The future of CAD is in the Cloud

June 30, 2015 11:25 am

Integrating Graebert’s cloud-based Xenon CAD, Onshape users will be able to create 2D drawings directly in Onshape without any additional cost
 On the sideline of COFES – the congress on the future of engineering software – Berlin-based CAD tool developers Graebert has announced partnership with Cambridge-based Onshape Inc. to embed new Cloud-based CAD technology from Graebert directly into the Onshape Cloud CAD platform.
Onshape has licensed Graebert’s Xenon technology to add drafting capabilities to Onshape’s cloud-based modelling technology. Now, Onshape users will be able to create 2D drawings directly in Onshape without any additional cost.
Sharing his excitement on the development of Xenon, Wilfried Graebert, founder and CEO of Graebert GmbH said, “It demonstrates that we are able to do more than just a clone product.” 
He adds, “Our partnership with Onshape is the first implementation of our Xenon technology platform, but we plan to also invite other developers to evaluate our solution and create their own market-accelerated, Cloud-based CAD opportunities.”
Onshape’s Drawings module which is yet to be released is powered by Graebert’s new Cloud-based CAD technology code-named Xenon. “Xenon is also available for other companies to license as a platform for their own Cloud-based CAD applications,” Graebert informed.
Three years ago, Graebert began building Xenon with a vision to develop new CAD technology for the Cloud. Onshape is the first company to use Xenon, benefiting from a custom version of the platform to satisfy its specific CAD requirements and offer its users a seamless, Cloud-based integration between 2D-drawings and 3D-models.
Onshape is the browser-based 3D MCAD software written by Onshape whereas Xenon is the browser-based 2D/3D CAD software written by Graebert. According to Robert Graebert, CTO at Graebert GmbH, “Xenon will eventually have all of the tools found in desktop ARES, but OEM customers get to decide which tools to expose.” ARES is the desktop 2D/3D CAD developed by Graebert.
Adding Xenon in Onshape will allow a mechanical engineer to come up with drawings suitable for manufacturing. Many of the tools involve annotating 2D views though there are commands for touching up drawings as well. Onshape claims to be the first full-cloud 3D CAD system which runs in a Web browser and on any mobile device. Onshape uses cloud-native documents, not files. In addition, Onshape opens DWG and DXF files for viewing and editing.
Graebert offers 2D and 3D CAD technology as a platform for powering highly-popular CAD solutions on the desktop. “Between these OEM partnerships and Graebert’s own sales of ARES Commander on Microsoft Windows, Mac OS and Linux, more than 7 million users worldwide now rely on Graebert for the most demanding desktop CAD applications,” Graebert said issuing a statement.