LLM4CAD
AI in CAD design
Technical 2D drawings contain valuable information. However, in most companies, they are stored as unstructured image files in archives, making them difficult to access.
Anyone who needs data from these drawings has to open them manually, read the information, and then enter it by hand into downstream systems. This process is time-consuming and prone to errors, and it cannot be scaled up.
Gains in efficiency: AI meets CAD
With LLM4CAD, you can use artificial intelligence to automatically extract information from technical CAD drawings, provide relevant data in a structured format, and relieve your engineers of manual, time-consuming processes.
What is LLM4CAD:
LLM4CAD is an AI solution that recognises and understands the content of technical 2D CAD drawings. Unlike traditional optical character recognition (OCR) software, it captures the semantic meaning of characters, i.e. the technical context of a drawing.
Relevant metadata, such as tolerances, material specifications, and table contents, is automatically recognised, extracted, and presented in a structured format. What used to take hours of manual work now takes just seconds.
Furthermore, LLM4CAD enables interactive access to the data. Through an integrated chatbot feature, users can query their CAD data using natural language to retrieve specific information, compare drawings and identify relationships.
Data control and sovereignty included
- LLM4CAD runs entirely locally and independently of external cloud services.
- Your data remains within your network and is 100% secure.
The key benefits for you at a glance:
Efficiency gains
Manually extracting information (data extraction) from technical drawings is not only time-consuming but also prone to errors. LLM4CAD, on the other hand, extracts this metadata automatically, reducing the time required by 92% and thus giving engineers back the time they need for their actual work.
Seamless system integration
The structured outputs in standardised JSON format are compatible with existing PLM, DMS and ERP systems, enabling them to be integrated seamlessly into digital processes.
Data quality and process reliability
In addition to reducing errors in manual data entry, the extracted metadata is automatically synchronised with existing PDM systems. This allows inconsistencies to be identified at an early stage, improving data quality in the long term.
Developed through research
– validated in practice
LLM4CAD is the outcome of an innovation study conducted by SSC in collaboration with the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), as part of the European FFplus research project.
The project focused on combining multimodal large language models (AI models capable of simultaneously understanding and processing text and images) with intelligent detection methods for automatically recognising technical structures, and training them on a high-performance computer. The aim was to develop a practical solution that runs on standard hardware.
The results speak for themselves: in a validation test involving over 2,600 real CAD drawings, LLM4CAD impressed with its high speed and accuracy.
Would you like to find out how LLM4CAD can be used in your business?
We look forward to discussing this with you and would be happy to advise you, with no obligation, on potential applications and integration.
What sets us apart
Outlook
LLM4CAD is gradually being integrated into our reliable data exchange platform, SWAN. This enables users to access it directly within their familiar working environment, boosting their productivity by eliminating the need to switch between systems.
Further development
We are constantly working to further develop LLM4CAD. Expanding to include 3D data opens up new possibilities, such as automatically comparing multiple drawings or estimating production costs.
Expertise
With over 25 years’ experience in digital product development, we combine proven expertise with personalised advice and in-depth technical know-how.