Core Capability
Duplicate Part Detection: Detecting duplicate engineering parts across engineering portfolios.
Large organizations accumulate duplicate or near-duplicate components over decades of product development — designed independently across different programs, suppliers, or teams.
ShapeSense detects these redundant components by comparing geometry, drawings, and engineering metadata.
The Problem
Hidden Duplicates at Scale
As product lines expand and teams work across different locations and programs, duplicate components are frequently introduced into product libraries. Because they are stored under different part numbers, they often remain hidden within enterprise systems.
20–40% of parts in large manufacturing organizations may be duplicates or near-duplicates.
Operational challenges created by duplicates:
- Unnecessary tooling investments
- Redundant inventory
- Fragmented supplier sourcing
- Increased product complexity
The Hidden Cost
Duplicate parts are stored under different part numbers and remain invisible within enterprise systems — driving unnecessary cost across tooling, inventory, and sourcing.
Gap Analysis
Why Current Systems Fail
Traditional enterprise systems struggle to detect duplicate parts for several fundamental reasons.
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01. Part numbers are the primary identifier
PLM and ERP systems identify components using part numbers rather than geometry. Two geometrically identical components with different part numbers appear completely unrelated within these systems.
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02. Duplicate parts often differ slightly
Many duplicate parts are not exact copies — they may differ slightly in dimensions, tolerances, or features. Traditional systems cannot detect these near-duplicate components, even though they perform the same functional role.
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03. Product data is distributed across programs
Engineering components are created independently across multiple product programs, business units, or geographic locations. Organizations accumulate parallel libraries of similar components without visibility across the entire ecosystem.
Technology
How AI Solves It
AI enables large-scale comparison of engineering components by analysing their structural characteristics. By combining multiple signals, AI systems can identify components that are structurally similar even when created independently or assigned different identifiers.
- Geometric Similarity. Compares the structural shape and topology of components to detect geometric matches.
- Feature Patterns. Identifies recurring geometric features such as holes, pockets, fillets, and bosses.
- Drawing Specifications. Analyses engineering drawing content including dimensions, tolerances, and annotations.
- Engineering Metadata. Cross-references part attributes, material specifications, and product data records.
Our Approach
The ShapeSense Approach
ShapeSense identifies duplicate and near-duplicate parts by analysing spatial representations derived from CAD models and engineering drawings. The platform clusters components based on geometric similarity, grouping structurally related parts into product families. These clusters become the atomic unit of engineering intelligence — the fundamental structure through which products can be analyzed, reused, and governed.
This approach enables organizations to:
- Detect redundant components across programs
- Identify opportunities for part consolidation
- Reveal hidden relationships between parts
- Improve visibility across engineering libraries
Clusters: The Atomic Unit of Engineering Intelligence
The platform groups structurally related parts into product families — the fundamental structure through which products can be analysed, reused, and governed.
Outcomes
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Tooling Cost Optimization
Identify opportunities to reuse existing molds, dies, fixtures, and machining programs by detecting duplicate or near-duplicate components across product programs.
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Inventory Optimization
Surface parts that are structurally similar but stored under different SKUs or part numbers, enabling organizations to consolidate suppliers, improve purchasing leverage, and reduce redundant inventory.
Frequently Asked Questions
What causes duplicate parts in manufacturing?
Duplicate parts typically occur when engineering teams design similar components independently across different product programs or locations. Over time, this results in multiple versions of the same functional component stored under different part numbers.
How common are duplicate parts in manufacturing?
Industry studies suggest that 20–40% of parts in large manufacturing organizations may be duplicates or near-duplicates, particularly in companies with decades of engineering history.
Why can't PLM or ERP systems detect duplicate parts?
PLM and ERP systems identify parts using part numbers and metadata rather than geometry. As a result, two components that are structurally identical but have different identifiers appear unrelated in these systems.
How does AI detect duplicate engineering parts?
AI compares components by analysing geometric features, drawing information, and structural relationships between parts. This enables systems to identify parts that are functionally identical or highly similar even when their metadata differs.
“ShapeSense helped us identify nearly $100K worth of potential reuse opportunities across our existing products — something that would have been extremely difficult to uncover through conventional enterprise systems and manual engineering review.”
Ready to Eliminate Duplicates?
Stop paying for redundant tooling, inventory, and sourcing. See how ShapeSense detects duplicate parts across your entire product ecosystem.
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