2013

Top Five CAD Collaboration Fails - CAD software past its prime, too many presentation tools, endless cycle of file conversion, transfer, bad version control, communication breakdown, Andrew Divencenzo, GrabCAD, May 7, 2013

CAD Collaboration - Are You Taking the Best Path? - opt CAD software that allows file conversions without loss of fidelity, ensure security of files, strong access control before sharing them in cloud, Aaron Goldberg, CAD/CAM Performance, May 2, 2013

2012

AEC Exhibitor Highlights from Autodesk University 2012 - cloud-based REVIZTO for rendering, BIM CAVE for collaboration, Content Studio for content management for Revit, dRofus for space planning, program validation, Lachmi Khemlani, AECbytes, Dec 20, 2012

New and Varied Ways to Collaborate - collaboration in AutoCAD 2013 through DWF, collaboration through cloud using Autodesk 360, Brian Benton, AUGI Library, June 7, 2012

Flatter Files Puts Your SolidWorks and AutoCAD Drawings in Your Pocket - manage files securely, Q&A on working principle, format supported, info uploaded, Josh Mings, SolidSmack, June 28, 2012

CAD at Your Fingertips - handheld devices, growing number of CAD apps, cloud technology are helping engineers, architects access CAD data from any location, Heather Livingston, Cadalyst, June 7, 2012

TeamPlatform - free for subset of services, web-based collaboration app has product design hub, engineering service portal, 3D scan, print platform, Ralph Grabowski, upFront.eZine, June 5, 2012

SoftSheet: Foldable, Large Format Touch Screen Concept - foldable, touch-sensitive screen to view site plans or other large format design data, syncing from mobile devices, Josh Mings, SolidSmack, May 4, 2012

The Long and Winding Road of 3D Visualization - specialized application areas for 3D visualization: collaborating on design, communicating engineer's intent, consuming drawingless deliverables, Chad Jackson, engineering-matters.com, Mar 14, 2012

TeamPlatform on the Collaboration Scene Looking Crispy and Clean - cloud-based app can handle 3D scan data, audit trail, administration, navigate, manage assemblies, Josh Mings, SolidSmack, Mar 21, 2012

Are Engineers Good at Sharing? - considering features, benefits of collaborative solutions, Bill Martin-Otto, CAD/CAM Performance, Mar 8, 2012

CADFaster - 3D Viewing on the Web - visualization app, CADFaster for SolidWorks offers sections, measurements, screen shots, several visibility options, available for rent, Matt Lombard, Dezignstuff SolidWorks Blog, Feb 20, 2012

Mass-Produced Design - Local Motors is relying on crowdsourced design to create race car, Heather Livingston, Cadalyst, Jan 12, 2012

Make Me a System with Everything - collection of hardware, software to give single product design system to facilitate smooth data exchange, collaboration, Kenneth Wong, Desktop Engineering, Jan 1, 2012

2011

Local Motors and Siemens PLM, Dassault and 3DVIA Collaboration is On - CAD vendors looking for collaborative innovation through communities, Josh Mings, SolidSmack, Nov 10, 2011

3D Holographic Touch or Kinect for CAD? - research project Holodesk can manipulate 3D, virtual images with hands, Josh Mings, SolidSmack, Nov 9, 2011

Plug-in Lets Users Review Huge 3D CAD Models, Anytime, Anywhere - CadFaster Collaborate can shrink huge files, lets multiple users view, annotate 3D models simultaneously, Leslie Gordon, Machine Design, Nov 3, 2011

Maide Control Turns Your iPad Into a 3D Mouse - putting 3D model control on screen via iPad helps in working over Wi-Fi/ad-hoc networks, Josh Mings, SolidSmack, Oct 14, 2011

Advances in Rapid Technologies - helps in creating 3D solid parts/prototypes from 3D CAD data, simplifying connection between 3D scan data/parametric CAD models, Barb Schmitz, Creo (by PTC), Oct 12, 2011

CadFaster Extends Speedy 3D CAD Viewing to iPad - free iPad app supports Revit, MicroStation, SolidWorks, ArchiCAD file formats, up to 10 users may simultaneously collaborate on viewing, mark-up of CadFaster models, Randall Newton, Graphic Speak, Oct 3, 2011

CadFaster for iPad - simple interface, supports Revit, MicroStation files, but no comprehensive mark-up tools, Martyn Day, AEC Magazine, Oct 3, 2011

CadFaster Collaborate: Bridging the Desktop and the iPad - upload lightweight model to cloud server, accessible from iPad, synchronize comments between desktop, mobile apps, Kenneth Wong's Virtual Desktop, Sep 29, 2011

