Long-Term Archival and Retrieval (LOTAR) with CADIQ
Future-Proof Your CAD Data with Industry-Leading Validation
CADIQ empowers manufacturers and suppliers to meet the demanding standards of Long-Term Archival and Retrieval (LOTAR) across the aerospace, defense, and other regulated industries. As an active member of LOTAR International, ITI supports the development and implementation of global standards for long-term, auditable, and sustainable CAD data retention.
Trusted by Industry. Built for Longevity.
LOTAR International is led by prominent OEMs and suppliers in aerospace and defense with the goal of ensuring that digital design data remains accessible, accurate, and reusable—decades into the future. CADIQ helps achieve this goal by verifying model integrity and documenting design quality throughout the archiving process.
Long-Term CAD Data Archival
CADIQ enhances LOTAR compliance by:
- Documenting model quality defects to establish expectations for long-term data reusability
- Validating derived formats (e.g., STEP, IGES) against the master CAD model to confirm geometric and data integrity
- Supporting archive sustainability through ongoing format verification and automated quality checks
Whether archiving native CAD models or derived neutral formats, CADIQ ensures your product design intent is preserved and verifiable over time.
Data Delivery Certification
For supplier deliverables and OEM compliance, CADIQ provides confidence in data readiness and interoperability. The solution:
- Detects quality issues that could hinder downstream manufacturing or reuse
- Confirms equivalence between original and translated formats (IGES, STEP, CAD translations)
- Adds STEP validation properties to streamline verification for recipients without access to native systems
This is especially critical for smaller suppliers delivering to OEMs under strict data quality mandates. CADIQ enables robust validation even without native CAD tools.
Validate Critical Engineering Processes
Beyond archival, CADIQ plays a vital role in ensuring engineering data can be confidently reused, exchanged, and adapted. Key capabilities include:
- Detecting Model-Based Definition (MBD) issues impacting manufacturing, simulation, and collaboration
- Supporting validation of engineering changes, revision control, and design manufacturability
- Comparing geometry, PMI, design features, and assemblies across versions
- Delivering results through interactive CADIQ Viewer, detailed summary reports, and shareable 3D PDF documentation
When issues arise on the manufacturing floor, CADIQ's visual reports enable quick and clear communication back to engineering—closing the loop for continuous quality improvement.
Ready to learn more?
Explore the full capabilities of CADIQ and how it supports LOTAR compliance, engineering validation, and data sustainability.