SolidWorks
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 SolidWorks 2023 displaying a 3D assembly. | |
| Developer(s) | Dassault Systèmes |
|---|---|
| Initial release | November 1, 1995[1] |
| Stable release | SolidWorks 2024
/ September 26, 2023 |
| Operating system | Microsoft Windows |
| Available in | Chinese, Chinese Simplified, Czech, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Turkish |
| Type | CAD CAE PDM PLM |
| License | Proprietary, term |
| Website | solidworks.com |
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.[2] The company introduced one of the first 3D CAD applications designed to run on a desktop PC. [3]
SolidWorks released its first product, SolidWorks 95, on November 1, 1995.[4]
As of 2024, SolidWorks had an estimated 7.5 million users.[5] SolidWorks software includes tools for analyses and simulations, such as Finite Element Analysis, which supports modeling, design, and collaborative work.[6]
History
[edit]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.[7][8] 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.[9][10] Its first product, SolidWorks 95, was released in November 1995.[11] In 1997, Dassault Systèmes, known for its CATIA CAD software, acquired SolidWorks for $310 million in stock.[12]
Modeling technology
[edit]
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.[13]
Design-to-Manufacturing solutions
[edit]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.[14]
| Name | Product features | Release date |
|---|---|---|
| SolidWorks eDrawings | Enables users to interrogate and share 3D models to view, create and share markups | September 1999 |
| SolidWorks Explorer | A file management tool designed to help users perform tasks such as renaming, replacing, and copying SolidWorks files. Later replaced by SolidWorks File Utilities. | September 2000 |
| SolidWorks Simulation | Structural analysis tools that use Finite Element Analysis (FEA) as well as rigid-body dynamics tools to predict a product's real-world physical behavior by virtually testing CAD models. Initially launched as COSMOSWorks, the software was renamed SolidWorks Simulation in September 2008 | September 2002 |
| SolidWorks Workgroup PDM | Simple data management tool for single-site companies using SolidWorks 3D CAD offering tracked versions, applied status changes and controlled access. Initially launched as PDMWorks, the software was renamed to SolidWorks Workgroup PDM in October 2009. It was discontinued in October 2017 and replaced by SolidWorks PDM Standard. | September 2002 |
| 3DContentCentral | Provides users with a community to interact with shared models. | November 2002 |
| SolidWorks Flow Simulation | A Computational Fluid Dynamics tool that uses a finite volume approach to solve the Naiver-Stokes equations for continuum flow. SolidWorks Flow Simulation solves for both fluid characteristics as well as solid temperatures. Initially launched as COSMOSFloWorks, the software was renamed to SolidWorks Simulation in September 2008. | September 2003 |
| SolidWorks PDM Professional | A mainstream Product Data Management (PDM) system that stores and organizes engineering CAD data and other documents in a central vault that has a relational database to manage all the information about files and references, user and group permissions, electronic workflow processes, and more. Initially launched as PDMWorks Enterprise, the software was renamed to Enterprise PDM in October 2009. SolidWorks PDM Standard was introduced in September 2015 and was included in SolidWorks 3D CAD Professional and Premium. | July 2006 |
| SolidWorks Composer | Work directly from 3D CAD data to create high-quality illustrations, photorealistic images, and interactive animations and to import design data. Initially launched as 3DVIA Composer, the software was renamed SolidWorks Composer in September 2013. | September 2008 |
| SolidWorks Plastics | A finite element analysis tool that simulates the flow of melted plastic during the injection molding process to predict manufacturing-related defects so users can quickly evaluate part manufacturability. SolidWorks Plastics simulates the mold fill, packing, and cooling processes to produce real-world results prior to manufacture. | April 2012 |
| SolidWorks Electrical | Unified electrical toolset that provides single- and multi-line schematic tools and enables 2D and 3D work to be synchronized for both mechanical and electrical parts. | August 2012 |
| SolidWorks Inspection | Automates the creation of ballooned inspection drawings and inspection sheets for the first article inspection (FAI) and in-process inspection. | April 2014 |
| SolidWorks MBD | Define, organize, and publish 3D annotations, including 3D model data in industry-standard file formats. | September 2014 |
| SolidWorks Visualize | Allows users to leverage 3D CAD data to create photo-quality content from images to animations, interactive web content, and immersive Virtual Reality. | October 2015 |
| SolidWorks CAM | Quickly program individual milled parts and configurations without leaving the SolidWorks 3D CAD environment. Define rules to create and build to users' company standards. The software uses rules-based technology that enables users to integrate design and manufacturing in one application, connecting design and manufacturing teams through a common software tool and 3D model. Includes High-Speed Machining (HSM), configurations, assembly machining, turning, and 3+2 programming to drive four- and five-axis machines. | September 2017 |
| SolidWorks Manage | A set of advanced data management tools that adds powerful project, process, and item management capabilities with interactive dashboards and reports on top of the file management capabilities of SolidWorks PDM Professional. | January 2018 |
| Name | Description | Release date |
|---|---|---|
| 3D Creator | 3D parametric design solution that runs in a browser and gives users unrivaled design freedom in terms of creating and modifying designs | July 2019 |
| 3D Sculptor | Browser-based solution enabling users to create highly stylized, ergonomic 3D designs using subdivision-modeling technology | July 2019 |
| 3D SheetMetal Creator | Offers associative parametric sheet metal design capabilities to build components, assemblies and enclosures | July 2020 |
| 3D Structure Creator | 3D modeling tool that provides structure design capabilities with a dedicated structure design interface and feature set | January 2021 |
| 3D Mold Creator | Provides features for the design of mold core, cavity, and inserts, bridging the gap between plastic part designers and mold makers | January 2021 |
| Manufacturing Definition Creator | Combines model-based and drawing-based capabilities in one integrated solution | January 2021 |
| Name | Product features | Release date |
|---|---|---|
| 3DExperience SolidWorks (Premium, Professional, Standard) | Provides industry-leading SolidWorks desktop CAD along with powerful browser-based CAD solutions and built-in data management capabilities in the cloud | July 2020 |
| 3DExperience Draftsight (Mechanical, Premium, Professional) | 2D and 3D CAD solutions enabling users to create, view, edit, and markup DWG and DXF files | Mechanical (Feb 2023)
Professional (Sep 2021) Premium (July 2020) |
| Collaborative Designer for SolidWorks | Enables users to access the cloud-based 3DExperience platform from within SolidWorks for secure data and product lifecycle management | February 2020 |
| Collaborative Designer for DraftSight | Combines DraftSight's 2D drafting tools with cloud-based collaboration, data, and product lifecycle management tools | July 2020 |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "The future of Solidworks". September 27, 2011. Retrieved May 6, 2016.
- ^ Durham, Phil (January 25, 2022). "What is SolidWorks?". Technia (US). Retrieved September 5, 2023.
- ^ Bethany (December 7, 2017). "A Brief History Of SolidWorks". Scan2CAD. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
- ^ NASA Tech Briefs. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. 1996.
- ^ Petrock, Stephen (June 15, 2023). "The Guide to Passing the SOLIDWORKS CSWP". Engineering.com. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
- ^ Alba, Michael (July 14, 2020). "Sports Cars and Chin-Up Bars: Accelerating Designs with SOLIDWORKS Simulation". Engineering.com. Copyright 2024 WTWH Media LLC. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
- ^ "SolidWorks Founders Reunite to Ponder Their Second Act". The CAD Insider. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
- ^ Bob Tremblay (March 26, 2008). "Fomer [sic] MIT blackjack team member talks about breaking the bank". standard-journal.com. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
- ^ "Solidworks: Engineering 4.0". www.tecnetinc.com. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
- ^ Petrock, Stephen (September 22, 2023). "An Introduction to SOLIDWORKS". Engineering.com. Copyright 2024 WTWH Media LLC. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
- ^ a b Brejcha, Bart (March 14, 2024). "From Origins To Now: The History Of The SolidWorks Saga". www.design-engine.com. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
- ^ "Dassault Systemes Is Acquiring SolidWorks". The New York Times. June 25, 1997. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
- ^ "Stepping outside of the parametric feature-based paradigm in SolidWorks". April 30, 2007. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
- ^ "SolidWorks Design to Manufacturing Process White Paper". www.javelin-tech.com. February 22, 2018. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
External links
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to SolidWorks.
