CAD data conversion plays a critical role in cross-company collaboration - especially in the automotive and manufacturing industries. Beyond file formats, data quality, data security, and OEM compliance determine whether collaboration succeeds or fails.

With more than 30 years of experience in CAD, PLM, and data management, PROSTEP understands the requirements, systems, and OEM-specific configurations that govern modern product development. OpenDESC is PROSTEP’s cloud-based CAD conversion service that ensures your data reaches customers on time, securely, and with the required level of quality.

OpenDESC supports all commonly used CAD and PLM systems and complies with the delivery standards of leading automotive OEMs and other industries. Engineers can focus on development - while OpenDESC takes care of conversion, validation, and secure delivery.

OEMs and suppliers operate in heterogeneous CAD environments with strict delivery requirements. Manual conversion, local tool installations, and repeated quality checks consume time and introduce risk.

OpenDESC provides a central, cloud-based service for CAD conversion, data transfer, and migration. Suppliers upload their native CAD data, and OpenDESC converts, validates, and prepares it according to OEM-specific standards - including environment variables, drawing conventions, and validation rules.

As part of the PROSTEP Digital Thread Platform, OpenDESC ensures consistent, secure, and scalable CAD collaboration across organizational boundaries - without disrupting existing systems or processes.

OEM-Compliant CAD Delivery

OpenDESC ensures that CAD data is delivered fully compliant with OEM-specific standards, configurations, and quality requirements - reducing rework and avoiding delivery rejections.

Lower Operational Effort

As a cloud-based service, OpenDESC eliminates the need for local CAD installations, OEM release maintenance, and manual conversion effort - freeing internal resources.

Secure and Scalable Collaboration

OpenDESC enables secure CAD data exchange across global OEM and supplier networks, supporting scalable collaboration without compromising IP protection or governance.

Multi-CAD Conversion at Enterprise Scale

OpenDESC supports all major CAD systems and OEM standards, enabling automated conversion pipelines for single deliveries, ongoing collaboration, or large-scale migration projects.

Integrated Quality Assurance

Optional validation, rule checks, and OEM-specific environment adaptations ensure converted data meets required quality levels and is production-ready.

Secure Cloud-Based Data Transfer

Built-in secure data transfer and logging provide full transparency, traceability, and compliance - without additional infrastructure or client installations.

OEM Supplier Data Delivery

Convert and deliver CAD data according to OEM-specific requirements - securely, quickly, and compliantly.

Multi-CAD Collaboration

Enable collaboration between partners using different CAD systems without local tool installations.

CAD and PLM Migration Projects

Convert large volumes of legacy CAD and PLM data when migrating to new systems.

Automatic CAD conversion without quality assurance may be sufficient for early development phases or for customers with very high-quality source data. In these cases, OpenDESC provides fast conversion - typically delivering data in the target format within one business day.

However, CAD conversion usually leads to the loss of design history and parametric relationships, which limits reusability in the target system. To address this, OpenDESC offers feature-based and parametric conversion in cooperation with Elysium Inc., enabling deeper reuse of converted data.

For customers with higher quality requirements, OpenDESC provides additional services such as:

  • quality control of 3D models and 2D drawings
  • adaptation to OEM-specific environment variables and drawing standards
  • error detection and automated or manual repair in the target system

This ensures that converted data is not only usable - but production-ready.
 

OpenDESC customers can use the OpenDXM GlobalX cloud service for secure data exchange - without any installation effort.

Data transfer options include:

  • automated transmission via OFTP2
  • secure exchange via the OpenDESC web portal
  • manual delivery via OEM supplier portals

Company-specific portals can be set up with:

  • dedicated URLs
  • corporate branding
  • secure partner access
  • integration into internal IT infrastructures

All data exchanges are fully logged and archived, including metadata, ensuring long-term traceability and compliance. Personalized access controls guarantee that data is protected from unauthorized access.

OpenDESC also supports CAD and PLM data migration projects when organizations transition to new systems.

PROSTEP provides:

  • consulting on migration preparation and objectives
  • definition of migration strategies and processes
  • development of adapters, pipelines, and automated repair routines
  • KPI-based monitoring of migration success

Migration scenarios include:

  • Big Bang migrations involving several terabytes of data
  • Incremental migrations over extended periods
  • On-demand migration, converting only data that is currently required

Clearly defined processes ensure predictable, successful migration outcomes.

OpenDESC customers can rely on PROSTEP to install and maintain the CAD systems required for efficient OEM collaboration.

This includes:

  • OEM-specific initial CAD environments
  • data quality checking tools
  • integration into existing PDM systems
  • release and version management according to OEM specifications

PROSTEP ensures that systems remain compliant with OEM release requirements - reducing administrative overhead and freeing internal resources.

Take advantage of PROSTEP’s professional services and receive a personalized CAD conversion offering tailored to your needs.

Register now to:

  • describe your CAD environment and requirements
  • receive a customized conversion proposal
  • gain secure access to OpenDESC services

Kontaktieren Sie uns

Ganz gleich, ob Sie als Kunde Fragen haben, als Partner Möglichkeiten der Zusammenarbeit ausloten wollen oder mehr über unsere Lösungen und Leistungen erfahren möchten – wir sind gerne für Sie da.

Kontaktieren Sie uns per E-Mail. Unser Team wird sich schnellstmöglich bei Ihnen melden. Wir freuen uns auf den Austausch mit Ihnen.

Sergej Bondar