Marketing meets engineering - how PIM can support CAD and BIM requirements

With this blog post, I would like to address manufacturers of multi-variant, technical products that are installed in systems and buildings. In addition to product data, texts, images, documents, etc., CAD drawings are crucial to the sale of components in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and buildings.

Designers, architects and planners require 3D CAD files from the manufacturer in common exchange formats (STEP, SAT, DWG, DXF) or for direct use in their CAD or BIM system. Ideally, the designer or architect can insert the CAD file directly into their system. Other outputs are also welcome, such as dimension sheets and 3D PDFs.

Requirements for Manufacturers

For component manufacturers, the customer requirements described at the beginning thus result in the following requirements:

 

System-Neutral CAD Models

Since there are a wide variety of exchange formats as well as CAD and BIM systems, it is necessary to provide 3D CAD files tailored specifically to the respective system. The 3D CAD models must therefore be created in a system-neutral format. Of course, only the installation dimensions are relevant, not the manufacturing dimensions. Model once, export anywhere.

 

Parametric CAD models

Since manufacturers typically offer a wide variety of product variants, it is necessary to be able to parameterize the CAD models to minimize the effort required for their creation.

 

3D CAD Viewer

To facilitate selection and parameterization, the CAD model must be visualized in real time. This allows the user to view and inspect the 3D model from various perspectives.

 

Creation and Distribution of CAD Data

CAD data should be made available via portals or directly on the manufacturer’s website. If the CAD data is to be distributed via a portal, an interface to these portals is required. If the data is to be integrated into the company’s own website, it must be possible to embed the 3D viewer—including all the functions mentioned—as an iFrame, or alternatively, to offer the CAD files for all product variants for download in defined formats.

 

BIM

For BIM, it is also necessary to provide the CAD model in various levels of detail (LoD) and to enrich the product data—within the file itself—for Revit, Archicad, Allplan, or IFC. Since product data originates from the PIM, an interface to the PIM system is recommended to avoid manual effort and ensure that the data remains up to date.

 

Interfaces to PIM, CAD portal, and Website

An interface to the PIM system is extremely useful. On the one hand, to provide product data, such as geometry, selection filters, and BIM files. Second, to provide data for the portal’s user interface or the company’s own website: data for selection (tree, filters) and for tabular presentation (attributes, images)—in the required languages and with the correct assortment depending on the country.

 

That sounds complex. But don’t worry—solutions have been available on the market for decades that can meet these requirements using standard technology.

 

 

What standard solutions are available on the market?

 

CADClick
Our long-standing partner 4PACE meets all of the requirements mentioned with CADClick. crossbase has a direct standard interface to CADClick (REST API, JSON). It is also possible to integrate and use 4PACE’s 3PQ configurator. Best practice examples include Schöck, MiniTec, and Meusburger:

> Best practice: Schöck
> Best practice: MiniTec
> Best practice: Meusburger

 

3Dfindit

With 3Dfindit, CADENAS offers a portal featuring over 7,000 manufacturer catalogs. crossbase has a direct standard interface to 3Dfindit (BMEcat).
> FRÄNKISCHE Rohrwerke
> Wöhner
> Zimmer Group

 

TraceParts

TraceParts offers over 2,000 manufacturer catalogs through its portal of the same name. crossbase has a direct standard interface to TraceParts (BMEcat).

> item
> RAFI
> Spelsberg

 

AUSSCHREIBEN.DE

With the AUSSCHREIBEN.DE portal, Orca Software offers the leading platform for construction product data. Over 700 manufacturers from various trades present their digital product catalogs here, which may include CAD/BIM data in addition to basic information. Data is provided directly from crossbase to AUSSCHREIBEN.DE in the standard GAEB XML format. Automation eliminates the need for manual maintenance on the portal.

> Schöck

> isoplus

> Sievert

Conclusion

The provision of CAD and BIM data is indispensable for manufacturers of components in a competitive environment. The interaction between PIM, which is located in marketing, and the CAD component catalog, which is located in design, results in synergies for the data maintenance process. For BIM, the interface to the PIM is even a MUST, as the geometry data must be enriched with PIM data.