CAD Collaboration & Sharing

CAD Collaboration & Sharing

CAD Collaboration & Sharing

What collaboration features does CAD ROOMS offer?

CAD ROOMS provides a full set of tools for real-time engineering teamwork:
  • CAD Viewer: View, measure, section, and explode 3D models together — no CAD license needed
  • Guest Sharing: Share securely with external partners at no extra cost

How do I share files with external partners?

  1. Open the file in the CAD Viewer
  1. Click the Share icon
  1. Enter the recipient's email address and confirm
External recipients are automatically added as Guests. Guests are free and unlimited — they do not consume paid seats.
→ Secure External Collaboration with Guest Sharing

How do I manage or revoke shared access?

You can manage access at any time:
  1. Open the file in the CAD Viewer
  1. Click the Share icon (top-right)
  1. Find the recipient and click Remove
Once removed, that person immediately loses access.

Can I see who's currently viewing or editing a file?

Yes.
  • Who's Editing: The Check-out status (lock icon) shows if a teammate has the file locked for editing
  • Who's Viewing: Real-time presence indicators display the avatars of team members currently in the CAD Viewer
  • Live Collaboration: Use Real-Time Follow to synchronize your view with a teammate — camera, sections, exploded views, and measurements all stay in sync

How do I track changes made by team members?

CAD ROOMS provides two ways to track changes:
  • Contribution Log (right panel): A timeline of every contribution — who made it, when, and the description of changes
  • Version History (right-click file → Revisions): A detailed list of all saved versions, with the ability to compare versions visually using CAD Diffing
→ Understanding Version Control

How do I add annotations on a 3D model for design review?

Annotations are context-aware comments placed directly on 3D geometry:
  1. Open the Annotations panel → click "+" → click on the model
  1. Type your comment and send
CAD ROOMS automatically saves the full view state (section cuts, visual style, exploded view, camera angle) with each annotation. Reviewers see the exact same context when they open it.
Annotations support threaded replies, @mentions with instant notifications, file attachments, and resolution tracking. No CAD license is required to participate.
→ Collaborating with Annotations & Comments

What is Real-Time Follow and how do I synchronize views with teammates?

Real-Time Follow lets multiple users share the same live view in the CAD Viewer. One user leads; others follow in real time.
What gets synchronized:
  • Camera rotation, pan, and zoom
  • Assembly Explorer and Geometry Explorer interactions
  • Section View, Explode Mode, Measurements, and Visual Styles
To start: click a user's avatar and select Follow. Exit anytime by clicking Exit or moving the camera. Any participant can become the leader at any time.
→ Using Real-Time Follow for Live View

How do I navigate and inspect assemblies in the CAD Viewer?

Use the Assembly Explorer (left panel) to browse the full component hierarchy. Select any part in the tree or directly in 3D — selections stay synchronized. Right-click a component to Isolate, Hide, or Zoom to it. Use Reset Model to restore full visibility. All actions are view-only.
→ Inspecting Assemblies

What visual styles are available in the CAD Viewer?

The CAD Viewer offers multiple rendering modes you can switch instantly:
  • Shaded / Wireframe on Shaded – General design review
  • Wireframe / Hidden Line – Geometry and feature inspection
  • X-Ray – Semi-transparent view for internal inspection and clearance checks
  • Gooch / Toon – Non-photorealistic styles for concept reviews and presentations
No file reload is needed when switching styles.
→ How to Change Visual Styles

How do I measure distances, angles, and areas on a 3D model?

Open the Measurement tool from the left toolbar and choose a mode:
  • Point-to-Point / Face-to-Face / Polyline Distance for spacing and clearances
  • Angle Between Lines for chamfers and draft angles
  • Polygon Area for cross-sectional or surface estimation
You can manage multiple measurements at once, change units (mm, cm, m, in, ft), and adjust decimal precision. All measurements are non-destructive.
→ How to Measure Parts and Assemblies

How do I view file relationships between assemblies and parts?

The File Relationships panel (left sidebar) shows bidirectional links:
  • Components (for assemblies): Lists all parts and sub-assemblies contained within
  • Referenced By (for parts): Shows which assemblies reference the current part
Click any item to navigate directly to that file. Currently supported for Creo assemblies and parts, with more formats being added. Files must be in the same workspace folder for relationships to appear.
→ Viewing File Relationships