CadFaster 3D Collaboration Tool - plug-in for Revit, SolidWorks, MicroStation helps model, assemblies export to portable, self-extracting, executable files including 3D viewer, Carl Collins, Architecture Week, Sep 21, 2011

Overcoming the Challenges to Global Design Collaboration - best practices include: establishing one source of truth, support of multi-CAD environment, standardizing tools, processes, assigning on-site facilitator, Barb Schmitz, Creo (by PTC), Sep 28, 2011

Achieving Global Collaboration - open approach to ISO 15926 data standard is needed to achieve multidiscipline interoperability, ROI, greater collaboration, while keeping costs down, Anne-Marie Walters, AEC Magazine, July 26, 2011

Google+. Collaborative Portfolio, Yes. Product Design, Not So Much - platform for discussion, collaboration, unique features, using Google+ for product design collaboration, Josh Mings, SolidSmack, July 11, 2011

CADFaster iPad App Devours 3D, Spits Out Collaboration for Free - Kind of - free CADFaster iPad app adds collaboration to models, requires plug-in to send models to iPad, Josh Mings, SolidSmack, June 1, 2011

The Tablets are Coming - tablets linked to document management system will provide more value to engineering work, Martyn Day, DEVELOP3D, May 9, 2011

Message to the Project Management Software Industry: You Need to Learn ESPERANTO - integrated, collaborative document control needed across projects, focusing on portfolio productivity, Gustavo Lima of Cannon Design, AECbytes, Mar 29, 2011

Social PLM, Collaboration and Structured Discussion - products like Dassault 3DLive, Vuuch Design Discussions, Siemens HD PLM help communicate better between designers, engineers, Oleg Shilovitsky, Beyond PLM, Mar 18, 2011

Online Collaboration for Marketing and Sales - web-based apps like Show Document, VeriShow, StickyWorld can help increase collaboration in AEC industry, Paul Wilkinson, Extranet Evolution, Mar 15, 2011

Episode 322 - CadFaster - interview with Tuomas Holma of CadFaster about market experience, Collaborate tools, roadmap for iOS client, Lou Gallo, SolidWorks:HEARD, Mar 13, 2011

Collaborative Teams: Creating Alignment - optimization, alignment of process is necessary to deliver collaborative technologies like BIM, Clay Goser & Dawn Naney of Symphony LLC, Constructech, Mar 2011

Collaboration: Faces in Cloud - revamped CAD community features, Planet PTC offers discussion forums, cloud-hosted rendering, infinite computing concept, Kenneth Wong, Desktop Engineering, Feb 1, 2011

2010

Could Engineering Transform Into a Networked Service? - localization of FTEs fluctuate, pros and cons of outsourcing, industry experience changes, engineering-matters.com, Dec 22, 2010

The Wengerd Report: AUGI Forum Posts Go Missing - user group website loses forums, members protest, president promises quick restoration, Owen Wengerd, WorldCAD Access, Dec 20, 2010

BIW Acquired by Conject - Commentary - German FM software vendor buys UK market leader in SaaS construction collaboration, Paul Wilkinson, Extranet Revolution, Dec 16, 2010

De-confusing PLM Collaboration  - Agile engineering collaboration for Pro/ENGINEER, Windchill ProductPoint, PDMLinks 9.2 overview, Mathcad engineering collaboration, content/complexity, Oleg Shilovitsky, Daily PLM Think Tank, Oct 16, 2010

Extend the Reach of Product Information to the Enterprise - SharePoint-based solutions for CAD facilitating collaboration, accelerating development, Nancy Spurling Johnson, Cadalyst, Sep 22, 2010

In the Eye of a BIMStorm - collaborative planning, design session, Onuma System, assembled with web-based, interconnected technologies, accessible to anyone with Internet access, alike social networking site, Kenneth Wong, Cadalyst, Jun 17, 2010

Getting Started with Vuuch - Keep It Simple Stupid principal, updating Vuuch add-ins, da Vuuch Voice, Jun 3, 2010

A Look at Use Cases - using functionality, connecting to Vuuch pages, da Vuuch Voice, Jun 2, 2010

5 Reasons Why Werewolves will Take Over 3D Product Design - Google Buzz, Vuuch, SolidWorks PDS allow communication, data sharing with peers over web, Josh Mings, SolidSmack, Feb 18, 2010

2009

AspenTech Fiscal 2009 Result Better Than Expected; Income from Operations Up 136%  - operations revenues were $43.9 million with operating margin of 14%, CADCAMNet, Nov 19, 2009

