How to protect the intellectual property of your design model

An aerospace engineering office recently discovered that a competitor had reproduced a patented technical solution just three months after sharing its CAD files with an industrial partner. The investigation revealed that no technical protection had been applied to the 3D models, thus exposing years of R&D and compromising a crucial competitive advantage. This situation, far from isolated, illustrates the critical importance of effectively protecting the intellectual property encapsulated in your digital designs.

In today's industrial ecosystem, your CAD models contain much more than simple geometries. They encapsulate your technical know-how, design methodologies, and sometimes decades of progressive optimization. In the era of extended collaboration and globalized supply chains, each file sharing represents a potential risk for your most precious intangible assets.

A Multi-Level Strategic Approach to Protect Your CAD Models

Effective security for your technical data relies on a graduated strategy, adapted to the sensitivity of the information and the level of trust granted to each recipient:

• Level 1: Parametric Protection - Maintain modifiability while removing expressions and formulas. Sensitive parametric functions are replaced with non-parametric equivalents, thus preserving the model structure without exposing your proprietary methodology.
• Level 2: Conversion to Neutral Format - Transform your native models into standard BREP formats (STEP, IGES) to share only precise geometry without parametric functionalities, limiting modification possibilities while maintaining dimensional integrity.
• Level 3: Use of Faceted Geometries - Share models in tessellated formats that effectively prevent direct reuse of geometry and significantly complicate reverse engineering attempts.
• Level 4: Selective Simplification - Eliminate non-essential details (holes, chamfers, fillets) or replace complex shapes with simplified envelopes before conversion, thus masking critical aspects of your design.
• Level 5: Controlled Access Without Transfer - Offer temporary visualization via secure web solutions, without any geometry transfer, for situations requiring maximum protection.

Specialized Solutions for Each Protection Level

To effectively implement this multi-level strategy, several complementary technologies are available, adapted to the main CAD formats in the market (CATIA, NX, Creo, SolidWorks, Inventor):

• Proficiency automates the transformation of parametric models by selectively preserving critical information
• CADfix enables controlled simplification of geometries while maintaining their functional integrity
• DEXcenter secures the entire process of sharing sensitive technical data
• 3DViewStation WebViewer offers controlled access without transferring usable geometry

Measurable Impacts on Your Performance

A robust intellectual property protection strategy generates tangible benefits:

• 85% reduction in strategic information leakage risks
• Acceleration of collaboration cycles with the external ecosystem
• Significant valuation of intangible assets in case of merger-acquisition
• Complete traceability of access to sensitive data
• Simplified compliance with confidentiality agreements

The detailed articles in this section will guide you through the various solutions and methodologies to effectively secure your technical heritage while maintaining smooth collaborations with your partners. Discover how to transform your protection constraints into a sustainable strategic advantage, thus ensuring the sustainability of your technological lead in the face of increasingly aggressive competition.