SolidWorks. SolidWorks (stylized as SOLIDWORKS) is a brand within Dassault Systèmes that develops and markets software for solid modeling computer-aided design (CAD), computer-aided engineering (CAE), 3D CAD design, collaboration, analysis, and product data management. The company introduced one of the first 3D CAD applications designed to run on a desktop PC.

SolidWorks released its first product, SolidWorks 95, on November 1, 1995. Today, the 3D CAD application known as SolidWorks remains the central product within the SolidWorks brand.

As of 2024, SolidWorks had an estimated 7.5 million users. SolidWorks software includes tools for analyses and simulations, such as Finite Element Analysis, which supports modeling, design, and collaborative work.

SolidWorks is a registered trademark of Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks Corporation.

History
SolidWorks Corporation was established in December 1993 by MIT graduate Jon Hirschtick, who used funds from his time with the MIT Blackjack Team to start the company. Hirschtick's aim was to develop a user-friendly, cost-effective 3D CAD software for the Windows desktop. Originally based in Concord, Massachusetts, the company later moved to Waltham, Massachusetts. Its first product, SolidWorks 95, was released in November 1995. In 1997, Dassault Systèmes, known for its CATIA CAD software, acquired SolidWorks for $310 million in stock.

SolidWorks now offers multiple versions of its CAD software, along with related tools such as DraftSight (a 2D CAD product). Leadership has evolved over the years, with key figures including John McEleney (2001–2007), Jeff Ray (2007–2011), Bertrand Sicot (2011–2015), Gian Paolo Bassi (2015–2022), and Manish Kumar, who became CEO in February 2022. Bassi currently serves as Executive VP of 3DExperience Works at Dassault Systèmes.

Market
The SolidWorks' user base ranges from individuals to large corporations and covers a wide cross-section of manufacturing market segments. Its core industries include industrial equipment, high-tech, life sciences, home and lifestyle, architecture, engineering, and construction. Commercial sales go through an indirect channel of worldwide reseller partners. SolidWorks also partners with third-party developers to add functionality in niche market applications such as circuit layout and tolerance checking.

Directly competitive products to SolidWorks 3D CAD include PTC Creo Elements/Pro, Solid Edge, and Autodesk Inventor.

Key events 
SolidWorks held its inaugural user conference, SolidWorks World, in Palm Springs in February 1999, which later evovled into 3DExperience World in February 2019. The event annually convenes SolidWorks customers, value-added resellers, technology partners, students, educators, the press, and SolidWorks employees, maintaining its schedule even during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The user conference provides an opportunity for the close-knit community of engineers and designers that use SolidWorks products to connect and share ideas with each other.

Modeling technology

SolidWorks is a solid modeler, and utilizes a parametric feature-based approach which was initially developed by PTC (Creo/Pro-Engineer) to create 3D CAD models and assemblies. The software uses the Parasolid modeling kernel.

Parameters refer to constraints whose values determine the shape or geometry of the model or assembly. Parameters can be either numeric parameters, such as line lengths or circle diameters, or geometric parameters, such as tangent, parallel, concentric, horizontal or vertical, etc. Numeric parameters can be associated with each other through the use of relations, which allows them to capture design intent.

Design intent is how the creator of the part wants it to respond to changes and updates. For example, the user would want the hole at the top of a beverage can to stay at the top surface, regardless of the height or size of the can. SolidWorks allows the user to specify that the hole is a feature on the top surface, and will then honor their design intent no matter what height they later assign to the can.

Features refer to the building blocks of the part. They are the shapes and operations that construct the part. Shape-based features typically begin with a 2D or 3D sketch of shapes such as bosses, holes, slots, etc. This shape is then extruded to add or cut to remove material from the part. Operation-based features are not sketch-based, and include features such as fillets, chamfers, shells, applying draft to the faces of a part, etc.

Building a model in SolidWorks usually starts with either a 2D or 3D sketch. The sketch consists of geometry such as points, lines, arcs, conics (except the hyperbola), and splines. Dimensions are added to the sketch to define the size and location of the geometry. Relations are used to define attributes such as tangency, parallelism, perpendicularity, and concentricity. The parametric nature of SolidWorks means that the dimensions and relations drive the geometry, not the other way around. The dimensions in the sketch can be controlled independently, or by relationships to other parameters inside or outside the sketch.

In an assembly, the analog to sketch relations are mates. Just as sketch relations define conditions such as tangency, parallelism, and concentricity with respect to sketch geometry, assembly mates define equivalent relations with respect to the individual parts or components, allowing the easy construction of assemblies. SolidWorks also includes additional advanced mating features such as gear and cam follower mates, which allow modeled gear assemblies to accurately reproduce the rotational movement of an actual gear train.

Finally, drawings can be created either from parts or assemblies. Views are automatically generated from the solid model, and notes, dimensions and tolerances can then be easily added to the drawing as needed. The drawing module includes most paper sizes and standards (ANSI, ISO, DIN, GOST, JIS, BSI and SAC).

Product portfolio 

Since 1995, SolidWorks' has filed hundreds of patents worldwide and holds over 70 active US-granted patents. Examples of active patents include patent "Predictive Modeling" (US20210240881A1), patent "Constructing Multi-Element Features Using A 3D CAD System" (US10,430,524), patent "Automatic creation of fasteners for simulating a computer-aided design (CAD) model" (US10,303,809), patent "Computer-aided interactive learning" (US10,635,461), and patent "Generation of section view cutting lines with automatic constraints" (US9,465,894).

Design-to-Manufacturing solutions 
In 1999, the SolidWorks brand started introducing solutions complementary to 3D modeling and in 2006 introduced SolidWorks Design-to-Manufacturing solutions, an integrated system enabling design and manufacturing teams to work together concurrently. As a result, companies can go from conceptual design to manufactured parts faster and more easily using 3D CAD.

3DExperience Works portfolio 
Since 1995, SolidWorks has expanded beyond the desktop portfolio. Dassault Systèmes introduced 3DExperience (stylized as 3DEXPERIENCE) Works, a business that connects people, data, and applications to take products from idea to delivery. 3DExperience Works leverages the cloud-based 3DExperience platform to provide a single, unified collaborative environment, enabling everyone involved in product development to contribute to the innovation process.

At the center of the 3DExperience Works portfolio are the Design and Engineering solutions built by the SolidWorks brand. The SolidWorks Governance roles connect SolidWorks desktop to the 3DExperience platform. The portfolio also features simulation, manufacturing, governance, and marketing solutions from other Dassault Systèmes brands including 3DExcite, CATIA, DELMIA, ENOVIA, Netvibes, and Simulia.

The SolidWorks roles include both browser-based and cloud-connected roles. Each role is a collection of apps focused on a particular job function (e.g., 3D Creator), enabling a broad set of activities that users in that function typically perform.

Engineering.com, however, noted that some 3DEXPERIENCE features could be found in the standard desktop version of SOLIDWORKS.

SOLIDWORKS for Startups Program 
The SOLIDWORKS for Startups Program, also known as the 3DEXPERIENCE Works for Startups program or the SOLIDWORKS Startup Program, is an initiative designed to support early-stage hardware startups. The program provides free access to industry-standard design, collaboration, and other product development tools for qualifying startups in their first year. Participants also receive free training and co-marketing resources as part of the program. Five companies presented their experiences with the program at 3DEXPERIENCE world 2023.

See also
 Comparison of computer-aided design software
 List of 3D printing software

References

External links 

3D graphics software
Windows-only proprietary software
Solid mechanics
Product design
Computer-aided design software for Windows
1995 software
Dassault Group
1993 establishments in Massachusetts
Companies established in 1993