Parametric Modeling
Parametric modeling is a CAD authoring paradigm in which geometry is defined indirectly through features, dimensional parameters, and constraints organized in a history tree. Changing a numeric parameter regenerates the model along the recorded sequence, preserving the designer's stated intent. Pro/ENGINEER popularized the approach in the late 1980s and CATIA V5 made it the dominant style for OEM-grade MCAD through the 1990s and 2000s.
Why it matters
Parametric modeling is what lets a regulated industry — aerospace, medical devices, automotive — defend a design rationale years after release: the model encodes not just what the part is but why it is that shape. Lose parametric history, and you lose the audit trail that change control depends on. Every PLM change-impact workflow assumes the part it points at can be regenerated and re-examined, which is a parametric assumption.
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External References
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Cite this definition
Finocchiaro, Michael. “Parametric Modeling.” DemystifyingPLM PLM Glossary, 2026, https://www.demystifyingplm.com/glossary/parametric-modeling