Reinventing CAD Visualization: How TraceParts Transformed Its 3D Viewer with Spatial

In an environment where engineers and designers expect not only instant but also interactive access to product data, TraceParts continually enhances its tools. As one of the world’s leading CAD-content providers, the platform’s primary mission is to adapt swiftly to the evolving needs of industry professionals. 

The challenge was clear: deliver a smooth, interactive visualization experience directly from a browser without compromising on speed, quality, or flexibility. 

Going Beyond Static CAD Models

Industrial design is rapidly evolving, and so are expectations regarding digital tools. TraceParts identified that its existing 3D viewer, while efficient, no longer fully met the complex interactivity needs of engineers. 

Today’s users want to explore models in depth, perform browser-based measurements, navigate exploded views, or manipulate parts using different section planes. 

It wasn’t just about modernizing a tool: it was about rethinking the role of 3D visualization in the online component selection process. This required a solution combining performance, interoperability, and visual accuracy while seamlessly integrating into a cloud-based architecture. 

A Trusted Partnership with Spatial

The solution came through a strengthened partnership with Spatial, a subsidiary of Dassault Systèmes and a technology partner of TraceParts for over a decade. 

Since 2010, TraceParts has utilized Spatial’s 3D ACIS Modeler and 3D InterOp SDKs to power its CAD modeling engine and ensure compatibility with a wide range of formats. 

When the need for real-time, online 3D visualization emerged, the choice fell on HOOPS Communicator from Spatial. This module provided high-quality rendering, native integration with TraceParts’ existing systems, and accelerated, less complex implementation.

TraceParts 3D Viewer Pro 

Integrating HOOPS Communicator into the platform was quick and efficient. In just two months, the development teams, with support from Spatial’s technical experts, designed and deployed the TraceParts 3D Viewer Pro. 

The solution uses a HOOPS bridge to generate models optimized for visualization, either from in-memory ACIS entities or converted files such as .sat or .step. 

The new viewer is now directly embedded within the product pages of various catalogs. Depending on the supplier’s preference, it can either replace the previous module or be offered as an embedded feature on external pages. 

The Impact: A Transformed Selection Experience

Today, users benefit from a significantly enhanced visualization experience: interactive, smooth, and precise. 
They can zoom, rotate, section, or measure components in real time, directly from their browser, without any plugins or additional software. 

This new level of interaction helps reduce errors, speed up technical validation, and facilitate decision-making. 

For manufacturers, this improvement translates into increased visitor engagement, a better understanding of products, and shorter quotation cycles. Altogether, it strengthens TraceParts’ value proposition and its role in boosting productivity through digital tools. 

A Vision for the Future

At TraceParts, innovation goes beyond adding new features. It’s about staying aligned with the evolving needs of the engineering world. 

Integrating HOOPS Communicator is a significant milestone in this approach, but it’s only a step. 

As TraceParts’ digital ecosystem continues to grow, long-term technology partnerships like the one with Spatial remain crucial to delivering ever more powerful, scalable experiences that meet the expectations of a global professional community. 

Read the Spatial case study here: Spatial Case Study – TraceParts 

Want to leverage the power of TraceParts 3D Viewer Pro for your products? Contact us!