What are the best ways to share CAD data with external partners and suppliers?

When possible, share CAD files in their native formats (e.g., .sldprt for SolidWorks, .iam for Autodesk Inventor). Native file formats preserve all design features, metadata, and parametric information, ensuring accurate representation of the design and facilitating further editing or modifications by the recipient.

Providing your proprietary data in a platform neutral format is a recipe for losing your data. When possible, limiting how much you share with vendors and even partners is the safest practice. While partners may not benefit from your further improvements, they may be short-sighted enough to try to cut you or your company out of the equation and go for the quick and easy shot term profit.

Com vasta experiência no compartilhamento de dados CAD, posso afirmar que plataformas baseadas na nuvem, como Onshape, Fusion 360 e SolidWorks PDM, revolucionaram a colaboração em design. Essas ferramentas não só facilitam o armazenamento e acesso online aos dados CAD, mas também aprimoram o controle de versões e a segurança. A capacidade de convidar parceiros e fornecedores para visualizar, comentar ou editar os dados, com permissões ajustáveis, é incrivelmente valiosa. Contudo, é importante lembrar que elas dependem de conexão à internet, envolvem custos de assinatura e exigem confiança na confiabilidade e privacidade do provedor.

As Pedro said, online, cloud based solutions may sound good at first, but the reality is that there is no cloud, you are just entrusting your data, and storing it, on some else's computer. If you are paying for the privilege of giving up control and security, you have either not thought your way through the process or you do not value your intellectual property. Most security breaches are not a hacker in a tiny room picking through the code, looking for a way in. The security failures are much more likely to be social engineering. This can take many forms, but the outcome is the same. More concerning is that most companies seek to fix the blame rather than fixing the problem, all the while, neglecting to inform their exposed customers.

Think of cloud-based platforms like your virtual CAD hub in the sky. With options like Onshape or Fusion 360, you can upload your CAD data to the cloud and invite external partners and suppliers to join the party. It's like having a digital playground where everyone can collaborate, review, and tweak designs in real-time. Just make sure you're comfortable with the platform's security measures and subscription fees before taking the plunge.

Converting to a lightweight format such as a 3Dpdf, has many advantages, and makes it at least more difficult for customers, vendors, or partners to abscond with your intellectual property. Quite often the person(s) making decisions are not engineers, so a format that opens on any computer, while still conveying the concept will be very useful. If the idea is to grab the design and leave you in the cold, at the very least those taking the design will have to recreate the design in a usable fashion before they can capitalize on it.

When it comes to speaking the language of CAD, sometimes you need a translator. That's where tools like CAD Exchanger or TransMagic come in handy. They're like the multilingual wizards of the CAD world, converting your designs from one format to another with ease. Whether you're switching from SolidWorks to Inventor or CATIA to NX, these tools have got your back. Just keep in mind the cost and compatibility factors before diving in.

For those times when security is top priority, secure file transfer protocols are your best friend. Think of FTPS, SFTP, or HTTPS like the armored trucks of the internet—they keep your CAD data safe from prying eyes during transit. Just upload your files to a secure server, share the link and password with your partners, and rest easy knowing your designs are in good hands.

Sharing CAD data with external partners and suppliers is like navigating a maze of options and considerations. Maybe you've got a cautionary tale about a data breach that could've been avoided with better security protocols, or a success story about a seamless collaboration that saved the day