KISTERS 3DViewStation: Effective intellectual property protection of sensitive product data

The visualization experts at KISTERS are consistently working on the further development of Intellectual Property Protection (IPP) of CAD files. According to Craig Impastato, U.S. Sales Director for KISTERS, this can be achieved on the one hand by changing the geometry and on the other hand by secure, web-based viewing or a combination of both.

If data absolutely must be passed on, then 3DViewStation and the batch tool KAS make it possible to automatically remove parts that are not visible from the outside. Always according to the motto: Just as much as necessary, but as little as possible. “The recipient sees and notices nothing of the cleanup of the CAD models – a 3D data set is available without valuable know-how – but this usually already fulfills the requirement of the data exchange partner.” he said. “The representation form of a surface or volume model can be alienated or distorted to such an extent that the recipient no longer sees exact measurement values. As a side effect, these simplified 3D models can be sent and visualized much faster than the original CAD models due to the lower information content and smaller file sizes.” As a general rule, 3D data should – if it cannot be avoided – only be shared in neutral formats, for example as STEP, and sent encrypted via special servers. Triangulated data make reverse engineering even more difficult.

In many cases, however, such as a request for quotation, it is not even necessary to pass on the files. Purely visual access is then sufficient. In such cases, the 3DViewStation WebViewer version allows secure visual information exchange at any time, even on the move. 3D geometries are rendered exclusively on the server and only sent to the recipient as an image or video stream. At no time any 3D objects will be transferred to the end device and they cannot even be downloaded. Individual objects or components can be provided with attributes that ensure that the parts cannot be cut, i.e. the view inside is denied. Of course, the user interface of the WebViewer version can also be changed to prevent the use of certain functions. The optimum is the combination of alienation the data with secure visualization. Thus, the recipient receives only specifically prepared information and nothing beyond that.

3DViewStation customers use the recently developed VisShare platform for in-house or cross-site sharing of project files via link. Better control in the form of encryption, access restriction and user management also make sense within the company’s own network.

“The KISTERS 3DViewStation reliably contributes to the protection of intellectual property and supports the secure exchange of data across company boundaries,” Craig Impastato noted. “All of this does not guarantee 100% protection against misuse, but it makes it much more difficult to tap know-how and supports the secure connection of partners and suppliers.”

The 3DViewStation from KISTERS can be a cost-saving alternative to existing CAD systems when high-quality visualization and analysis of 3D data are the focus. To be truly successful and economical, all departments must mesh like cogs and have access to key product information. Highly qualified designers and engineers are significantly relieved by the integration of the subsequent departments. Those who use these synergies effectively save time, money and benefit from satisfied customers. The 3DViewStation team is continuously working on expanding the functions and helping with successful integration into the leading system.

Known for its modern user-interface, high performance viewing, advanced analysis and integration capabilities into leading systems, 3DViewStation ships with current and mature importers for a broad range of 3D and 2D formats including Catia, NX, Creo, SolidWorks, SolidEdge, Inventor, Revit, JT, 3D-PDF, STEP, DWG, DXF, DWF, MS Office and many more.

The latest developments of 3DViewStation can be reviewed in more detail at:

https://www.3dviewstation.com/news/blog.html

According to Impastato, KISTERS 3DViewStation is continuously enhanced in response to customer needs and requirements. It is available as Desktop, VR-Edition and HTML5 WebViewer product versions plus the online collaboration tool VisShare. All product flavors are intended to be used together with a PLM, ERP or other management system product configuration or service and spare part applications, providing all necessary APIs. For cloud, portal and web solutions, there is an HTML5-based WebViewer solution available, which does not require client installation. All file formats can be used in combination with the intelligent navigation and hyperlinking features to address the needs of complex integration scenarios.