METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SIMPLIFIED COMPUTER AIDED DESIGN (CAD) MODEL SEARCH AND RETRIEVAL

The invention includes computer instructions that operate to facilitate a search for computer aided design (CAD) model information, and to determine if one or more features defining the CAD model information are received. Once one or more features are received, the instructions search through a number of files, based at least upon the received one or more features defining the CAD model information. Once the CAD model information searched for is located, the instructions operate to retrieve the CAD model information from one or more of the number of files searched, based at least upon the received one or more inputs for defining one or more features of the CAD model information. In one embodiment, the computer instructions are part of a mechanical design software application. In one embodiment, the mechanical software application including the computer instructions is embodied in a distribution storage medium. As a result, desired CAD model information is efficiently searched for and retrieved.