Expediting manufacturing & protecting IP
June 5, 2023
CAD viewer protects sensitive design data
Security product data with geometry alienation and part removal, in addition to secure data visualization.
A manufacturing company can significantly increase its competitiveness depending on how well it can protect itself against unauthorized access to product data.
In particular, the high frequency exchange of 3D CAD data between manufacturers, partners and suppliers poses more risk than other industries may face.
Medium-sized companies may not have to resources to secure their infrastructure like larger firms. Nonetheless, they receive sensitive manufacturing data. If the files are neither encrypted nor alienated after storage, then unauthorized access or loss of the data can have serious commercial consequences.
So how can collaborative engineering become more secure?
One option is to merely visualize CAD data, and not share it. KISTERS offers 3DViewStation, a CAD visualization software which offers various options to protect your intellectual property.
If data must be shared, 3DViewStation and the batch tool KISTERS Automation Server (KAS) can automatically remove parts from the display. For instance, components that are not visible won’t be shared or seen.
This need-to-know capability provides your partners with as much information as is necessary – without compromising your advantage.
“The recipient sees and notices nothing of the cleanup of the CAD models… A 3D dataset is available to meet the needs of your partnership – without giving away valuable know-how,” said Craig Impastato, Director of Sales & Client Engagement for 3DViewStation in the Americas.
“The representation of a surface or volume model can be distorted to such an extent the recipient no longer sees exact measurements… As a side effect, these simplified and smaller 3D models can be sent and loaded much faster than the original CAD models.”
In many cases like quote requests, file sharing is not necessary. Visual access is enough and a browser-based application like 3DViewStation WebViewer version allows for secure visualization at any time, even when traveling. 3D geometries are rendered exclusively on the server. The recipient only sees as an image or video stream. Objects are never transferred to the (mobile) device; they simply cannot be downloaded.
Furthermore, 3DViewStation customers can opt to use the VisShare platform which offers data encryption and (internal and external) user management, as well as makes access to up-to-date project files as easy as sharing a link.
“All these options don’t guarantee 100% protection against misuse, but they make it easier to both protect intellectual property and support collaboration among suppliers,” noted Impastato, “as 3DViewStation is a cost-saving alternative to existing CAD systems.”
Read the latest developments of 3DViewStation in detail at https://www.3dviewstation.com/news/blog.html.