Reverse engineering on .pvz files

[guerau]

Hello, 

Can someone tell me how secure the .pvz format is against reverse engineering?

I want to share some assemblies using this format but I'm afraid someone may take the files, convert them to another format, and use them again in a CAD software. 

Thanks

[BenLoosli]

From my understanding the .pvz file is a Product View Zipped file. A drawing .pvz contains some meta data and the product view file in its native format which is whatever your company publishes the file in. In my case it is a PDF file, and others I know use  HPGL.

Not sure what data is in a part/assembly .pvz file, but I doubt it is enough to import into another CAD system and create a part. You could probably get dimensions off the view and recreate the part, but an assembly would be very hard to reverse. I doubt any sort of mating conditions, etc. are contained in a .pvz file.

[Tdaugherty]

It is possible to import .pvz files into Creo to create solid geometry. I'm not sure if it's possible to do this in other CAD tools. If you're worried about data security, I'd recommend using shrinkwrap. You can create a simplified version of the assembly (external geometry only) and send the files in any format you'd like.

Ty

[guerau]

Hi, 

I've been looking for that option I haven't been able to find it in Creo Elements Direct Modeling 19.0.

Actually, I'm afraid it may not be available in that software ????

Thanks 

[Tdaugherty]

Ah shoot... That will be the problem then. Shrinkwrap is a command in Creo Parametric.

I recommend investigating the 3D PDF export option. Based on some reading, it seems like that type of file can't be imported into any CAD tools as solid geometry. It's also pretty convenient because it's opened in Adobe.

https://support.ptc.com/help/creo/ced_modeling/r20.1.1.0/en/#page/ced_modeling%2FOSDM_Main%2FFiles_Types.html%23

[remy]

It is like in computer security, requiring a system that would be 100% secured is a pipe dream.

You need to re-assess your requirement and define how much you are ready to share. Anyone who is determined enough will reverse engineering anything. This is part of the game.

Now practically speaking:

1. pvz is a compressed file format. It means that anyone or anything that knows about archive will be able unzip it.
2. Creo View is a tesselated file format: the shape of the model is made of triangles put together with different strategies of stitching and a given lod. In some ways the model is dumbed down. Consequently inevitably there is a loss of data. A measured loss, but a loss none the less.
3. There is little CAD vendors that offer import for pvz except PTC with Creo (i would be worried otherwise). Even when importing a pvz to Creo most of the intelligence of the model (component constraints, relations) is gone. So data deterioration is immutable.

Now again, someone motivated will find a way and ressource if they need to reverse engineer anything. All you can do is slow them down. Given the three bullets above and my humble experience, pvz is good enough.

Historically, customers have been using STEP file format, shrinkwrap (when all collaborators had Creo), copy geometry (top down desing) and now there is the Collapse feature that you can try. To me Creo offers all you need.