ECAD/MCAD Collaboration Implementor Forum

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ECAD/MCAD Collaboration Implementor Forum (ECAD/MCAD IF)

Duration

since 2010

Mission

The exchange of data between the ECAD and MCAD domains using the data formats IDR and DXF does not offer any option for incremental changes or identifying changes made during the product development process. IDX, the data format that the ECAD/MCAD Collaboration IF project group developed within the framework of the recommendation PSI 5 “ECAD/ MCAD Collaboration“, remedies these weaknesses. It is enjoying ever-broader acceptance by vendors, thus increasing the number of options available to users when it comes to efficient solutions for collaborative product development within the ECAD and MCAD domains.

For more information on the standard IDX and the project group please visit our website ecad-mcad.org

Milestones 2021

In 2021, the project group worked intensively on the new major version IDXv5.0. Corresponding use cases, which had already been defined in the previous years, had to be implemented in a major version due to the requisite changes to the IDX model. The project group performed the work on IDXv5.0 in monthly online sessions, during which participants presented their suggestions for implementation. The regular meetings involving all the participants led to constructive discussions, which allowed steady progress to be made and a large number of use cases to be implemented.

Outlook 2022

In addition to releasing a minor version, IDXv5.5, which only permits changes to the documentation, the 2022 project group intends to discuss new use cases and define an interface for web services. This will allow the group to position itself in a way that makes it possible to determine the direction of future updates. The definition of test cases is also on the agenda. Participants will review existing test cases to ensure that they are up to date and create new test cases based on feedback from participants.