How to protect the intellectual property of your design model
In today's fiercely competitive and interconnected landscape, safeguarding the intellectual property of your design models is no longer a luxury but a necessity. When sharing data with partners like subcontractors, clients, and suppliers, how do you ensure robust protection of your intellectual assets? Traditional Digital Rights Management (DRM) solutions fall short in this sphere. Fortunately, there are bespoke strategies to safeguard your invaluable property. Explore the varied levels of IP protection available during CAD data exchange, from converting your parametric models to offering limited web-based visualization access.
The focus of this article is primarily on 3D CAD models, and we will discuss the various levels of protection available for intellectual property during CAD data exchange.
- Level 1: Convert your parametric model and remove all expressions and formulas. Replace sensitive parametric features with non-parametric features. This can be achieved through the use of software such as Proficiency, which provides an automatic solution to exchange parametric models with this level of IP protection.
- Level 2: Convert your native model to a neutral BREP format such as STEP or IGES. In this format, only precise geometry is shared, and all parametric features are removed. The recipient cannot modify the model, but all initial geometry is visible, and users will be able to build new models from this geometry. Retro-engineering is also possible.
- Level 3: Convert your model to a facetted format. In this format, tesselated geometry prevents the reuse of geometry and retro-engineering. Only visualization measurement and sectioning are possible.
- Level 4: Simplify your model before converting it to BREP or facetted geometry. Non-visible, tiny details like holes, chamfers, or fillets are removed. Complex shapes can be replaced by bounding boxes or wraps, also known as convex hulls.
- Level 5: No geometry is transmitted. The owner only provides access to the model only through a web-based CAD viewer for a limited period.
In conclusion, protecting the intellectual property of your design model is crucial when sharing data with partners in a CAD collaborative project. It is essential to use robust solutions such as the ones mentioned above to ensure that your sensitive information is secure and not misused or copied by unauthorized recipients. By taking the necessary precautions and implementing effective solutions, you can safeguard your intellectual property and avoid potential losses in revenue and market share.
In the world of Computer-Aided Design (CAD), safeguarding data and intellectual property is paramount, especially in CAD data collaboration processes. A standout solution for addressing this concern is Proficiency. Proficiency is a CAD model conversion solution that comes with construction history. It enables a complete transfer of design intent across major CAD platforms. This solution encompasses geometry and its attributes, parametric features, and construction history, along with sketches, sketch constraints, PMI manufacturing information, metadata, assembly structure, assembly constraints, and associated layouts. With its 95% automation, Proficiency delivers a usable and compliant model swiftly and efficiently.
CAD interoperability and intellectual property protection are vital facets of modern product data management. Excelling in these areas can dramatically enhance both the efficiency and the secure flow of information within companies. A tool that surpasses in these two dimensions is DEXcenter.
In today's digital landscape, safeguarding intellectual property (IP) is becoming increasingly vital, especially in the realm of Computer-Aided Design (CAD). As companies increasingly rely on CAD data to create innovative products, protecting this invaluable information from external threats has become a top priority. This is where solutions like 3DViewStation and VisShare come into play.
