SolidWorks (stylized as SOLIDWORKS) is a brand of software used for
solid modeling computer-aided design
Computer-aided design (CAD) is the use of computers (or ) to aid in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimization of a design. This software is used to increase the productivity of the designer, improve the quality of design, improve c ...
(CAD) and
computer-aided engineering (CAE).
It was one of the first 3D CAD applications designed to run on a desktop PC.
The brand is owned by French software company
Dassault Systèmes
Dassault Systèmes SE () (abbreviated 3DS) is a French Multinational corporation, multinational software corporation which develops software for 3D product design, simulation, manufacturing and other 3D related products.
Founded in 1981, it is ...
.
History
SolidWorks Corporation was established in December 1993 by
MIT
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Established in 1861, MIT has played a significant role in the development of many areas of modern technology and sc ...
graduate
Jon Hirschtick, who used funds from his time with the
MIT Blackjack Team
The MIT Blackjack Team was a group of students and ex-students from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University, and other leading colleges; they used card counting techniques and more sophisticated strategies to beat casinos at bla ...
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
Concord () is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. In the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the town population was 18,491. The United States Census Bureau considers Concord part of Greater Boston. The town center is n ...
, the company later moved to
Waltham, Massachusetts
Waltham ( ) is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, and was an early center for the labor movement as well as a major contributor to the Technological and industrial history of the United States, American Industrial Revoluti ...
. 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.
In 1999, SolidWorks started introducing software for 3D modeling, and in 2006 introduced SolidWorks Design-to-Manufacturing solutions, an integrated system enabling design and manufacturing teams to work together concurrently.
As of 2024, SolidWorks had an estimated 7.5 million users.
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
Parasolid is a geometric modeling kernel originally developed by Shape Data Limited, now owned and developed by Siemens Digital Industries Software. It can be licensed by other companies for use in their 3D computer graphics software product ...
modeling kernel.
SolidWorks software includes tools for analyses and simulations, such as Finite Element Analysis, which supports modeling, design, and collaborative work.
See also
*
Comparison of computer-aided design software
*
List of 3D printing software
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Solidworks
3D graphics software
Windows-only proprietary software
Solid mechanics
Product design
Computer-aided design software for Windows
1995 software
Dassault Systèmes
1993 establishments in Massachusetts
Companies established in 1993