1. A method for identifying symmetry relationships, comprising: receiving, in a product data management (PDM) system, a 3D model including a plurality of components; identifying, by the PDM system, a plurality of target components from the plurality of components; identifying, by the PDM system, a symmetry plane in the 3D model; determining, by the PDM system, the location of each of the target components with respect to the symmetry plane; adding, by the PDM system, the target components to respective groups according to the determined locations; creating, by the PDM system, an equivalence class for each group of target components; and storing, by the PDM system, a symmetry relationship between the created equivalence classes.