CATIA version control with OpenVault

Bring Git-style version control to CATIA designs. OpenVault handles CATIA binary files through Git LFS, while ToolCrib converts to STEP for collaboration across tools.

The CATIA workflow

CATIA projects produce large binary files: .CATPart for individual parts, .CATProduct for assemblies, and .CATDrawing for 2D documentation. These files are typically hundreds of megabytes each, especially when they contain assemblies or surface models.

OpenVault routes these files through Git LFS automatically, so your repository stays fast and your history stays clean. You commit your work like you would with Git, but OpenVault handles the complexity of managing binary geometry under the hood.

File types managed:

OpenVault tracks them all faithfully, regardless of file extension, preserving every change without corruption.

OpenVault capabilities for CATIA

storage

Automatic Git LFS routing

CATIA binary files are recognized and automatically routed through Git LFS. No tracking rules to configure. Large assemblies stay performant.

history

Full change history

Every part revision, assembly update, and drawing change becomes a timestamped commit with author and message. Audit trail for compliance.

merge

Branching and merging

Explore design variants in a branch. Iterate freely. Merge back when the variant is ready. Main design stays stable.

cloud_off

Offline first

Work on your designs anywhere. Sync when connected. No network dependency, no lock-out moments. Full version history available locally.

difference

Honest conflict handling

When two engineers edit the same CATIA file, OpenVault flags the conflict and shows both versions. You decide which changes to keep.

terminal

Works with CATIA tooling

OpenVault sits underneath CATIA files. Use CATIA V5 or CATIA 3DEXPERIENCE normally. OpenVault tracks the files you produce.

ToolCrib for CATIA to STEP exchange

When your design needs to leave CATIA. for supplier collaboration, manufacturing systems, or cross-tool workflows. ToolCrib converts to STEP format.

ToolCrib CLI runs on the command line:

pip install toolcrib
toolcrib convert part.CATPart --to step --output part.step
toolcrib convert assembly.CATProduct --to step --output assembly.step

CATIA designs convert to STEP with geometry preserved. Assemblies map to STEP assembly hierarchies. Properties like mass and volume carry through.

When to use STEP exchange:

ToolCrib also runs batch conversions. Convert thousands of CATIA parts to STEP in one command for legacy archive migration or bulk supplier handoff.

Integration workflow

A typical design workflow combines OpenVault version control with ToolCrib format conversion:

  1. Local development. You work in CATIA normally. Edit parts, update assemblies, regenerate drawings. Save your work.

  2. Version control with OpenVault. When a design is ready, you commit it through OpenVault. The .CATPart, .CATProduct, and .CATDrawing files go into version control with a message describing the change: "Add boss boss feature to bracket" or "Increase chamfer to 2mm". OpenVault routes the binary files through Git LFS.

  3. Branching for variants. When you need to explore a design alternative, you branch. Your work stays isolated from the main design until you're ready to merge.

  4. Team sync. Teammates pull your changes, see your design updates, and can see exactly what you changed from the previous revision. If someone else edited the same file, OpenVault stops and flags the conflict for resolution.

  5. Exchange with STEP. When the design leaves CATIA. for a supplier, CAM system, or archive. you convert to STEP using ToolCrib. The conversion preserves geometry and assembly structure.

  6. Audit trail. Later, when you need to show "what changed and when," your OpenVault history has it all: every commit, every author, every timestamp, every change message. No archaeology. Compliance-ready.

CATIA and OpenVault FAQs

Do I have to use CATIA's PDM system with OpenVault?
No. OpenVault is independent of CATIA PDM. It works with CATIA files produced normally in CATIA V5 or CATIA 3DEXPERIENCE, whether or not you are also using CATIA PDM. OpenVault sits underneath the files you create.
How large can CATIA assemblies get in OpenVault?
CATIA assemblies can be hundreds of megabytes, especially surface models or complex mechanical designs. OpenVault routes these through Git LFS so your repository stays fast and your bandwidth stays reasonable. A 500 MB assembly commits in seconds and history lookups remain instant because Git LFS stores large files separately from the repository metadata.
Can I convert CATIA files to STEP and back?
ToolCrib converts CATIA to STEP reliably. Converting back from STEP to CATIA is more lossy because CATIA's parametric history (features, constraints, sketches) is not encoded in STEP. Use STEP for exchange and archival; keep the native CATIA files in OpenVault for design iteration and use STEP for final handoff.
What if two CATIA designers edit the same assembly?
OpenVault flags the conflict. Both versions are available for you to see. You then decide which changes to keep, either by taking one version entirely or by manually merging the changes in CATIA. Because CATIA assemblies are binary, OpenVault cannot merge them automatically. The review step ensures design intent is preserved.
Does OpenVault work with CATIA macros and CATScripts?
Yes. Any file CATIA produces, including macros and scripts (CATScript, VBScript, Python), can be versioned in OpenVault. Text-based scripts (VBScript, Python) are tracked in plain Git with human-readable diffs. Binary CATScript files are routed through Git LFS.
How do I integrate OpenVault into a CATIA manufacturing workflow?
Use ToolCrib to convert CATIA designs to STEP. Feed the STEP files into your CAM system, simulation, or manufacturing planning tools. Keep the parametric CATIA files in OpenVault for design iteration. Convert to STEP when the design is release-ready. This separation keeps your design flexible while giving downstream tools a stable exchange format.

Start versioning your CATIA designs

OpenVault is free and open source. Install it now to bring Git-style version control to your CATIA projects.