ProductPoint, ENOVIA, InnoCentive Form Virtual Think Tanks - increased collaboration, communication through social computing tools bring innovation to product development process, Tom Kevan, Desktop Engineering, Nov 1, 2009

HP SkyRoom 1.0 Review - collaborative design environment between users and manufacturing teams, uses remote graphics software, handles interactive 3D datasets, uses 2D pixel data, Greg Corke, Experience Building, Oct 19, 2009

Is 3D Collaboration Ready for Mainstream Use? - analyzing potential of 3D data in presenting design of product, describing problem, discussing particular solution, Oleg Shilovitsky of Dassault Systems, 3D CAD Tips, Aug 2009

2008

Two Steps Forward, No Going Back: How Our Firm is Using Technology to Gain a Strategic Advantage - strategic technology initiative streamlines workflows, brings better collaboration, increases ROI, Stephen Wright of AIA, AECbytes, May 8, 2008

Embracing a Community of Linked Solutions - Powerway's 'Software-as-a-Service' solutions are available for communication and collaboration across supply chain in engineering and manufacturing sectors, Jim Romeo, Desktop Engineering, Apr 1, 2008

2007

Sharing and Collaborating With Your Team - CAD software helps share design data and collaborate among design team, Mike Hudspeth, Cadalyst, Nov 1, 2007

16 Solutions to Manage Projects and Get Organized Online - online sources include WebAsyst, ActiveCollab, BaseCamp, GoogleDocs, and more, Josh Mings, SolidSmack, Oct 25, 2007

A New Breed of Engineer - 'lifecycle engineers' are collaborating and innovating products in virtual environment to get a competitive edge, Lance Murphy, Desktop Engineering, August 2007

Zoho Projects Free (for One), Online (for All) - a free online collaboration tool that charges moderately for managing multiple projects, Ralph Grabowski, WorldCAD Access, March 13, 2007

CAD Collaboration - history of issues and solutions plus the "ambiguous environment" in design, David, Stress Free, February 26, 2007

The Latest in Product Data Management (PDM): The 2007 PDM Roundup - exploring the meaning of PDM, customers needs, PDM vs. PLM, more, Rita Stange, SolidWorks Community, February 21, 2007 (requires free registration)

2006

7 Steps to Highly Effective EDM - analyze existing system, import legacy data, collaborate, provide training, tech support, and custom programming, Todd Cummings, Desktop Engineering, July 2006

2005

Lessons Learned - the role of key stakeholders and user groups in decision-making process can help collaboration technologies to be implemented successfully, Michael Dakan, Cadalyst AEC, August 4, 2005

Team Design: You Can Get There From Here - team design reduces product development cycle by 20% and cut costs by nearly a fifth giving companies practicing it a distinct advantage over others in the consumer industry, William M. Gascoigne of CoCreate, Desktop Engineering, May 2005

Kvaerner's Tale Of Digitization Sans ERP - Kvaerner Powergas India Ltd. recently invested in an array of CAD and document management tools to help its large staff of engineers store, share, locate and monitor project progress, Amit Tripathi, CXOtoday.com, January 28, 2005

CAD File Formats - a true XML model data standard would help everyone in the CAD world, Arnold Rowntree, CADtrainer.biz, January 5, 2005

Breaking Parametric Barriers: Accelerating Product Design to Internet Speed - a new collaborative approach called simultaneous product development allows team members to work simultaneously, both synchronously and asynchronously, Machine Design, September 16, 2004

3D Models: Worth a Thousand Words in Chinese - Windchill ProjectLink allows engineers at a design firm in Scottsdale, Arizona to explain things to manufacturers in China through 3D rendered images and animations, Machine Design, July 2004

CAD Neutral File Formats: Seeking a Common Language - how do you share CAD information across CAD vendor boundary lines and achieve meaningful communication?, Bruce Pilgrim, UGS Community, July 21, 2004 (requires free registration)

Application Sharing Is Not Enough - CoCreate's CTO discusses why successful project team collaboration takes more than simply sharing applications, John Alpine, Line56, May 18, 2004

The Key to Collaboration - barriers to successful CAD collaboration often result more from internal obstacles rather than technical insufficiencies, Rich Weissman, The Manufacturer, April 2004

PDM Helps Company Conquer Growing Pains - a growing international metal parts fabrication firm added SmarTeam to their AutoCAD and SolidWorks tools to help its global employees collaborate on projects in real-time and to help organize everything from quotes and office documents to installation measurements and analysis reports, Michelle Lang, Design News, March 2, 2004

