Managing Large Assemblies in CATIA: Visualization Mode

Using visualization mode in CATIA versus design mode improves performance by not loading the mathematical data of the part into memory, only a visual of the geometry is loaded into memory.

The first time a part is loaded into CATIA using visualization mode:

• CATIA creates a "lighter" version of the model and saves it to the hard drive.
  
• Because it creates this light version the first time, it takes longer to load.
  
• Successive loads of this model, read the "light" version, which results in a quicker load time and better performance
  

The file type is saved as a .cgr – CATIA Graphic Representation. CGR files are not downward compatible (Cgr files created in V5R14 cannot be read by CATIA V5R13 or lower)

• Upward compatibility
  
  • Files are upward compatible.
    
  • However, in V5R14 cgr files were optimized (I recommend rebuild the cgr files if upgrading to V5R14)
    
• Sharable
  
  • Set storage directory to server
    
  • Also called Released Cache