Understanding the CAD Viewer

The CAD Viewer in CAD ROOMS allows anyone to inspect, review, and discuss CAD files directly—without installing native CAD software. It is designed for design reviews, collaboration, and visually identifying changes between versions across engineering teams and external stakeholders.

The CAD Viewer is available in both the Web App and the Desktop App. While its capabilities are the same, the way you access the Viewer differs depending on where you are working.

This article provides a high-level overview of what the CAD Viewer is, how to access it, and when to use it effectively.

What is the CAD Viewer?

The CAD viewer is a 3D visualization tool built into CAD ROOMS that allows you to:

Open and inspect CAD files directly in the Web App and the Desktop App。

Navigate parts and assemblies interactively

Measure geometry and inspect internal features

Review design changes between versions (CAD diffing)

Leave contextual comments and annotations

Share views with team members

Key Advantage:

Anyone with access to a file can review it in full 3D—no CAD license required.

This makes the viewer ideal for engineers, managers, clients, manufacturing partners, and reviewers.

Quick Reference

Viewer Capabilities

Capability	Supported
View 3D models (download depends on permissions)	✅ Yes
Navigate assemblies	✅ Yes
Measure geometry	✅ Yes
Section views	✅ Yes
Visual style switching	✅ Yes
Compare versions (CAD Diffing)	✅ Yes
Add Annotations	✅ Yes
Edit geometry	❌ No
Create drawings	❌ No

The CAD Viewer is read-only by design and does not modify original CAD data.

Accessing the CAD Viewer (Web vs Desktop)

The CAD Viewer is available in both the Web App and the Desktop App, but the way you open it differs depending on your workflow.

From the Web App

Click a file name from the project file list

The file opens directly in the browser-based CAD Viewer

This is the default behavior for web-based access.

From the Desktop App

Files are associated with your local CAD software

Left-clicking a file opens it in the native CAD application on your computer

To open the CAD Viewer instead, you must:

Right-click the file name in the repository
Select Open in CAD Viewer

This distinction is intentional:

the Desktop App prioritizes local CAD editing, while the CAD Viewer is used for inspection, review, and collaboration.

💡 Tip ：Use the Desktop App when you need to edit files locally. Use the CAD Viewer when you want to inspect geometry, review changes, or collaborate—without opening CAD software.

Supported File Formats

The CAD Viewer supports 35+ CAD and neutral formats, covering the most commonly used engineering workflows.

Supported formats include:

Native CAD formats (e.g. SolidWorks, Creo, Inventor, NX, CATIA)

Neutral formats (e.g. STEP, IGES, STL, Parasolid)

Viewer Interface

Main Viewing Area

3D Canvas:

Central area showing the model

Interactive 3D manipulation

Context-sensitive cursor

Selection highlighting

Background:

Gradient or solid background

Adjustable for contrast

Professional appearance

Navigation Cube

Location: Top-right corner

Functions:

Standard view selection (Front, Top, Right, Back, Bottom, Left)

Isometric views (click edges)

Trimetric views (click corners)

Usage: Click any face, edge, or corner to instantly orient the model

Toolbar

The Toolbar provides quick access to all inspection, visualization, and collaboration tools in the CAD ROOMS Viewer.

Location: typically located on the left side of the viewer. Some actions may also appear in the top area depending on context.

Core Viewer Capabilities (Overview)

1. 3D Navigation

The CAD Viewer provides intuitive, model-centric navigation tools to help you explore geometry and assemblies efficiently.

Standard Navigation：

Rotate: Click and drag to rotate the model

Pan: Right-click and drag

Zoom: Scroll wheel to zoom in/out

Fit to View: Double-click to fit entire model in view

Context Actions (Right-Click)：

When selecting components in the 3D view, right-click to access context-aware actions:

Isolate a part or subassembly

Hide selected components

Reveal in Tree to locate parts in the assembly structure

Zoom to selected geometry

Reset Model to restore the original view and visibility

These actions help you reduce visual clutter and focus on specific areas of interest during inspection.

