
offshore delivery and suitable if the data conversion volumes are
low.

Conversion through neutral formats

The native CAD files are converted in to neutral format like STEP,
IGES, etc and those are used for converting to the target CAD
application formats. The quality of translated data is poor sometimes
(for some of features) with this conversion method.

Standard CAD Translators

There are standard tools available by various leading vendors in the
market to perform data translation. Some examples are products
from ITI, CADVerter, tools from ELYSIUM etc. These tools are
license based and attract huge cost if the data volumes are massive.

Development of custom tools

Enterprises may also validate an option of developing their own
proprietary custom tools for data translation and other automation
possibilities if they are dealing with huge data.
Feature based translation tools helps to provide maximum degree of
quality data. These tools employ the application-programming
interfaces (APIs) of each CAD system to read data from the
originating system and write it to the target system.
The diagram in figure-2 depicts the high level data flow and
application architecture for the PoC approach –

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 Best Practices for CAD Data Migration | March 2011

Figure 2 – High level data flow and application architecture

for feature based translation tool

Companies can leverage on HCL PLM CAD data migration

methodology & tools to de-risk the migration and derive maximum
value on their PLM investment addressing the strategic, operational,
technical and financial impacts on the existing PLM portfolio. HCL’s
reusable components & frameworks accelerate the migration
projects and also ensure they are failsafe.

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 Best Practices for CAD Data Migration | March 2011

Author Info

Krishna Murthy Acholi is a senior PLM consultant in the HCL

PLM Centre of Excellence. He has extensive experience in
PLM Consulting, Solution Architecting and PLM
implementation across various industry domains. He holds a
master’s degree in Industrial Engineering and Management
from the IIT, Kharagpur. He can be reached at
murthy.acholi@hcl.com .

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