Heavyweight Collaboration Through Lightweight JT - the JT file format is a CAD-neutral format that allows 3D collaborative design, makes cross-platform visualization a reality and enables data integration throughout the supply chain, Larry Gould, Automotive Design & Production, March 1, 2004

A/E/C CADD Standard - downloadable standardization tool, created by the Army, Navy, Air Force and Corps of Engineers as part of an initiative to consolidate existing CAD drafting standards into a format generic enough to operate under various software packages, such as MicroStation and AutoCAD, and to incorporate existing industry/national standards, The CADD/GIS Technology Center, February 13, 2004

eDrawings Support for Wildfire - while Autodesk hopes users will deploy DWF to transmit and archive drawings, SolidWorks is working to make its eDrawings work with other CAD packages, including Pro/ENGINEER, Ralph Grabowski, WorldCAD Access, February 10, 2004

DWF Writer from Autodesk - stepping up its competition with Adobe's PDF file format, Autodesk has just launched DWF Writer, a printer driver that allows any software package to generate DWF files, and also plans to release DWF Compose, a tool for electronic review and mark-up capabilities, Ralph Grabowski, upFront.eZine, February 10, 2004

2003

It Takes Two to Collaborate - predicting PLM as the "next big thing," collaboration today is actually an integral part and subsystem of many PLM products and suites, Jeffrey Rowe, Advanced Manufacturing, December 2003

Customers Find Framework for Projects - Framework Technologies' Web collaboration tools are enabling manufacturers worldwide to bring products to market more efficiently, Nancy V. Burns, Boston.com, November 19, 2003

Designing an Engine from Opposite Ends of the Earth - when two companies needed to collaborate on designs but one used Pro/ENGINEER and the other used I-DEAS, Collaboration Gateway from Proficiency was the solution, Louise Elliott, Desktop Engineering, August 2003

Does Collaboration Have A Future? - over-marketing of the term "collaboration" has rendered it meaningless in the CAD world, Martyn Day, upFront.eZine, June 17, 2003

GM Gears Up with Collaboration Based on Web Services - the automaker is bringing new vehicles to market faster with help of E-vis, a real-time visualization and collaboration tool from EDS, Steve Ulfelder, Network World, May 26, 2003

E-Collaboration Is Coming (But More Slowly Than Expected) - Web collaboration among CAD users in plastics is still small scale, but big auto parts suppliers are giving it a push, Jan H. Schut, Plastics Technology, March 2003

Sharing Your Drawings: An Introduction to Collaboration - this overview examines the history and current state of collaboration tools, techniques and innovations, Bill Burchard, Autodesk.com, March 24, 2003

CAD Collaboration - AutoCAD 2004 incorporates collaboration features to allow users to create, share and exchange design data, Melanie Liew, Computerworld Singapore, March 20, 2003

Catalog Management Links Suppliers with Customers - catalog management tools - such as SolidWorks's 3DpartStream - are bringing many benefits through collaboration and standardization to companies across the global supply chain, John Zipperer, Internet World, February 5, 2003

Collaboration for Process Industries - Aspen Technology today released an upgraded version of its Aspen Engineering Suite (AES) that offers a common communication standard for engineering and economic evaluation of plants and facilities, Jim Ericson, Line56, February 6, 2003

An Interview with CoCreate's John Alpine - the company's new chief technology officer discusses his plans and hopes for the future of CoCreate, CoCreate, February 3, 2003

Access Global Talents to Compress Leadtimes - combining CAD with online collaboration can give companies a competitive edge with round-the-clock, round-the-globe service, Robert Frost, TimeCompress, January 2003

2002

Architects Are from Venus, Engineers are from Mars - to work together in true collaboration, architects and engineers must learn and understand the very different requirements each possesses in any project, Lynne Taylor, bentleyuser.org, December 18, 2002

In the Know - BAE Systems, formerly British Aerospace, is seeing strong returns from a knowledge management intranet that helps its far-flung engineers quickly access technical project information, Thomas Hoffman, Computerworld, October 14, 2002

John Henry Outperforms Collaborative Technology - sometimes old-fashioned human know-how is better than the latest design technology, David Dobrin, CIO.com, October 1, 2002

New Approaches Speed Product Engineering - CAD tools, collaboration and portals are helping automakers deliver cars to market faster, Rick Whiting, InformationWeek.com, September 23, 2002

CEO of Tecnomatix Technologies Says MPM is Right Solution at Right Time - Harel Beit-On of Tecnomatix discusses his company's collaborative manufacturing software products, TWST.com, September 18, 2002

