Integrate your CAD systems with Arena PLM

Get your design and product lifecycle management systems talking with intelligent, bi-directional CAD-to-Arena automation.

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Arena PLM integration

CADTALK PLM delivers a purpose-built, bi-directional integration between your CAD and PDM systems and Arena PLM: transforming engineering design data into fully validated Arena items, bills of materials, and attachments with unmatched speed and accuracy.

Unlike a basic import or mapping utility, CADTALK PLM intelligently reads data from any CAD and PDM application, converting the engineering bill of materials (eBOM) into Arena-ready items and BOMs.

CADTALK's expression-based, low-code configurable intelligence gives you the power to integrate your systems cleaner and faster.

As an always-current partner with Arena by PTC, CADTALK PLM supports every aspect of the product record from items and BOMs to attachments, vendors, and manufacturers, ensuring a complete, accurate product record every time.

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Key Arena PLM integration features

Automatic creation and update of Arena items and multi-level bills of materials directly from CAD data
Bi-directional data synchronization between CAD/PDM and Arena with full change tracking
Support for Arena custom fields, categories, and lifecycle phases
Upload CAD thumbnails, PDFs, STEP files, and other derived documents directly to Arena item records
Color-coded change tracking identifies new, modified, and existing items at a glance
Add non-CAD parts (purchased components, hardware, etc.) to the Arena BOM directly from the CADTALK interface
Support for engineering change orders (ECOs/ECNs) to maintain Arena’s controlled release process

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Why connecting CAD to Arena PLM changes everything

CAD-to-PLM integration solves a fundamentally different problem than CAD-to-ERP. While ERP integration focuses on manufacturing execution, connecting your CAD system to Arena PLM ensures your entire product record (from initial design through compliance and supply chain) is accurate, complete, and always current.

The problem without integration

Engineering teams create and revise designs in CAD, then manually re-enter that same data into Arena PLM: item numbers, descriptions, BOMs, revision levels, and file attachments. This dual-entry process costs time, introduces errors, and creates disconnects between what engineering designed and what the rest of the organization sees.

When a $1.00 BOM mistake can cost up to 100x more by the time it reaches the customer, and when engineering services are billed at $130 per hour, manual processes are inefficient and expensive.

Three pillars of CAD-to-PLM value

Single source of truth

Every item, BOM, and revision in Arena reflects exactly what engineering designed in CAD. No version mismatches. No outdated BOMs floating through the supply chain. Your entire organization (operations, procurement, quality, and manufacturing) works from the same, most current product record.

Accelerated new product introduction (NPI)

Automating the design-to-PLM handoff removes the bottleneck between engineering completing a design and the rest of the organization acting on it. Products move from prototype through NPI and into production faster, giving you a competitive edge in time-to-market.

Engineer satisfaction and retention

Engineers went to school for design, not data entry. By eliminating repetitive data entry, your team spends more time on innovation, product development, and high-value engineering work. The result is greater job satisfaction and lower turnover.

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How CADTALK PLM Works with Arena

Step 1: Read

CADTALK reads your CAD assembly and extracts engineering BOM data (part numbers, descriptions, quantities, materials, revision levels, and file references) directly from SOLIDWORKS, Inventor, Creo, Solid Edge, AutoCAD, or any supported CAD/PDM system.

Steps 2 to 4

See the process

Get from design to product record faster

Get to market 5x faster: Automate the design-to-PLM handoff that used to take hours or days
Minimize BOM mistakes: Automated data transfer eliminates transcription errors that cascade through procurement and manufacturing
Better cross-functional collaboration: Engineering, operations, quality, and supply chain all work from the same accurate product record
Eliminate duplicate work: Stop maintaining parallel data in CAD and Arena
Configurable, not custom: CADTALK stays synchronized with the latest Arena, CAD, and PDM versions

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Complete Arena PLM integration capabilities

Built for Arena PLM

Reserves Arena part numbers from inside SolidWorks, using Arena’s own categories
Syncs multi-level assemblies and matches parts already in Arena, so nothing duplicates
Updates working revisions and leaves released revisions to your Arena process
Keeps Arena-only BOM lines on every sync
Attaches PDF and STEP files to Arena items
Moves SolidWorks PDM workflow states when Arena change orders open and release

From Arena into your ERP

Triggers on Arena release and change-order events
Applies make-or-buy rules per ERP site, so one part can build differently at each site
Converts units of measure, such as “each” to “EA,” before the write
Writes cost and on-hand data back to Arena without touching revisions
Writes to every ERP CADTALK supports

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does CADTALK PLM support uploading documents like images and PDFs to Arena PLM?

Yes. CADTALK PLM supports uploading images, PDFs, STEP files, and other derived documents to Arena PLM both manually and automatically through the intelligence engine.

What fields does CADTALK PLM support in Arena?

CADTALK PLM supports all fields in the Arena item and BOM, including custom fields and attachments.

Can CADTALK PLM add parts to the Arena BOM that are not in the CAD system?

Yes. Users can search Arena PLM directly from the CADTALK interface and add non-CAD parts (purchased components, hardware, and consumables) to the bill of materials.

How does CADTALK PLM handle revisions and engineering changes?

CADTALK PLM updates the working revision in Arena. From there, your ECO/ECN process continues as it normally does in Arena. CADTALK does not bypass Arena’s change control.

Does CADTALK PLM support multiple CAD systems?

Yes. CADTALK is a middleware automation layer that integrates multiple CAD systems with Arena. If your engineering teams use different tools across sites or disciplines, CADTALK connects them all to a single Arena instance.

More questions about CADTALK in general? See the Integration Hub FAQ.

Integration Hub