Design quality check toolkits are automated tools that verify CAD models, drawings, PLM data, and design release readiness against defined quality rules — running at model save, PLM checkin, or lifecycle state transition rather than waiting for manual design review. EMUG Tech delivers six design quality check service areas: CAD model quality checks for NX, Creo, Solid Edge, and CATIA; drawing standards enforcement; GD&T and annotation validation; PLM attribute completeness and accuracy checks; design release readiness gate configuration; and BOM completeness and accuracy validation. All programmes follow the EMUG GRADE Framework — five phases covering Gather, Rule, Architect, Develop, and Enable.

EMUG GRADE is the five-phase design quality check delivery methodology: Gather — complete quality rule inventory covering CAD modelling, drawing, GD&T, PLM attribute, and release gate requirements; Rule — check logic specification with severity classification, trigger definition, and corrective guidance; Architect — check framework selection and tool architecture per CAD and PLM platform; Develop — check rule implementation, unit testing, and performance optimisation; Enable — deployment with trigger configuration, engineering training, and compliance monitoring. GRADE addresses the core design quality challenge: organisations with documented standards that are not enforced because the enforcement mechanism is a manual design review that cannot catch every violation on every model.

NX Check-Mate is the Siemens NX quality checking framework that allows organisations to define and execute custom model quality rules within the NX environment. Check-Mate checks can be run manually on demand, triggered automatically at NX save or close, or executed as part of an NX workflow. EMUG Tech develops NX Check-Mate rules covering: model structure checks (feature naming, datum plane naming, reference geometry usage); geometric quality checks (under-constrained sketches, free curves, invalid surfaces); drawing checks (title block completeness, view configuration, annotation format); and PLM integration checks (required NX attributes populated, drawing number format, revision consistency). Check results are presented in the NX Check-Mate result browser with part highlighting of failing features and corrective guidance text.

PLM attribute validation and release gates are implemented using the PLM system’s lifecycle condition framework: in Teamcenter, using BMIDE workflow conditions and action handlers that evaluate attribute completeness before allowing lifecycle state transitions; in Windchill, using lifecycle state entry conditions and process templates; in 3DEXPERIENCE, using lifecycle maturity state conditions in ENOVIA. The implementation covers: mandatory attribute population checks (material, drawing number, classification) at PLM checkin; attribute format validation (part number format, revision format); cross-reference consistency (drawing references correct part number); and multi-condition release gates requiring DMU sign-off, simulation result linkage, drawing approval, and ECO closure before release state is accessible.

GD&T (Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing) validation checks verify that tolerance annotations applied in CAD models and drawings comply with ASME Y14.5 or ISO 1101 standards and the organisation’s GD&T application rules. EMUG GRADE GD&T check rules cover: datum reference frame completeness (every feature control frame references the correct datum letters); GD&T symbol correctness (symbol type appropriate for feature type); tolerance value range validation (values within allowable range for feature class and material); modifier completeness (MMC, LMC, RFS modifiers applied consistently); surface finish symbol format compliance; weld symbol completeness for welded assemblies; and note format validation for standard engineering notes. In 3D model-based definition (MBD) environments, PMI annotation completeness and associativity to nominal geometry is also validated.

EMUG GRADE defines three check severity levels in the Rule phase: blocking checks that prevent CAD save, PLM checkin, or lifecycle state promotion until corrected — reserved for checks where proceeding with a violation creates downstream risk (missing mandatory drawing reference, invalid geometry, missing safety-critical attribute); warning checks that display to the engineer and require acknowledgement but do not block the operation — used for advisory standards where exceptions are occasionally valid and engineer judgment is appropriate; and informational checks that log results without presenting a dialog — used for metrics tracking and compliance reporting without disrupting the engineering workflow. This classification prevents the scenario where engineers disable or ignore all check output because every check generates a blocking error that must be dismissed before work can continue.

A focused check toolkit programme for one toolkit category — for example, an NX model quality check toolkit covering 15 to 25 model and drawing rules — typically delivers from Gather to Enable in 8 to 14 weeks. A comprehensive design quality programme covering model checks, drawing standards, PLM attribute validation, and release gate configuration across multiple CAD platforms typically takes 16 to 28 weeks. The Gather and Rule phases (4 to 6 weeks) are fixed regardless of check count — the quality rule catalogue and severity classification must be complete and engineering-team-approved before development begins, as retroactive rule changes after development are expensive.

Design quality check toolkit programmes are delivered across automotive OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers (IATF 16949 design control compliance), aerospace and defense manufacturers (AS9100 Rev D design review requirements), industrial machinery producers (ISO 9001 design control), energy companies, and high-tech electronics firms in 20 countries: Germany, France, UK, Netherlands, Sweden, Italy, Spain, Poland, Czech Republic in Europe; India, Japan, South Korea, China, Malaysia, Thailand in Asia-Pacific; UAE and Saudi Arabia in the Middle East; USA, Canada, Mexico, Brazil in the Americas.