Important Changes Coming in 2026
In recent years, the 3D Exchange market has faced increasing uncertainty, with rising costs and shifting ownership creating risks around long-term access to core technologies. To provide a stable, open alternative, Open Design Alliance (ODA) is developing MCAD SDK - a platform designed for secure, long-term interoperability backed by industry oversight and ODA’s commitment to openness.
What is MCAD SDK?
MCAD SDK is ODA’s solution for native MCAD formats. It delivers advanced capabilities for visualization, geometry access, metadata, and PMI. Features include cross-platform rendering, section and exploded views, export to 3D PDF and other formats, as well as integration-ready pipelines for simulation and CAM.
The roadmap already shows strong results:
SolidWorks released in June 2025
Inventor coming in November 2025
Catia, QIF, and IGES by December 2025
And the development continues through 2027, with support for JT, Creo, Rhino, Parasolid, NX, SolidEdge, and Pro/E.
More details about MCAD SDK are available on our website: https://www.opendesign.com/products/mcad-sdk
Membership Today
Until December 31, 2025, ODA members can still join the MCAD project at the Controlling level, which provides:
A voice in project governance
Full source code access
$30,000 annual fee locked through 2029 (with back-payment required for fairness)
This unique membership level allows companies not only to use MCAD SDK but also to directly influence its future development.
What Changes in 2026
Starting January 1, 2026, the Controlling level will close to new members. Instead, two new license options will be available:
Standard License - $25,000/year for Sustaining members, binary access only
Premium License - $50,000/year for Founding members, full source access
Neither of these new licenses includes governance rights.
Joining before the end of 2025 is the only way to secure governance rights together with source access at the lower rate. For companies that rely on long-term, reliable access to MCAD formats, this is a rare opportunity to combine technical benefits with strategic influence.
Visit our website to learn more and get in touch https://www.opendesign.com/.
