Increasing product complexity in conjunction with ever shorter development and manufacturing cycles means that close cooperation between product development partners is a necessity. Today's engineering collaboration takes place to an increasing extent in development networks that span corporate borders.

This not only results in an ever-growing volume of data being exchanged but, above all, in an increase of complexity on many levels. Within this context, the exchange of visualization data is becoming more and more important, and the demand for appropriate means of exchanging structure data is growing. Compared with conventional CAD applications, possible applications provide a persuasive argument in their favor in the form of lower licensing costs and a broader range of application.

In order to provide its members with more comprehensive information relating to this energized area, the ProSTEP iViP Association commissioned two studies that are based on each other in 2004. The main focus of the first study was an evaluation of the JT data format and an appraisal of the JT Open activity. The second study comprised an analysis of the cross-enterprise exchange of visualization and assembly data. The Department for Computer Integrated Design (DiK) at the Technical University of Darmstadt was commissioned to carry out both studies. The studies were advised by Bosch and Siemens. This document provides an overview of the most important results of the studies.