How to configure your workstation for CATIA

CATIA is a CAD program for 3D modelling, which was initially developed especially for aircraft construction. CATIA has established itself in the automotive and supplier industry and is one of the most widely used CAD programs worldwide. With CATIA, designers are able to work simultaneously and simultaneously on a project at several workstations. Following is our hardware recommendation:

The right CPU performance for Catia V6

To improve loading times with Catia, we advise you to use powerful Intel processors with high computing power. Intel Xeon processors provide you with more power for parallel applications, impress with optimal scalability, the larger cache leads to faster response times and are designed for 24-hour continuous operation. For a high-performance system we recommend the combination of a Xeon 8- or 10-Core processor with sufficient processor cache. 3D CATIA models experience a performance boost primarily through the use of a higher CPU clock frequency. Intel i7 and Intel i9 with a maximum TurboBoost frequency of 4 GHz are a valid alternative. Make sure the processor supports up to eight memory channels.

Ultra-fast with optimal memory for Catia V6

As with most CAD programs, the following also applies to Catia: The more RAM the higher the performance. For simple assemblies we recommend the use of 16GB RAM, for more complex assemblies at least 32-64GB RAM. To avoid loss of speed and errors, please use only identical RAM and use all available memory channels in your workstation. The configuration of four identical memory channels in quad-channel mode offers you a further speed advantage and you are able to double the RAM if required. Our business workstations have between 8-16 memory banks so that you can easily expand the RAM if required.

The right Graphics Card for Catia V6

For simple assemblies and single parts we recommend an NVIDIA Quadro P2200 with 5GB and Open GL 4.6 support or an AMD Radeon Pro W6600 with 1792 streaming processors. For more intensive 3D modeling, we recommend an NVIDIA Quadro RTX A4000 with 16GB of GDDR6 VRAM and 6,144 Cuda cores. A very good price-performance ratio is offered by an NVIDIA Quadro A2000 with 6 or optionally 12GB VRAM. To achieve optimal results in complex rendering processes, we recommend a certified graphics card from NVIDIA or AMD. The following AMD Radeon of the Pro series are certified for Catia: Model W6600 and W6800 with 32GB GDDR6 VRAM. To accelerate your renderings we recommend an NVIDIA Quadro RTX A5000 with 24GB VRAM and 8.192 Cuda Cores. The following certified NVIDIA graphics cards achieve very good results: NVIDIA Quadro P2200, NVIDIA Quadro P4000, Quadro RTX 4000, Quadro RTX A2000, Quadro RTX A4000, Quadro RTX A5000, Quadro RTX A6000. For mobile workstation, the following certified graphics cards are available: NVIDIA Quadro T1000, Quadro T2000, Quadro RTX 3000. Graphics cards with GDDR6 VRAM are twice as fast as their predecessor models with GDDR5 graphics memory.

Data Turbo SSD for Catia V6

With an M.2 NVME SSD, you can significantly reduce loading times. Performance increases of up to 80% are possible with M.2 NVME SSD hard disks.  From our point of view, the longevity and access times of the selected SSDs are in the foreground. For extremely fast loading times, we recommend loading the operating system and your CAD programs onto an M.2 NVME SSD and saving the project data on a second SSD hard disk.