3D PART VIEWER
See every part.
Find every match.
Faster.
Upload, open, measure, and analyze parts instantly— no expensive CAD or CAM software license needed.
The harder it is to see and analyze a part,
the harder it is to estimate and quote
Too many machine shop teams lose hours bouncing between CAD software, email threads, and network folders just to open, view or measure a single part. You wait on programmers for answers, slow down quoting, and lose track of similar jobs you know you’ve run before.
We change that.
Make Every Part the Center of Your Estimating Workflow
Machine Research includes a free 3D CAD part viewer that allows you to open and inspect any 3D model or 2D drawing directly in the app — no extra software or licenses needed. Powerful surface classification, measuring tools, and section cuts help you to quickly understand every surface and identify potential manufacturing issues.
Upload CAD, PDFs, or drawing files—individually or in batches.
• 3D CAD part files • CATIA and X_T files • 2D drawings • PDF files
Supported File Types:
CATIA, X_T, SLDPRT, CATPART, STEP, X_B, SAT, SAB, IPT, PRT, PAR, JT, IGS
Rotate, zoom, and measure parts instantly
• Bounding box measurements • Surface details • Surface to surface measuring • Point to point measuring • Angle measurements • Section view • Alternate views (wire, transparent, etc.)
ShapeSearch finds it for you—fast.
Do a visual search for similar parts in your database to find and reuse prior costing and pricing data to speed up quoting and eliminate embarrassing, inconsistent quotes to customers.
“We’ve had a great experience with Machine Research. The ability to read STEP models directly saves us a significant amount of time and improves accuracy right from the start. It’s become a valuable tool for verifying run times and generating quick, reliable quotes. It has streamlined our front-end process and helps us respond to customers faster with more confidence.”
Matthew Dobias
CEO, A.R. Machining
Klaus Willroider
Programming Manager & Technical Sales, Camcor Industries LTD
Everything your shop needs to quote faster — in one connected platform.
Upload CAD, PDFs, or drawing files individually or in batches — and see the actual 3D part in your browser, no CAD license required. Rotate, measure, section, and analyze geometry before your estimator writes a single number. Supports STEP, CATIA, X_T, SLDPRT, and 10 more file types.
Assembly Estimating
Modern Technology, Built for Machine Shops
Built by a Machine Shop that understands how shops really work
Fast and easy to implement and use, no steep learning curves
Affordable, no contracts, eliminates the need for additional software
ITAR registered, CMMC 2.0 Level 2 certified, hosted in AWS GovCloud
What Our Customers Have to Say
"Since we've started using Machine Research, the impact on our business has been a game changer. We’re winning more jobs, all because we can quote faster and more accurately. Our business has grown, and it’s because of the software."
"Machine Research has been an invaluable, ITAR-compliant tool—helping us quote faster, stay organized and win more work.”
“We needed a way to generate accurate quotes and stay organized without the complexity or high cost of traditional systems. Machine Research made quoting accessible from day one - it’s easy to use, the team listens, and filled a critical gap as we built our shop from the ground up.”
“What used to take 30 minutes now takes about 10. Building the quote is straightforward and easy.”
"Not only have we significantly decreased our turn times on estimating jobs and generating quotes with Machine Research, but we’ve increased our accuracy rates, we’re far more organized and confident in our pricing, and we send quotes that look professional within minutes."
“Before Machine Research, quoting lived in our owner’s head and in endless Excel sheets. Now it’s organized, consistent, and our quotes look sharp and professional.”
Start quoting faster with an advanced CAD viewer
See how Machine Research helps your shop quote faster, smarter, and more profitably.
Is Machine Research really a free 3D CAD part viewer?
Machine Research includes a powerful 3D CAD part viewer at no additional cost inside our estimating and quoting platform. It is not sold as a standalone viewer, but is built specifically to help machine shops analyze parts and quote faster.
What file types does the Machine Research part viewer support?
Our viewer supports common 3D CAD file formats including CATIA, X_T, STEP, and other standard manufacturing file types used by machine shops.
Do I need expensive CAD software to open part files?
No. Machine Research allows you to open, rotate, measure, section, and analyze 3D part files directly in your browser—no additional CAD licenses required.
Can I measure parts inside the viewer?
Yes. You can measure:
Surface areas
Radii
Distances between points
Angles using three-point selection
Cylinder axis measurements
Section views for internal inspection
All directly inside the browser.
What is ShapeSearch?
ShapeSearch scans your uploaded part library to find similar parts based on geometry. It shows percentage matches and overlays differences, helping machine shops leverage past job data to quote faster and more accurately.
Is this a free global CAD viewer tool?
No. Machine Research is not a standalone CAD viewer download tool. It is part of a professional estimating and quoting platform built specifically for machine shops.
without encouraging it.)
Can I download or purchase the part viewer separately?
No. The part viewer is included as part of the Machine Research estimating and quoting platform and is designed to support machine shops in winning profitable work.