Managing Multi-CAD Projects: Version Control Across SOLIDWORKS, Creo, and NX

Use cloud PDM to manage multi‑CAD workflows across SOLIDWORKS, Creo, and NX with version control and supplier access.

Nov 18, 2025

Cloud PDM

Managing Multi-CAD Projects: Version Control Across SOLIDWORKS, Creo, and NX

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The Multi-CAD Reality: Why One CAD System is a Myth

Top 6 Challenges of Multi-CAD Engineering

Traditional Approaches and Their Limitations

The Modern Approach: CAD-Agnostic Cloud PDM

Use Case: OEM and Supplier Collaboration

Conclusion: Unify Your Design Data

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

References

The Multi-CAD Reality: Why One CAD System is a Myth

In an ideal world, your entire organization—and all your suppliers—would use the same CAD system. But reality is far more complex. Your team might use SOLIDWORKS for new product development, but a legacy project is still in CREO. Your most important client sends you NX files, and a key supplier works exclusively in Inventor. This is the multi-CAD reality for most modern engineering teams.

Managing files in a multi-CAD environment can be a major source of friction, leading to data translation errors, lost design intent, and significant delays. Traditional PDM systems, which are often designed to work best with a single CAD tool, can make this problem even worse.

This guide explores the challenges of multi-CAD environments and outlines how a modern, CAD-agnostic PDM system can help you get from separated to synced.

Top 6 Challenges of Multi-CAD Engineering

According to research and industry reports, these are the most common challenges teams face in a multi-CAD environment [1]:

Data Exchange & Translation: Converting files between formats often leads to errors, corrupted geometry, and lost metadata.

Version Control: How do you track revisions when a design includes parts from SOLIDWORKS, CREO, and NX?

Collaboration Breakdowns: Sharing large, complex assemblies with suppliers who use different tools is slow and insecure.

Increased IT Overhead: Supporting multiple CAD systems and their associated PDM/PLM tools is expensive and time-consuming.

Lack of a Single Source of Truth: Design data becomes fragmented across different systems, leading to confusion and mistakes.

Complex Workflows: Engineers waste valuable time importing, exporting, and repairing files instead of designing.

Traditional Approaches and Their Limitations

Approach	How It Works	Limitations
Neutral File Formats (STEP, IGES)	Exporting designs to a universal format	Loses design intent, feature history, and metadata; creates disconnected files.
Separate PDM for Each CAD System	One PDM for SOLIDWORKS, another for CREO	Extremely expensive, creates data silos, makes cross-platform collaboration impossible.
Enterprise PLM (Teamcenter, Windchill)	A single, monolithic system to manage all data	Very high cost, long implementation times (6-18 months), too complex for most SMEs.
Manual File Management	Using shared drives and naming conventions	Highly error-prone, no security, no version history, not scalable.

The Modern Approach: CAD-Agnostic Cloud PDM

A CAD-agnostic cloud PDM system is designed from the ground up to manage files from any CAD tool in a single, centralized platform. Here's how it solves the multi-CAD challenge:

Centralized File Management: Store all your CAD files—SOLIDWORKS, CREO, NX, Inventor, and more—in one secure location.

Universal File Viewing: Team members and suppliers can view, measure, and comment on 3D models without needing an expensive CAD license.

Integrated Version Control: Track revisions across the entire multi-CAD assembly, not just individual parts.

Seamless Collaboration: Provide secure, granular access to suppliers, regardless of the CAD tool they use.

No IT Overhead: A fully cloud-based solution means no servers to manage and no complex installation.

Use Case: OEM and Supplier Collaboration

Consider a common scenario:

An OEM designs the main product in CREO.

Supplier A provides a sub-assembly designed in SOLIDWORKS.

Supplier B provides a component designed in NX.

With a traditional, single-CAD PDM, this workflow is a nightmare of file conversions and email attachments. With a CAD-agnostic cloud PDM like CAD ROOMS, the process is simple:

The OEM creates a secure, shared workspace.

All three teams upload their native CAD files to the workspace.

The PDM system automatically versions all files and understands the relationships between them.

Everyone can view the full, multi-CAD assembly in a web browser.

Feedback and design reviews happen in one place, with a single source of truth.

Conclusion: Unify Your Design Data

Don't let a multi-CAD environment slow you down. Instead of fighting a losing battle with multiple PDM systems or error-prone manual methods, a modern, CAD-agnostic cloud PDM can unify your design data and streamline collaboration. By embracing a single source of truth for all your CAD files, you can reduce errors, accelerate design cycles, and work more effectively with your entire supply chain.

Ready to simplify your multi-CAD workflows? Try CAD ROOMS free for 14 days and experience seamless version control across SOLIDWORKS, CREO, NX, and more.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What does "CAD-agnostic" mean?

A: It means the PDM system is not tied to a specific CAD vendor. It can manage files from any CAD tool with equal capability, providing a neutral platform for multi-CAD collaboration.

Q: How does a CAD-agnostic PDM handle file relationships?

A: Modern PDM systems can parse and understand assembly structures from various CAD formats, maintaining the links between parts and sub-assemblies even if they come from different systems.

Q: Do I still need my native CAD software?

A: Yes. A PDM system is for data management and collaboration, not for creating or editing CAD geometry. You will still use your native CAD tools for design work.