[Engineering Matters]

[Philip Lelyveld comment:  This is the author’s ‘subject-matter expert’ view of the history and usefulness of 3D CAD visualization.  I post it here because it illustrates the potential value – and pitfalls – of interoperability of file format and metadata.]

Specialization of 3D Visualization Applications

Some 15 years later, where are all those 3D visualization applications? Well, for the most part, they almost don’t exist as they once did. What once were fairly similar applications with generic functionality have gotten more specialized over time. They’ve become more granular applications for very specific roles. Let’s look at some of the categories.

Collaborating on a Design

Can you perform design reviews in CAD? Absolutely. Do you want to do that? Absolutely not.

CAD files include all the gory detail about how the model was built up over time. Sharing that internally may not be a problem, but inevitably you must share it with someone outside your four walls. And then you run the risk that comes with exposing the design intent embedded within CAD models to other companies. That’s not the safest way to protect your intellectual property.

Some 3D visualization applications offer the ability to both comment and interrogate 3D models. The good thing is that these tools don’t expose the features and other mechanisms used to build up the model or any design intent embedded inside.

What’s the value here? Well, this type of workflow replaces what might happen in CAD or on physical engineering drawings. Capturing this sort of feedback in digital form would make it more portable and archivable for decision traceability. I haven’t seen any ROI use cases on this scenario. And I’d be interested in comments with examples.

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Read the full article here: http://www.engineering-matters.com/2012/03/road-3d-viz/