Computer implemented methods and systems for CAD data exchange, and in particular for creating boundary representations ("breps") on a feature-by-feature basis are disclosed. According to an embodiment of the techniques described herein, a parameterized feature from a parametric based design system is exported from a source CAD system (404). Iterative steps and complimentary extraction techniques are employed by one or more processors (452, 456) to create an importable design model of the parameterized feature (433), which is imported into a target CAD system (408). While the techniques can include API (436), pattern matching (440), and user emulation (444) techniques, they include a brep per feature (450) technique. By exporting the brep on a per feature (453) basis from the source CAD system (404), the design intent of a CAD designer can be preserved on importation into the target CAD system (408). In particular, where a parametric representation (433) of the feature fails to import into the target system (408), an unparameterized representation (453) of the feature can be substituted.