CAD Integration

Organization of CAD-data

Designing information is managed in Flow even though the actual models and drawings are produced using a CAD-software. Usually in companies only people who do the designing work have the license for the CAD-software. Other people don't usually have access to the models and drawings. Still the data should be available to everyone in the company to make working easier and more effective. Use Flow to make viewing files of the models and drawings and make them available to everyone in your company.

It is important to organize the designing information in a way it is easy to find. As a part of this organization, the models and drawings (which are created using a CAD-software) are saved in Flow. In PLM-system the designing information is connected to other data so that it is easy to find and visible to those who need to see them. Once you save a model or drawing to Flow, Flow creates a viewing file (usually a PDF-, DXF- or DWG-file) so that people without a CAD-license can also view the models and drawings.

Regardless of which CAD-software you use, the work is done using items. They are the center parts of the designing process. All items - materials, components, profiles and parts - are retrieved straight from Flow. Once you save a model to Flow, the number of parts in an assembly and the material consumption are saved in Flow's item structure. Mass is calculated automatically using the part's volume and its material. The calculated mass is immediately updated to the assembly's info card. Because you edit the same structure in Vertex CAD-softaware and in browser (Flow), it is easy to add non-modeled items in the browser. Good integration saves time and reduces mistakes.

Traditionally CAD-files are saved in some folder from which they are hard to find. In Flow, there is metadata about the models and drawings. Metadata can be for example description, classification or dates. With these information it is easier to search for certain documents. That is even easier by using connections. You can connect designing information for example to a customer project or product. You should connect models and drawings to items and then connect these items to bigger products or projects. In this way the big picture is easier to manage.

Supported CAD-software

Vertex G4

Vertex G4 Plant

Vertex ED

Vertex HD

SolidWorks