The Toolpath CAD Viewer for Google Chrome
Nearly every job starts with someone sending you a CAD file.
Then you have to do a bunch of computer tasks. Download the file, wait for it to load in CAD, take a bunch of measurements, and zoom/pan/orbit around trying to find tricky features. All to go back to the email the download started at and respond to it.
The Toolpath CAD Viewer for Google Chrome puts the part, measurement tools, and detailed DFM feedback in your hands as soon as you hit download.
- View parts instantly. STEP, IGES, Parasolid, SolidWorks, CATIA and PRT files open immediately in Chrome. No CAD launch (or license) required. Of course you still get the download.
- Get a real look. Compare the part to a standard banana for scale, create section views, and take measurements on part geometry. Make your quick checks without intermediate file management.
- Go deeper. Connect to the Toolpath DFM API and build custom DFM rules to highlight the model features YOU care about flagging automatically. Surface challenges sooner to respond faster and smarter.
Using the CAD Viewer
Looking is free. Install the extension to view and measure as many parts as you'd like.
To enable DFM Checks, sign up for a free account at portal.toolpath.com. This will grant you 1000 DFM analyses to start, then 100/month after that. No credit card necessary. Then paste your API key into the viewer and you're good to go.
Got CAD files already downloaded that could use a DFM check? Hit the extension's button in the toolbar, or drag them into Chrome.
Why we built it
Download the file, dig it out of your downloads folder, fire up CAD, wait for it to load, then start looking. Do that at 10 p.m., between phone calls, or with a machine alarming out on the floor, and it's easy to make mistakes. We've missed stupid stuff and underestimated features that turned out to be a real pain.
Those misses aren't cheap: rush tool orders, extra hours proving out the program, or rejected parts.
They were avoidable though.