Actify CAD Viewer SpinFire
Actify SpinFire Ultimate is a revolutionary CAD Viewer handling multi-CAD file formats and versions for 3D and 2D. SpinFire delivers CAD viewing, measuring, mark-up and other investigative functions.
CERN, the world’s largest particles physics laboratory, best known for developing the Large Hadron Collider, has leveraged Actify’s Enterprise CAD Viewer and Data Discovery solutions.
Actify’s CAD software was selected by CERN to replace several heterogeneous systems and replace a single, enterprise CAD and metadata viewing system that works with all CERN native operational CAD data.
As a global research organisation collaborating with physicists and engineers, CERN’s engineering and design systems face unique challenges. Such is the complex scale of CERN’s work, the company is required to manage large CAD files and assemblies involving many file formats, versions and external contributions from partners. Prior to CERN’s access to Actify’s CAD solution, four different CAD viewers were used internally without a single viewer that works with all file types or support for multi-platform.
This ensured an already difficult process, collaborating and sharing large and complex files with external engineers and scientists, was made even more challenging. CERN has about 3,000 staff members and up to 13,000 collaborators and users depending on the project needs. CERN as an institution, and its users and collaborators, heavily reliant on being able to view CAD models and the associated metadata for supporting comprehensive design reviews.
Actify’s Enterprise CAD Viewer (SpinFire Ultimate) and Data Discovery (Centro) solutions were leveraged by CERN to enable its staff and partners to share data and collaborate with design offices worldwide.
Actify CAD Viewer Centro
The Actify Centro is a server-based solution, able to batch process CAD files into lightweight ACT3D viewable format, and export to a range of neutral file formats and image files automatically.
Actify SpinFire Ultimate is a revolutionary CAD Viewer handling multi-CAD file formats and versions for 3D and 2D. SpinFire delivers CAD viewing, measuring, mark-up and other investigative functions. Able to handle large CAD files, its other capabilities include significant time-saving by previewing CAD files prior to opening, the ability to combine multiple different CAD formats in one sessions, and save user views to effectively communicate and collaborate design changes with office staff and external partners.
Meanwhile, the Actify Centro is a server-based solution, able to batch process CAD files into lightweight ACT3D viewable format, and export to a range of neutral file formats and image files automatically. Centro can also retrieve information from a range of other data sources, and enrich the view of metadata and part properties within SpinFire Web, a zero download CAD viewer. Additionally, Centro is an extremely secure system. 3D designs and associated metadata can be accessed via a web-browser on a range of devices be restricted via a password. Keeping the file local to the user’s server, and without any CAD data loaded on the device without access via a password, Centro represents a safe and flexible option.
CERN’s objective is to enrich collaboration between CERN staff and external partners on CAD and engineering data. Benoit Lepoittevin, the CERN officer in charge of the benchmarking process, which saw 52 commercially available CAD viewers evaluated, said Actify’s partaking in the process underlined its compatibility with CERN’s aims.
“Actify’s participation and collaboration during the benchmarking process was positive, with fast development of new product features and ability to fulfil CERN’s requirements,” said Lepoittevin.
The Actify development team has expressed its excitement and pride in working on a project they consider to be crucial, using modern technologies.
