Privacy Policy
We take the protection of your personal data very seriously. This privacy policy explains what data we collect, why we collect it, and how we handle it when you use the CAD Similarity Search platform.
Last updated: 2026-03-24
1. Data Controller
araucon GmbH, Blasius-Hogger-Weg 4, 83404 Ainring, Germany. Phone: +49 8654 3098376. Email: office@araucon.de
2. Data We Collect
We collect and process the following data: (a) Account data: email address, hashed password, account creation date, terms acceptance timestamp. (b) Uploaded files: CAD files (STEP, STL, etc.) that you upload for search or database purposes. (c) Technical data: IP address, browser user agent, and access timestamps in server logs. (d) Usage data: search queries, geometric fingerprints generated from your CAD files. (e) Referral data: if you register via a referral link or enter a referral code, we store the referral code and the time of registration.
3. Legal Basis (Art. 6 GDPR)
We process your data on the following legal grounds: (a) Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR — performance of a contract: account management, file processing, search functionality. (b) Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR — legitimate interest: server logs for security and abuse prevention. (c) Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR — consent: where you have given explicit consent for specific processing.
4. Storage Duration
Uploaded CAD files are automatically deleted after 30 days. Account data is retained until you delete your account. Server logs are retained for 14 days. Geometric fingerprints are deleted when the associated CAD file is deleted or when you delete your account. Referral data is stored until you delete your account.
5. Recipients & Processors
Your data is stored on servers operated by Hetzner Online GmbH (Gunzenhausen, Germany), acting as our data processor under Art. 28 GDPR. If you consent to marketing cookies, we use Google Ads Conversion Tracking provided by Google Ireland Limited (Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland). Conversion events (e.g. successful registration) are transmitted to Google to measure advertising effectiveness. Data may be transferred to the USA under EU Standard Contractual Clauses. Apart from these processors, we do not share your data with other third parties.
6. Your Rights
Under the GDPR, you have the right to: (a) Access your personal data (Art. 15). (b) Rectify inaccurate data (Art. 16). (c) Delete your data — you can do this at any time via account settings (Art. 17). (d) Restrict processing (Art. 18). (e) Data portability (Art. 20). (f) Object to processing (Art. 21). (g) Lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority (Art. 77). The competent supervisory authority is the Bavarian State Office for Data Protection Supervision (BayLDA), Promenade 18, 91522 Ansbach, Germany. To exercise these rights, contact us at office@araucon.de.
7. Cookies
We use technically necessary cookies for authentication and session management. These cookies are essential for the service to function and do not require consent. Additionally, with your explicit consent, Google Ads may set marketing cookies (_gcl_au, _gcl_aw) to track conversions and a _gl linker parameter for cross-domain tracking with araucon.de. These marketing cookies expire after 90 days. You can withdraw your consent at any time by clearing your cookies or declining when the consent banner reappears.
8. Changes to This Policy
We may update this privacy policy from time to time. We will notify registered users of significant changes via email. The current version is always available on this page.
9. Automated Decision-Making
No automated individual decision-making, including profiling, takes place within the meaning of Art. 22 GDPR.
10. Newsletter
If you subscribe to our newsletter during registration, we process your email address for sending periodic product updates and industry news. Legal basis: Your consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR). We use a double opt-in procedure: after subscribing, you will receive a confirmation email. Your subscription only becomes active after clicking the confirmation link. We record the time of consent, confirmation, and your IP address as proof of consent. You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in each newsletter or by contacting us at office@araucon.de. Your data will be deleted promptly after unsubscription.
11. Referral Program
If you register via a referral link (containing a ?ref= parameter) or manually enter a referral code during registration, we store the referral code and the timestamp of your registration as part of your account data. Legal basis: Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR (performance of a contract) — the referral code is used to attribute your registration to a referral partner. No cookies are set for referral tracking. The referral data is stored until you delete your account. You can request deletion of your referral data at any time by contacting us at office@araucon.de or by deleting your account.
12. Google Ads Conversion Tracking
With your consent, we use Google Ads Conversion Tracking to measure the effectiveness of our advertising campaigns. When you perform certain actions (e.g. confirming your email after registration), a conversion event is sent to Google. Google uses this data to provide us with aggregated campaign performance reports. Legal basis: Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR (your consent via the cookie banner). Provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland. Data transfers to the USA are covered by EU Standard Contractual Clauses. You can opt out at any time by declining marketing cookies or adjusting your settings at https://adssettings.google.com.