I assume you are aware about Onshape, the new CAD software outfit founded by Jon Hirschtick and part of his old SolidWorks founding team. The software is in public beta for the moment. You can reference to my previous posts – PLM thoughts after Onshape public beta and Develop3D live set a stage for cloud CAD competition. I also recommend you Develop3D article – Onshape Beta goes live – start your engines. Navigate to the following link to discover more Onshape resources.
Integration is a very important thing in engineering application domain. Engineers and manufacturing companies are using multiple applications for design, simulation, product data and lifecycle management. Therefore, system architecture and availability of APIs is absolutely important in order to develop integrations and more specific and complex engineering data flows.
Earlier today, my attention was caught by Onshape blog by Steve Lewin-Berlin, which gives you some perspective on Onshape APIs. Onshape is using own APIs to create first integration with Graebert Drawings. Here is the passage from the blog explaining that:
I’ve been leading the development of the Onshape API for the past year. COFES was our team’s coming out party, marking the first public discussion of the API. The introduction of Onshape Drawings and our partnership with Graebert GmbH is an important part of the story.
We decided to build Onshape Drawings on top of the same API that will be available to partners. In a classic case of “eating our own dog food,” we believe that using the API for a significant internal component validates the capability and performance of the API. This also provided a clean interface between Onshape and Graebert technology, allowing us to leverage the extensive technology available in Graebert’s core drawing engine.
As you can see in the screenshot below, Onshape Drawings run in a tab just like Parts and Assemblies, and use a native Onshape style toolbar and command structure.
Last week at COFES 2015 I spent some time learning about what Onshape is doing with APIs and integrations. You will be able to integrate Onshape using three different approaches – file exchange, live link using REST API and by creating more complex integrated cloud workflows. Few pictures below can give you some idea about Onshape integrations (apologies for the quality of pictures. I’ve made them in standing room only during Onshape presentation at COFES).
Onshape is promising to make APIs and documentation available to broader audience later in May.
What is my conclusion? Hybrid architecture and APIs. For the next decade we will live in the world of new cloud apps and existing desktop tools. I can see people starting to use new cloud services in parallel with existing design applications. Openness will be even more important than before. It is critical to follow open integration architecture and REST APIs to support a mix of required integrations. Just my thoughts…
Best, Oleg
Image courtesy of Danilo Rizzuti at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
