Leading edge companies rely upon a new emerging design collaboration concept to improve and accelerate their design and manufacturing process: Model-Based Definition. They focus attention on 3D model data exchange as their data communication conduit across internal product disciplines and with their supply chain partners. Any number of views of the 3D model can be composed, detailed, and annotated for specific downstream groups such as manufacturing planning, product services, procurement, and marketing/sales. Key players in the aerospace and defense industry vertical stand on the forefront as early adopters of the technology trend.