hclt whitepaper: best practices for cad data migration

Best Practices for CAD Data Migration

M a r c h 2 0 1 1

Best Practices for CAD Data Migration | March 2011

© 2011, HCL Technologies. Reproduction Prohibited. This document is protected under Copyright by the Author, all rights reserved.

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



3

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.



4

Abbreviations

Acronyms Full form

OEM Original Equipment Manufacturer

PMI Product Manufacturing Information

GD&T Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing

STEP Standard for the Exchange of Product model data (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



5

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.



6

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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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



8

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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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



10

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.



11

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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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.



13

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

[email protected] .

mailto:[email protected]

Hello, I’m from HCL’s Engineering and R&D Services. We enable technology led organizations to go to market with innovative products & solutions. We partner with our customers in building world class products & creating the associated solution delivery ecosystem to help build market leadership. Right now, 14500+ of us are developing engineering products, solutions and platforms across Aerospace and Defense, Automotive, Consumer Electronics, Industrial Manufacturing, Medical Devices, Networking & Telecom, Office Automation, Semiconductor, Servers & Storage for our customers.

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About HCL Technologies HCL Technologies is a leading global IT services company, working with clients in the areas that impact and redefine the core of their businesses. Since its inception into the global landscape after its IPO in 1999, HCL focuses on ‘transformational outsourcing’, underlined by innovation and value creation, and offers integrated portfolio of services including software-led IT solutions, remote infrastructure management, engineering and R&D services and BPO. HCL leverages its extensive global offshore infrastructure and network of offices in 26 countries to provide holistic, multi-service delivery in key industry verticals including Financial Services, Manufacturing, Consumer Services, Public Services and Healthcare. HCL takes pride in its philosophy of ‘Employee First’ which empowers our 72,267 transformers to create a real value for the customers. HCL Technologies, along with its subsidiaries, had consolidated revenues of US$ 3.1 billion (Rs. 14,101 crores), as on 31

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