To be able to approach CAD data translation well, the product you select needs to have robust kernel technology that allows the transfer of data based on known rules and tolerances of each specific CAD system.

CADporter is translation software that has the underlying Data Exchange Kernel (DEK), which has a knowledge base of eighteen years of experience and a built-in automatic healing technology that adapts using known rules based on the sending and receiving CAD system.
Real user models – directly from automotive, consumer electronics and aerospace CAD users – act as the test suite for this translation software system, which always is being updated with new models so that DEK is constantly evolving and getting more robust.
When a part is to be translated from system A to B, DEK will perform the following steps:

1) Determine appropriate tolerances that should be used based on both systems A and B.

2) Perform appropriate geometric and topological checks, which are specifically customized based on both systems A and B.

3) Autoheal problem areas in appropriate order. The autohealing performed by DEK includes, but is not limited to the following:

1) Eliminating gaps that result from modeling tolerance differences

2) Reintersecting edges to derive geometry at a tighter tolerance when needed

3) Splitting edges that contain curve discontinuities (cusps). Basically, these are curves that are not geometrically smooth as determined by the receiving system.

4) Splitting faces that contain surface discontinuities (creases) (basically, these are surfaces that not geometrically smooth as determined by the receiving system)

5) Eliminating short edges and sliver faces

6) Adding/removing edges at degenerate surface boundaries
There are two cases where DEK’s automatic healing may not result in a 100 percent translation success rate:

1. DEK has the knowledge of the required changes, but they are deemed too drastic to make automatically without the user’s explicit acknowledgement. Of course, user-defined switches can be set to apply such changes automatically.

2. The modeling intent is not clear such that it can be made automatically. For this case, an interactive graphics tool was developed that allows the end user to review and apply the appropriate healing technique.