Geometry Explorer (Components)

Use Geometry Explorer to inspect and select components more precisely.
This is particularly useful when working with compact assemblies or internal components.

👉 Learn more: Using Geometry Explorer to Inspect Parts

2. Assembly Navigation

Assembly Inspection

Browse assemblies using a hierarchical tree

Select components directly in the 3D view

Show, hide, or isolate parts for focused inspection

Assembly Explode
If an assembly includes an Exploded View, you can switch to it to better understand structure and spacing.

Visualize how parts separate and relate to each other

Inspect interfaces, stack-ups, and hidden components

Use it together with isolate/hide and section views for clearer reviews

This makes it easy to understand structure and relationships in complex designs.

👉 Learn more: Inspecting Assemblies and Exploring Exploded Views

3. Measurements

Use built-in measurement tools to:

Measure distances, angles, and areas

Verify clearances and proportions

Inspect dimensions without opening CAD software

Measurements are visual, non-destructive, and ideal for reviews.

👉 Learn more: How to Measure Parts and Assemblies

4. Section Views

Section views allow you to cut through models to inspect internal geometry.

Common uses include:

Inspecting internal features

Verifying wall thickness

Checking clearances inside assemblies

👉 Learn more: Exploring Section Views

5. Visual Styles

Switch between different rendering modes (e.g. shaded, wireframe, X-ray) to better understand geometry and internal structures.

👉 Learn more: Changing Visual Styles in the CAD Viewer

6. Annotations

Annotations allow teams to leave context-aware comments directly on 3D geometry.

Comments are anchored to specific locations

Support threaded discussions and @mentions

Designed for review and collaboration—not editing

👉 Learn more: Collaborating with Annotations & Comments

7. Real-Time Follow

Real-Time Follow allows multiple users to share the same live view state in the CAD Viewer. One user leads the view while others follow in real time—camera, inspection tools, and visual styles are all synchronized.

Guide teammates through complex geometry

Align views during design reviews without screen sharing

Works with all inspection tools (Section View, Explode, Measurements, etc.)

👉 Learn more: Using Real-Time Follow for Live View

8. File Relationships

When supported by the CAD format, the viewer can show how parts and assemblies reference each other, helping users navigate product structure.

👉 Learn more: Viewing File Relationships

9. Metadata

Model Properties (if embedded):

Center of gravity

Surface area

Volume

Dimensions

When to Use the CAD Viewer

Use the Viewer When You Need To:

Review designs without CAD software

Collaborate with non-CAD users

Inspect assemblies and components

Verify changes between versions

Conduct design or manufacturing reviews

Quickly validate uploaded files

Use Native CAD Software When You Need To:

Edit or create geometry

Perform advanced simulations (FEA, CFD)

Create production drawings

Modify parametric features

The viewer complements CAD software—it does not replace it.

Viewer vs. Native CAD Software

Viewer Strengths	Native CAD Strengths
No installation	Full editing capability
No license needed	Parametric modeling
Fast access in browser	Advanced analysis
Ideal for reviews	Manufacturing outputs
Easy collaboration	Detailed design work

Technical Requirements

Browser Compatibility

Supported Browsers:

Chrome (recommended)

Firefox

Safari

Edge

Requirements:

Modern browser (last 2 versions)

JavaScript enabled

WebGL support (for 3D rendering)

Performance & Usage Notes

Viewer performance depends on:

File size

Assembly complexity

Internet connection

Browser capabilities

For best results:

Hide unnecessary components

Use section views instead of fully transparent models

Simplify assemblies when possible

Multi-CAD Compatibility

How to Compare File Versions (CAD Diffing)

Inspecting Assemblies

Using Geometry Explorer to Inspect Parts

How to Change the Visual Style of Your 3D Model

How to Measure Parts and Assemblies

Exploring Section Views & Exploded Views

Understanding the CAD Viewer