#1 most frequent
United States of America
42.8%22,742 installations of 53,104
What is SOLIDWORKS?
Dassault 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.
Categories & Use Cases
Videos
Top Performing Features
3D Modeling
Allows users to create and manipulate 3D objects with precise measurements and control.
Category average: 7.8
Compatibility with other software and formats
Allows users to import and export designs in various file formats, ensuring compatibility with other software and stakeholder requirements.
Category average: 7.7
Collaboration and Sharing
Provides tools for sharing and collaborating on designs with others in real-time, including the ability to track changes and manage design revisions.
Category average: 7.1
Areas for Improvement
Rendering and Visualization
Allows users to create realistic images and visualizations of their designs, including the ability to apply materials, textures, and lighting effects.
Category average: 6.6
Parametric Design
Enables users to define and modify design parameters, allowing for faster iteration and design changes.
Category average: 7.6
Simulation and Analysis
Provides tools for simulating physical properties and behaviors of designs, allowing users to test and optimize their designs before production.
Category average: 6.3
Who Buys & Uses SOLIDWORKS
#2 most frequent
China
7.4%3,948 installations of 53,104
#3 most frequent
India
6.3%3,336 installations of 53,104
SOLIDWORKS in Aerospace
Use Cases and Deployment Scope
We use SOLIDWORKS to create 3D drawing for mainly aerospace fasteners. We need to create drawings for First Article Inspection Reports AS9102, and SOLIDWORKS is very helpful in creating 3D drawings. We use SOLIDWORKS to create mil-spec fasteners for example, bolts, screws, washers and o-rings.
Pros
- Simulation and Analysis
- Sheet metal Design
- 3D modeling
Cons
- complex assembly management
- Difficulty in maintaining smooth transitions between different surface patches, potentially leading to design inconsistencies.
- Need for more sophisticated material properties and behaviors within simulation tools, especially for specialized applications like composites or non-linear materials.
- Large assemblies can push the limits of even high-end hardware, potentially causing performance issues on less powerful machines.
Return on Investment
- significantly increasing design productivity
- reduced design errors
- improved product quality
- ultimately a positive ROI through cost savings and enhanced competitiveness
Usability
Alternatives Considered
Autodesk Fusion Manage and AutoCAD
Other Software Used
Ansys Fluent, AutoCAD, Autodesk Fusion
SOLIDWORKS fits all of my needs.
Use Cases and Deployment Scope
We use SOLIDWORKS to view models sent to us from our customers, design fixtures and other tooling, and CAM. It has all of the tools and more that we need to manufacture our products.
Pros
- 3D Modeling
- PDM
- CAM
Cons
- Very large files
- I have a lot of issues with the fastener Tool Box
- Cost
Return on Investment
- Because of SOLIDWORKS' ease of use, I can design parts very quickly.
- The PDM software helps with file organization and makes it easy to find what I'm looking for.
- Before we had SOLIDWORKS, we had to outsource part design, which could be very expensive.
Usability
Alternatives Considered
AutoCAD
Other Software Used
AutoCAD, Onshape, Adobe Acrobat
Good CAD software
Use Cases and Deployment Scope
Mechanical design.
We design a few standalone mechanical parts, for a variety of production processes. Injection moulding, 3D print, laser cut, CNC etc.
Most of our projects revolve around design and build of enclosures for electronic parts usually including a PCB.
We design a few standalone mechanical parts, for a variety of production processes. Injection moulding, 3D print, laser cut, CNC etc.
Most of our projects revolve around design and build of enclosures for electronic parts usually including a PCB.
Pros
- Usability
- Stability
- Ability to handle large models
- Good support for external references in assemblies
Cons
- The CAM package is very hard to use
- Option to save files formatted for previous versions
Return on Investment
- Good integration into altium for PCB collaboration
- Good integration with HSMworks for CNC outputs
Usability
Alternatives Considered
SketchUp, Autodesk Fusion 360 and Blender
A perfect software for 3D modeling and large assemblies
Use Cases and Deployment Scope
We use SolidWorks for 3D design of mechanical components and assemblies. We sometimes use SolidWorks also for rendering creating the images for out catalogues
Pros
- 3D modeling
- Manage of large assemblies
- Quick rendering without much knowledge
Cons
- Further improve the large assemblies management
- Quite a lot of requirements for the workstation
Most Important Features
- All the 3D modeling features
- Integration with SolidWorks PDM
Return on Investment
- Improved performance compared to the previous software
- Slightly reduced costs
- Added the chance of creating catalogue images on our own
Alternatives Considered
Siemens NX CAD
Other Software Used
DraftSight, ClickUp
A student's perspective on SOLIDWORKS
Use Cases and Deployment Scope
SOLIDWORKS is used at my institution in order to help 3d model complex objects or new designs that are being conceptualized. For example, my formula hybrid team has used SOLIDWORKS for the past 7 years in order to design entire race cars from scratch and model every single part that is used on the car.
Pros
- User Interface
- Accessibility
- Creating Drawings
- Ease of Use
Cons
- Battery Consumption
- Time taken to Start
- File Sharing
Most Important Features
- Organization
- Ease of Use
- Great amount of Features
Return on Investment
- Greater Cohesion of Design
- Easier Collaboration
- Can be finicky with lots of parts in an assembly.
Alternatives Considered
Autodesk Inventor
Other Software Used
PTC Windchill, GrabCAD Workbench