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The EVT gripper on the bench is Rev 4, the model in CAD is Rev 7, and nobody can say exactly what changed in between, or which STEP file the machine shop quoted from.
Parts live across Google Drive, local folders and the CAD tool’s own storage. Two people edit the same assembly, Drive saves a ‘conflicted copy’, and the story of what changed is buried in chat.
Near-identical brackets and fasteners get modelled again under new names, and nobody can tell which one is released.
Teams outgrow their first CAD tool, or a contractor joins who uses another. The geometry exports as STEP, but the revisions, notes and review comments that explain it don’t come with it.
Purchasing, assembly, suppliers and, for integrators, the end customer signing off a cell layout before FAT all need the current model and what changed, so engineers spend hours exporting STEP files and answering the same questions.
Custom integrations are available on the Enterprise plan, so released revisions and file metadata can reach your ERP or inventory system. BOM management is on our roadmap.
Self-serve APIs and webhooks: coming soon
We use a sample parallel gripper, never customer data, to follow one finger change from a slip on the EVT bench to the released revision your machine shop cuts for the DVT build.
1. Post the bench result on the finger
From the bench, your test engineer comments on the finger in the 3D viewer and @mentions your mechanical engineer, instead of posting in Slack. Your mechanical engineer checks the finger out, so nobody else can save over it, and adds a pad pocket in SOLIDWORKS.
2. Review the pocket against the EVT build
Your mechanical engineer contributes the change with a note and opens a change order. Your mechanical lead uses CAD diffing to put the EVT revision beside the new one, sees that only the pocket changed, and approves with the test engineer, who can sign off from a phone.
Included on Business and Enterprise plans.
3. Release the finger for DVT build 1
At build freeze, your mechanical lead releases the approved revision from its change order, named for the build. Anyone checking a gripper on the bench can then see which revision went into DVT build 1, what changed since EVT and who approved it.
Included on Business and Enterprise plans.
4. Send the released finger to your machine shop
Share the STEP exported from the released finger with your machine shop as a guest, so they quote and machine from the release, not an old STEP from Slack. Guests view, measure and comment in the browser on the files you share, and download only if you allow it. Guest viewers are free.
Request a sandbox and we’ll email you an invite to a sample project.
Google Drive or Dropbox
Fine for sharing, but two people can overwrite the same part. CAD ROOMS adds check-out, version history and releases.
Git or Git LFS
Right for firmware, but its diffs can’t show geometry. CAD ROOMS adds 3D revision compare and browser review.
Onshape’s built-in PDM
Enough if everyone models in Onshape. CAD ROOMS keeps SOLIDWORKS, Creo and STEP files in one versioned project.
BOM and PLM tools
Built for items and purchasing. CAD ROOMS manages the CAD files behind a BOM, but not BOMs yet.
ISO 27001 certified and SOC 2 Type II attested, with GDPR-compliant processing. We never use your files, data or metadata to train AI.
Our information security management system is independently audited and certified to ISO/IEC 27001.
ISO 27001 certified
Robotics PDM questions, answered
Can we work across different CAD tools and contractors?
Yes. CAD ROOMS versions files at file-system level, so SOLIDWORKS, Creo, NX, CATIA and supplier STEP files sit in one project with no CAD plugin. CAD ROOMS handles 35+ CAD formats. ECAD release outputs and firmware builds can be versioned in the same project; ECAD files are versioned but not shown in 3D. Our mechatronics page covers the board side.
We already use Onshape. Do we need a separate PDM?
Not if everyone models in Onshape. A separate PDM helps when contractors work in SOLIDWORKS or Creo, suppliers send STEP files, or reviewers outside engineering need access. CAD ROOMS versions exported Onshape files next to native files from other CAD tools in one project. It doesn’t edit Onshape documents or generate URDF.
Why not use Git or Git LFS for CAD files?
Git works well for firmware. Git LFS can lock CAD files, but it can’t show what changed in the geometry, and reviewers need Git to take part. CAD ROOMS locks a file when you check it out, compares revisions side by side in the 3D viewer, and lets reviewers comment in a browser.
Can our software team pull meshes for ROS or simulation?
Yes, as files. STL and STEP exports are versioned like any other file, and members can download the released revision. CAD ROOMS doesn’t generate URDF, so keep your export step and check its output in next to the CAD, with a note saying which revision it came from.
How do we share designs with suppliers and machine shops?
Add them as guests to the specific files they need, never the whole workspace. Guests view, measure and comment in the browser on the files you share. They can’t edit, check out or release files, and can download only if you allow it. Guest viewers are free.
What happens to our revision history when we move from Google Drive or another PDM?
You can start the same day: install the desktop app, copy your project folder into the CAD ROOMS drive and invite the team. Current files come across; their earlier history doesn’t. From then on every contribution is versioned with a note, and because history lives at file level, it stays if you change CAD later. The desktop app runs on Windows; on a Mac, team members review, measure, comment and approve in the browser.
Can release checks stop unreleased parts entering an assembly?
Not automatically today. Releases go through change orders with named reviewers, so the team can see what’s released and what isn’t, but confirming that every part in an assembly is released is still part of the review.
Can we stop the same part being modelled twice?
Partly. Admins can enforce unique file names across a workspace, and File Relationships show which assemblies use a part (most reliable for Creo today). Automatic part numbering is on the roadmap, so near-identical parts with different names still need catching in review.
Is there a startup discount?
Yes. Eligible startups can get up to 90% off. Standard pricing starts at $60 per seat per month on the Team plan billed annually, for up to 5 seats, with a 14-day free trial, and guest viewers are free. Ask about eligibility when you book a demo.
Will CAD ROOMS still fit as we move from prototypes to series production?
Yes. Start on Team, for up to 5 seats. Business adds revision compare, change orders with approvals and audit logs for when more people sign off changes, and Enterprise adds SAML single sign-on and custom hosting options. Self-serve APIs for connecting ERP and production systems are coming soon. You change plan without moving files or losing version history.
14-day free trial · Up to 90% off for eligible startups · Guest viewers are free