Speed Racers - the Big Three automakers are relying more than ever on IT to cut costs, streamline operations and improve quality and speed production, Linda Rosencrance, Computerworld, August 12, 2002

VirtualDesign.net: Online Collaboration - interview with founders, Robert Ebert, CEO, and Craig Della Penna, by Nathan Segal, Streaming Media World, June 13, 2002

The Web Harmonizes with Engineering - design tools on the web, online collaboration, webcasts and seminars are just a few of the options engineers applaud, Paula Porter, Design News, April 2002 (pdf)

Collaboration Bonanza Collaborative Software Tools: the Design Fast Track? - a good intro to what design collaboration is about and what tools are available, Jim Romeo, Desktop Engineering, Feb 2002

Meet Your Newest Design Aid: PLM - product life-cycle management promises to speed up design through better collaboration and access to data, Paul E. Teague, Benjamin B. Ames and Louise Elliott, Design News, Feb 18, 2002

The Project Hosting Scene - 80% of sites have not used web-based project hosting, finds a UK survey, CAD Spaghetti, Jan 2002

Real-Time Collaboration Doesn't Always Click - InformationWeek, Jan 14, 2002

2001

ASP Lowdown - at one time application service providers (ASPs) were touted as the next big thing, but a survey reveals only 3 out of 10 CAD managers were even aware of the concept, CAD Spaghetti, Dec 2001

Collaboration Uncovered - levels of collaboration are still very low, research shows only 6% are using project hosting, 7% of sites use extranet collaboration, CAD Spaghetti, Oct 2001

Interview with Yoav Etiel - former Bricsnet VP is featured in an exclusive interview with TenLinks.com

Windows into Collaboration - viewing technology bridges the gap between CAD, engineering, and procurement, Katherine Tyrka, Design News, October 1, 2001

Companies Focus on Determining Collaboration Needs - NASA Tech Briefs, July 2001

Collaboration Uncovered - findings from our interviews with senior decision makers with responsibility for design functions at 210 UK mechanical engineering sites, from the October 2001 issue of CAD SPAGHETTI

3D Collaborative Design Survey Results - seventy percent of respondents will have need for a collaborative design system within 2 years, Wanda Meloni, CGW, June 2001 (pdf file)

New Approaches to CAD Integration - two vendors, Vistagy and 3Ga, offer solutions to help deal with as product information, which is more than shape information, Automotive Manufacturing & Products, June 2001

Building on IT - AEC firms step up the use of Web to improve their processes, Matt Villiano, CIO, June 15, 2001

Bricsnet NV Vendor Profile -  everything you wanted to know about Bricsnet, Daratech, June 2001

New Approaches to CAD "Integration" - Vistagy's EnCapta and 3Ga's 3G.web.decisions take two different approaches to part and product data, Lawrence S. Gold, Automotive Manufacturing and Production, June 2001

Reluctant Trades - underlying reasons why the construction industry has been slow to adopt extranet project managers, AEC Vision May 2001

Project Partners Work Apart - Yet Work Together - real life collaboration allows two companies to create complex prototype without any meetings, Joe Hynes, Advanced Manufacturing, May 2001

Disruptive Technologies - the slow evolution of CAD over the past couple of years is about to be disrupted by interoperability, collaboration and behavior modeling, Phil LoPiccolo, CGW, May 2001

Project Website Comparisons, Part 2 - Robert Green examines the cost of subscribing to Buzzsaw and Bricsnet and compares it to the cost of setting up your own project management site

Extranet Update - what's good - and not so good  - about the major extranet sites, including Bricsnet, Citadon, Viecon, Buzzsaw, more, by John Jurewics, AEC Vision, May 2000

Collaborative Workflow Streamlines Engineering Change Process - CADinfo.NET, Mar 2001

Better Collaborative Tools Help Companies Retain Competitive Edge - Eric Hobson, CADinfo.NET, Jan 2001

1999-2000

Extranets: Killer App or Overblown Fluff? - Dr. Joel Orr, CADinfo.NET

Collaborative Product Design Meets the B2B Exchange - Amy A. Rowell, MCAD Vision, Nov 2000

Dotcom Fever: The reality of the ASP Model - Nick Ballard, CADserver, November 21, 2000

Scania CV AB Adds IntraVISION as Integral Component of its Matrix PDM System  - CADinfo.NET, July 2000

Collaboration on the Internet - By Denise Harrison, Digital CAD, June 2000

Teamwork 24/7 - a report on collaboration for design and engineering, including reviews of Alibre and CollabWare. Jeffrey Rowe, MCAD Vision, June 2000

denotes a select article