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    Overview
    ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price

    Aras PLM

    Score8.2 out of 10
    N/AThe Aras Innovator software is used for product lifecycle management (PLM), advanced product quality planning (APQP), lean product development, and new product introduction (NPI). Aras switched to an open source model in 2007, where clients obtain the software for free, and Aras Corp provides technical support, software updates, and other consulting as a subscription service.N/A

    SOLIDWORKS

    Score8.7 out of 10
    N/ADassault Systemes offers SOLIDWORKS, a computer-aided design (CAD) system for education and manufacturing supporting 2D or 3D design, electrical design, simulations, and product development with collaboration tools.

    $1,295

    per year

    Pricing
    Aras PLMSOLIDWORKS
    Editions & Modules
    No answers on this topic
    Solidworks Annual Subscription
    1,295
    per year
    Solidworks Standard
    3,996
    per standalone license
    Offerings
    Pricing Offerings
    Aras PLMSOLIDWORKS
    Free Trial
    NoNo
    Free/Freemium Version
    NoNo
    Premium Consulting/Integration Services
    NoNo
    Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
    Additional Details——
    More Pricing Information
    Community Pulse
    Aras PLMSOLIDWORKS
    Considered Both Products
    Aras Corporation
    No answer on this topic
    Dassault Systemes
    No answer on this topic
    Key User Insights
    Would buy again
    No answers on this topic
    97%
    Would buy again
    32 Answers
    Delivers good value for the price
    No answers on this topic
    94%
    Delivers good value for the price
    30 Answers
    Happy with the feature set
    No answers on this topic
    97%
    Happy with the feature set
    32 Answers
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    No answers on this topic
    100%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    19 Answers
    Implementation went as expected
    No answers on this topic
    96%
    Implementation went as expected
    24 Answers
    Features
    Aras PLMSOLIDWORKS
    Computer-Aided Design Software
    Comparison of Computer-Aided Design Software features of Aras PLM and SOLIDWORKS
    Feature
    Aras PLM
    -
    Ratings
    SOLIDWORKS
    8.8
    3 Ratings
    16% above category average
    3D Modeling00 Ratings9.83 Ratings
    2D Drafting00 Ratings9.43 Ratings
    Rendering and Visualization00 Ratings7.93 Ratings
    Parametric Design00 Ratings7.62 Ratings
    Collaboration and Sharing00 Ratings9.62 Ratings
    Compatibility with other software and formats00 Ratings9.83 Ratings
    Assembly Design00 Ratings9.23 Ratings
    Simulation and Analysis00 Ratings6.22 Ratings
    Documentation and Annotation00 Ratings9.42 Ratings
    Customization and Extensions00 Ratings9.43 Ratings
    Best Alternatives
    Aras PLMSOLIDWORKS
    Small Businesses
    No answers on this topic
    Onshape
    Score6.4 out of 10
    Medium-sized Companies
    Arena PLM and QMS
    Score8.5 out of 10
    Onshape
    Score6.4 out of 10
    Enterprises
    SAP Integrated Product Development
    Score9 out of 10
    PTC Creo
    Score7.6 out of 10
    All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
    User Ratings
    Aras PLMSOLIDWORKS
    Likelihood to Recommend
    6.0
    (1 ratings)
    9.7
    (58 ratings)
    Likelihood to Renew
    9.0
    (1 ratings)
    10.0
    (2 ratings)
    Usability
    -
    (0 ratings)
    8.9
    (5 ratings)
    Support Rating
    -
    (0 ratings)
    5.2
    (16 ratings)
    In-Person Training
    -
    (0 ratings)
    9.0
    (1 ratings)
    Online Training
    -
    (0 ratings)
    9.0
    (1 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    Aras PLMSOLIDWORKS
    Likelihood to Recommend
    Aras Corporation
    Aras PLM works for our company, yet I don't have experience with any other software system. The system does not refresh and update quickly. Often times users need to force a refresh or logout and logon to verify changes and updates. The Lock and Unlock feature needs getting used to.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Dassault Systemes
    As a mechanical engineer, it is one of the best tools to just start modeling and engineering with. The UI tools are intuitive and engineering analysis such Mold Analysis, FEA, are great! Other 3D CAD modeling tools have a longer learning curve to master. All in all, if you're not planning to design an entire airplane with large assembly files, then Solidworks is your tool!
    Incentivized
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    Pros
    Aras Corporation
    • Aras PLM definitely controls documents and provides the approval levels needed to be compliant.
    • Aras PLM makes organizing and structuring libraries logical and intuitive.
    • The search tools in Aras PLM provides quick and efficient access to documents
    Incentivized
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    Dassault Systemes
    • The collaborative work environment is a cool and useful feature where groups of people can work on the same model at the same time, and SOLIDWORKS ensures that you don't overwrite each other's work.
