ProENGINEER

Pro/ENGINEER, commonly referred to as Pro/E, is a parametric, feature-based computer-aided design (CAD) software package developed by Parametric Technology Corporation (PTC). It provides 3D solid modeling, assembly design, detailed drawings, and integrated design automation for mechanical engineering and product development. Its core approach uses a history-based feature tree to capture design intent, enabling parametric changes to propagate automatically through related parts and assemblies.

The software debuted in the late 1980s as one of the first widely adopted parametric CAD systems. It originally ran on UNIX workstations and later expanded to Windows, helping drive widespread adoption in industries such as automotive, aerospace, industrial machinery, and consumer electronics. Pro/E fostered a workflow in which engineers define parts by features and constraints, then assemble them into complex assemblies with tolerance, annotation, and manufacturing considerations.

Key capabilities typically include solid and surface modeling, sheet metal design, assembly modeling, drafting, and integration with product data management (PDM) and PLM tools for data management. Over its lifetime, Pro/E evolved with enhancements in modeling speed, sketching, data exchange, and analysis integration, supporting design optimization and simulation workflows.

In 2010–2011, PTC began rebranding Pro/ENGINEER under the Creo umbrella, introducing Creo Parametric as the successor to Pro/E and gradually phasing out the original name. The Pro/E lineage continues in modern Creo Parametric releases, which maintain its history-based, parametric modeling philosophy while expanding capabilities and interoperability.