Abstract: The invention relates to a method for comparing a first computer-aided 3D model with a second computer-aided 3D model, the first model being described by a first topology comprising vertices, edges and faces of the first model and the second model being described by a second topology comprising vertices, edges and faces of the second model, the method comprising the following steps: scanning the first topology and the second topology; deriving from the first topology a first topological map relating vertices, edges and faces of the first model and from the second topology a second topological map relating vertices, edges and faces of the second model; determining by means of the topological maps all possible mappings between vertices of the first model and vertices of the second model; using those mapped vertices to identify all possible mappings between edges of the first and edges of the second model; using those mapped edges to identify all possible mappings between faces of the first and faces of the seco