    • The ease and amount of customization options are very useful for creating a personalized and intuitive user interface, whether SOLIDWORKS is your native CAD package or not.
    • It is very easy to quickly edit a model you have already created. The software allows sketch and feature editing without having to take the time to actually enter the sketch/feature environment.
    • The use of configurations and configurations-specific dimensions in the same sketch is very useful for creating different forms of the same part
    Incentivized
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    Cons
    Aras Corporation
    • Aras PLM uses terms and labels that can be confusing like Subsystem / Subsystem Version, Project Record Number (PRN). Companies need to understand these terms and develop business processes to set user standards.
    • I personally use Aras PLM to manage information technology project documents. In my opinion, Aras PLM is more geared to product and engineering. I would like to see a general project management Aras PLM version with terms and labels that I am familiar with.
    • The description field should be made required. Many of our engineers have created records and left that blank because it was not required. This would help with the context or background of each record.
    Incentivized
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    Dassault Systemes
    • Save DWG 2D files in inches or metric easily, defaults to metric and has to be manually converted to inches
    • When using the sketch feature, the ability to disable ALL references. If I don't know the exact shape and I want to draw/adapt my design, it harshly interprets the references which have no value to me. The easiest exact is to think about when you have a Microsoft Word document that has a lot of formatting, photos, tabs, etc. If you accidentally hit the "enter" key, you can explode the formatting and everything goes crazy. SW does this to me, I just want to "doodle" my sketches, edit/delete/etc and not be bound by arbitrary references.
    • For the sketch feature, ability to use a DraftSight plugin of some sort. I'm super fast in DS, if I could draw using the commands in SW then I would probably never open DS again and convert to SW full time. Currently, I only use SW as a way to convert 3D files so I can build everything in DraftSight.
    Incentivized
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    Likelihood to Renew
    Aras Corporation
    Our company is moving from repositories like IBM Notes, MS Sharepoint, and plain network file share directories to a more controlled system of recordd like Aras PLM.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Dassault Systemes
    We have absolutely no reasons to not keep with SolidWorks for the foreseeable future.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Usability
    Aras Corporation
    No answers on this topic
    Dassault Systemes
    I have been using SOLIDWORKS for around 12 years as of writing this review, so have learned where most things are and how they work. When first starting out it was quite daunting, but the interface is well laid out with like functions near each other which made finding new functions relatively easy.
    Incentivized
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    Support Rating
    Aras Corporation
    No answers on this topic
    Dassault Systemes
    We have an unusual arrangement. We don’t pay for support, but we’re partnered with a VAR for second-tier support.
    I work with other users if I have questions but when we’ve had to ask the VAR, they always have answers. It appears that all of the VARs have access to a support platform from DS SOLIDWORKS that helps them answer most questions.
    Incentivized
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    Alternatives Considered
    Aras Corporation
    Our company developed numerous IBM Lotus Notes databases to perform document control. Aras PLM is the better choice to IBM Notes databases and home grown databases.
    Incentivized
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    Dassault Systemes
    Onshape is a direct competitor. It has great entry level pricing and it is easy to access with no installation required. Being a web based app there is sometime some lag being based in NZ. Management also have concerns over where the data is stored on the cloud. With SW we can control where it is stored
    Incentivized
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    Return on Investment
    Aras Corporation
    • Aras PLM has kept our company compliant and on the right side of audits with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
    • Aras PLM keeps our project document history readily available and works well without stage gate review and approval processes.
    Incentivized
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    Dassault Systemes
    • Creation of small 3D pieces to generate cash flow.
    • Not being able to create 3D sculptures with this tool, and not being able to fulfill the client's requirements.
    • To be able to sell high visual quality simulations for companies that hire the service.
    Incentivized
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    ScreenShots—