Overview

CAD-Viewer.org is a free, web-based platform that enables users to view and share CAD files directly from their browser—no software installation required. Designed for both professionals and hobbyists, the platform offers a fast, reliable, and easy-to-use experience across all devices.

Our goal is to make CAD viewing and sharing truly accessible by providing a streamlined, out-of-the-box solution that works anywhere, anytime.

Technology and Source Code

CAD-Viewer.org is built using a combination of open-source technologies and proprietary software. We rely on established libraries such as OpenCascade and X3DOM to deliver robust CAD processing and rendering capabilities.

While the core application code remains proprietary, we contribute to the open-source community when possible by submitting bug reports or fixes. Additionally, selected non-critical utilities from our codebase—intended to support broader development needs—will be released under the PFSS License v1.0 to allow their reuse and benefit the wider community.

Project Background

CAD-Viewer.org was created by Rafael Senties Martinelli, a software subcontractor based in France. The idea began in 2015 during his Master's studies in Mechanical Design Engineering, after discovering the pythonocc-core library through a snippet shared by his colleague Paul Renard. Rafael saw the potential to use the library with the Django framework and create a browser-based CAD viewer.

The first prototype was launched in late 2015, and it remained online until the end of 2016, when it was temporarily shut down. After a pause lasting until mid-2018, a conversation with CAD expert Romain Chelmas motivated Rafael to continue the project, leading to its relaunch online.

In 2020, the project received more focused attention, with efforts to make it more stable and professional. It was migrated to a dedicated domain and server to support long-term development.

Since 2024, the project has taken a significant step forward in quality and performance by integrating OpenCascade directly. Continuous efforts are underway to optimize responsiveness and include technologies like WebAssembly and custom binary formats to further enhance the user experience.

Support the Project

CAD-Viewer.org is independently developed and maintained in Rafael’s free time, with no corporate backing. Your support can help cover operational costs and further feature development.

• GitHub Sponsors – Help fund ongoing development and infrastructure.

• Leetchi – Help integrating the AutoCAD (*.dxf) format.

Legal Notice

CAD-Viewer.org is a personal project created and maintained by Rafael Senties Martinelli. It is based in France and is not currently registered as a legal entity.