Different cases
How can CATIA V4 data and applications operate in a CATIA V5 environment and vice versa?
Interoperability or Data Transfer covers the following Aspects:
V4 Data Usage in V5 Context: V4 to V5 Interoperability
This business case can be used by firms introducing CATIA Version 5 in supplemental mode by using V5 for downstream activities based on V4 modeling.
For instance, a design department has developed its whole project with CATIA V5 and they need to work on V4 elements in a V5 context. In this situation there is no conversion from CATIA V5 to CATIA V4 because of V4 models visualization and usability with downstream applications in V5 environment. Therefore, they can use simultaneously V4 Master Geometry and V5 workbenches (DMU and Analysis). This Direct Interoperability is illustrated in the following chart:
V5 Data Usage in V4 Context: V5 to V4 Interoperability
For instance, an enterprise is not yet working with CATIA V5, and it is however using V5 documents (Master Geometry) in the context of V4 applications. This reverse Interoperability is nowadays used by Manufacturing.
Migration or Transformation covers the following Aspects:
A V4 environment to be converted into V5 : V4 to V5 Translation
Having acquired CATIA V5 recently, a design department has to launch a new project based on legacy data for modification. For this reason they need to convert former V4 data into V5 data.
This Direct Transformation can take place with the Copy As SPEC (Boundary Representation + Specifications) and Copy As Result (Boundary Representation) mechanisms.
A V4 environment without any methodology in the use of V5 data : V5 to V4 Translation
A downstream activity still working in V4 (Covering or Manufacturing) and receiving Master geometry from design office working in V5. This action is called Reverse Transformation:
