Backflip AI today launched the world’s first end-to-end AI Drawing to CAD tool, automatically turning 2D engineering drawings into parametric 3D models with native, well-formed feature trees that engineers can edit directly in Autodesk Fusion. Announced at Autodesk University, this advancement continues Backflip’s mission to digitize the world, giving engineers the tools to unlock the knowledge trapped within their legacy 2D drawing archives, and making it accessible for modern manufacturing.

In tandem, Backflip also introduced a multi-shot Photo to CAD tool, enabling CAD generation from photographs captured on mobile phones.

Legacy data, new challenges

For long-established manufacturing plants, 2D engineering drawings are frequently the only documentation detailing the geometry of legacy equipment components. Historically, that was enough for machine shops to build a replacement part. But as CNC equipment has become standard and the manufacturing stack has gone digital, an engineer now often has to rebuild an engineering drawing in 3D before a part can be manufactured or modified.

Backflip automates that reconstruction process, helping manufacturers turn their library of 2D drawings into 3D CAD models they can immediately use to create replacement parts, upgrade equipment, or work on new designs. Drawing reconstructions run in parallel and the platform is capable of quickly converting large engineering drawings archives.

“Our mission is to digitize the world,” said Greg Mark, founder and CEO of Backflip. “Many factories have 3D CAD for less than 1% of their equipment. When a part breaks—which happens often—they don’t have a 3D model immediately available, and it’s a huge scramble to prevent a production line from going down. Imagine how much more efficient the world would be if every factory had a complete, 3D catalog of their parts ready to manufacture at a moment’s notice. This is the power of our new AI tools.”

Engineering drawings become working CAD

Drawing to CAD interprets the part geometry described by the views and dimensions in an engineering drawing, then builds a parametric model with a feature tree: a sequence of 3D modeling operations that defines the part. Engineers can inspect that design history in Fusion and then continue editing it: change a hole diameter, adjust a pattern, or revise a mounting interface.

Backflip estimates that a reconstruction costing roughly $1,500 and taking two to three days can be completed in five to 30 minutes for $10 or less, depending on part complexity. That reduced cost could make it practical to convert entire drawing archives proactively, making CAD accessible to engineering teams before a replacement or redesign becomes urgent.

Three ways to digitize a part

Alongside Backflip’s existing 3D scan to CAD functionality, these two new workflows round out a portfolio of AI capabilities for CAD. Backflip now accepts three kinds of source data to reconstruct as editable CAD:

  • Drawing to CAD turns 2D engineering drawings into parametric 3D models using the views and dimensions on the drawing.

  • Photo to CAD reconstructs a part from three to six photos and one known dimension to establish scale. No 3D scanner is required.

  • Scan to CAD converts 3D scans, STL files, and other mesh geometry into parametric models with editable feature trees.

Built for Autodesk Fusion

Over forty years ago, Autodesk kicked off a digital revolution and helped usher engineering drawings onto personal computers with the release of AutoCAD 1.0. Now, Backflip automatically transforms generations of that design knowledge into editable 3D models in Fusion, Autodesk’s integrated CAD and manufacturing solution. These new tools build on Backflip’s collaboration with Autodesk and are available in Backflip’s existing Fusion integration, which brings the new capabilities directly into engineers’ and manufacturers’ CAD environment.

Available now

Drawing to CAD and Photo to CAD are available immediately on the web or via Backflip’s add-in to Autodesk Fusion. Users of the add-in can automatically reconstruct generated parts as Fusion CAD files, with native features and design history. The web application also exports STEP geometry for use in other CAD tools. Integrations for additional CAD packages are currently in development.

About Backflip AI

Backflip AI’s mission is to digitize the world. It builds AI models and tools that turn existing parts and engineering data into editable CAD, helping people recreate and improve the physical world. Founded by Greg Mark, the founder of Markforged, Backflip is backed by NEA and Andreessen Horowitz. Learn more at backflip.ai.

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