Best Cloud PDM for Aerospace Teams Compared

Cloud PDM software stores your CAD files online and tracks every version of them. For an aerospace or defense team, choosing one starts with two questions. Which CAD tool does your team use? And do you handle ITAR or CUI data?

This guide compares four cloud PDM platforms on four criteria: CAD workflow management, version control, access control, and access outside the CAD tool. Some of these platforms also include PLM. If you are comparing tools for change management and supplier workflows, see our companion guide to cloud PLM software for aerospace teams.

Quick answer

Bild (PDM and PLM): A fit if you want cloud PDM that works with your current CAD tool, with a GovCloud enclave for ITAR and CUI data.
3DEXPERIENCE (PDM and PLM): A fit if your team designs in Solidworks or Catia and wants to manage that data on Dassault Systèmes' cloud platform.
Onshape (CAD and PDM): A fit if you are open to moving CAD itself into the browser. Onshape Government runs on AWS GovCloud.

What to look for in cloud PDM software

CAD workflow management

Your PDM should work with the CAD tool your team uses and keep assembly references intact. If customers or suppliers send you models in other formats, check that the PDM can store and display those files too.

Version control

Look for a full history of every file and formal revisions tied to release. File locking through check-in and check-out keeps two engineers from overwriting each other's work. A side-by-side comparison of two versions helps reviewers see what changed.

Access control

Check how the PDM limits who can see and edit each file. For ITAR and CUI data, ask each vendor where data is hosted and who can access it. Software can help you meet ITAR obligations, but your company stays responsible for compliance.

Access outside the CAD tool

People in purchasing or quality may need to view models without a CAD license. Check whether the PDM offers a browser viewer or shareable links.

Cloud PDM software compared

Platform	Covers	CAD integration	A fit if
Bild	PDM and PLM	CAD agnostic (Solidworks, Creo, NX, Autodesk, and more)	You want cloud PDM that works with your current CAD tool
3DEXPERIENCE	PDM and PLM	Solidworks, Catia , and third-party MCAD	Your team designs in Solidworks or Catia
Onshape	CAD and PDM	Onshape (CAD and PDM in one tool)	You are open to browser-based CAD

The platforms, one by one

1. Bild

Bild is a cloud-native PDM and PLM platform for hardware engineering teams. There are no servers or VPNs to manage. Lunar Outpost and Inversion space are two of the teams that use Bild.

CAD workflow management: Bild is CAD agnostic, so it works with whatever CAD tool your team uses, including Solidworks, Creo, NX, AutoCAD and inventor.

Version control: Every file keeps a full version history, with formal revisions on top. Engineers check files in and out to prevent overwrites. Meru Delta, Bild's AI for 3D CAD, compares two versions of a part in 3D and explains what changed. You can try Meru Delta free on Bild's website.

Access control: Bild is SOC 2 Type II certified and supports SSO through SAML or OIDC. Permissions are role-based down to the project and document level, and every change and export is logged. A dedicated GovCloud enclave keeps ITAR and CUI data separate from commercial workloads. Details are on Bild's security page.

Access outside the CAD tool: Collaborators can review models in Bild's browser-based CAD viewer. Custom Views let your team sort files by supplier, status, material, or revision without changing the folder structure.

2. 3DExperience

3DExperience is Dassault Systèmes' cloud platform for data and lifecycle management. With the Collaborative Designer for Solidworks role, engineers save Solidworks parts, assemblies, and drawings to the platform from inside Solidworks. From a browser, teams can search design data and revise, release, or lock files. The Collaborative Industry Innovator role works with Solidworks, Catia, and third-party MCAD applications, and includes 2D and 3D markup for design reviews.

3. Onshape

Onshape is browser-based CAD with PDM built in, owned by PTC. Because CAD and PDM are one tool, teams that adopt it also switch CAD tools. Onshape Government is a separate version built on AWS GovCloud to help teams meet ITAR and EAR obligations. It uses FIPS 140-3 validated cryptography.

PTC Windchill+ and Siemens Teamcenter X also manage CAD data as part of their PLM platforms. We cover them in our companion guide to cloud PLM software. (Link PLM comparison blog here)

If you are looking at Solidworks PDM or Autodesk Vault, both are server-based tools your team hosts and maintains. Because this guide covers cloud PDM, we have not included them. For Solidworks teams that want a cloud option, Dassault Systèmes offers 3DExperience, covered above.

How to compare cloud PDM options for a mid-sized aerospace manufacturer

Use these steps to test each finalist against the four criteria above.

List the CAD tools and formats you work with. Include the formats your customers and suppliers send you. Rule out any PDM that cannot handle them.
Test a real assembly. Upload one of your largest assemblies during the trial. Check that references stay intact and that check-in and check-out work as expected.
Compare two versions. Edit a part, save a new version, and check how easily a reviewer can see what changed.
Map your controlled data. Decide which programs involve ITAR or CUI. Ask each vendor where that data would live and request their security documentation.
Test access for non-CAD users. Ask someone in purchasing or quality to find and view a part without help.

FAQ

Which cloud PDM tools support complex CAD workflows for aerospace companies?

Look for a PDM that integrates with your CAD tool and keeps large assemblies intact. Bild is CAD agnostic and works with Solidworks, Creo, NX, Autodesk, and other CAD tools. 3DExperience works with Solidworks and Catia. Test each finalist with one of your own assemblies.

What cloud PDM platforms work best with popular CAD tools?

Bild is CAD agnostic, so it works with Solidworks, Creo, NX, Autodesk, and other CAD tools. 3DExpereince connects to Solidworks through the Collaborative Designer for Solidworks role.

How do you compare cloud PDM options for mid-sized aerospace manufacturers?

Start with your CAD tools and your controlled data. Then test each finalist with a real assembly and check that non-CAD users can find what they need. The steps above walk through this in more detail.

What is the difference between PDM and PLM?

PDM manages engineering data such as CAD files and their versions. PLM covers the wider product lifecycle, including change management and supplier work. Some platforms are PDM only, some are PLM only, and some, including Bild, do both.

Try Bild with your own CAD data

If you want cloud PDM that works with your CAD tool, Bild is worth a look. Book a demo to see it with one of your assemblies, or try Meru Delta free on our website to compare two versions of a part in 3D.