Talk:SolidWorks

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Noun

Is the use of the noun SolidWorks old now? (It will never be old) Everywhere in DSS reference, it is now SOLIDWORKS isn't it? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.43.152.143 (talk) 11:40, 1 December 2020 (UTC)

Agree, it's now SOLIDWORKS isn't it? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.43.152.143 (talk • contribs) 12:08, 15 April 2021 (UTC)

And it's irrelevant. Per MOS:TRADEMARK, we don't show it as all caps in articles. ~Anachronist (talk) 00:53, 16 April 2021 (UTC)

This is a terrible article. Who cares who the Executive VP of 3DExperience Works" is? The whole article needs re-writing. Some of the links go to websites that look like they are from the 1990s. And why do we need a huge chart with the exact date of every historical release?

I've done quite a bit of work to update this "terrible article" with newer, more relevant links, and actual information on the software (both browser and cloud based). — Preceding unsigned comment added by Geekybiz (talk • contribs) 18:31, 5 September 2023 (UTC)

Edit Request - Additional Section

What I think should be changed:

• Add below text after the Cloud-connected roles Table:

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. Additionally, the program offers substantial discounts for the subsequent two years, with a 70% discount in the second year and a 50% discount in the third year. Participants in the program also receive free training and co-marketing resources to aid in their success.

Why I think this should be changed

This information is of use to those researching the page and company. It provides insight for individuals in the hardware startup industry and fully captures the company's programs.

Thank you for donating your valuable free time to help this page. Please adjust as necessary within Wikipedia guidelines.

— Preceding unsigned comment added by GreenAppleClimber (talk • contribs)

Done I've removed the discount information, since discounts can change at any time, and I also added information from Engineering.com for additional context. ⸺(Random)staplers 21:13, 17 August 2024 (UTC)

• @GreenAppleClimber, don't forget to sign your comments with four tildes, like this: ~~~~⸺(Random)staplers 21:16, 17 August 2024 (UTC)

  @Randomstaplers Thanks for the edit and for the reminder. I appreciate your kindness. GreenAppleClimber (talk) 18:57, 21 August 2024 (UTC)@GreenAppleClimber

References

Edit Request - Products

What I think should be changed: The Product Portfolio section currently provides excess detail on products. Per tag from @user:Hipal, "advert - last good version 17:53, 3 June 2023" this revision is aimed at maintaining edits implemented since June 3rd, 2023, while attempting to achieve a less detailed product catalogue - imitating the format seen on Palantir Technologies' Products and Adobe Photoshop's Versions sections:

Sources like Javelin should not be used. "Javelin Technologies is a Canadian company that is a reseller and training provider for SOLIDWORKS software " Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with WP:RS. Graywalls (talk) 02:03, 21 March 2025 (UTC)

@Graywalls ah, I see - it appears that Javelin is used as a source throughout the existing article. That will have to change. Thanks for all of your edits so far and for tagging this to be rewritten. I see that you've done significant work on the History section, removed Key Events, and cleaned up the various Portfolio sections. Do these need additional rewrites on top of those edits/purges? Or is it mostly the portfolio sections that need complete reworks? Thanks! GreenAppleClimber (talk) GreenAppleClimber (talk) 13:18, 21 March 2025 (UTC)

The entire article needs to be essentially redone. Sourcing is atrocious and too much information that do not belong in an encyclopedia article. Things that only the software developer/resellers/trade groups have to say much about don't need to be said in an encyclopedia. The article, as it stands now appears massively tainted with brand ambassador involved public relations activity, such as SolidWorks is a registered trademark of Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks Corporation. Graywalls (talk) 18:01, 21 March 2025 (UTC)

 Not done I'm declining this request for now. I just edited the article to clean it up and remove the tags, but the long list of unsourced product info had to go. If you want to rewrite and submit with maybe 4-5 important modules/features, with independent sources, you can reopen this by removing the d in the template. Keep in mind that you need to use only independent sources. No blogs, sponsored posts, press releases, company posts or anything controlled by the company. For example, the Engineers Rule website says at the bottom "Sponsored by Dassault Systèmes". These simple guidelines will ensure that nothing is added that isn't notable, and will keep the article from being tagged as advertising. You can ping me if you need help. STEMinfo (talk) 23:56, 21 April 2025 (UTC)

Products

Dassault Systèmes provides various SolidWorks products and tools to support a range of design, simulation, and data management needs. The main offerings include:

SolidWorks 3D CAD with Cloud Services

Parametric design software for creating 3D models and 2D drawings including option to connect data to the 3DExperience platform for creating annotations, sharing models, and cloud data management. Released in 1995.

3DExperience SolidWorks

SolidWorks 3D CAD with a built-in connection to the cloud-based 3DExperience platform product development suite.

SolidWorks Cloud

Browser-based solutions support design and modeling tasks without requiring local installation of the software, allowing for centralized data management and version control within the cloud.

DraftSight

DWG file-based CAD software with productivity tools and an APO for creating, editing, viewing, and sharing 2D and 3D DWG files.

SolidWorks Electrical

A toolset for designing electrical schematics, enabling integration of both 2D and 3D electrical components with mechanical models. SolidWorks Electrical was launched in 2012.

SolidWorks PDM Professional

A comprehensive Product Data Management (PDM) system that organizes CAD data and other engineering documents within a centralized database. SolidWorks PDM Professional, initially named PDMWorks Enterprise, includes file management, user permissions, and workflow automation.

SolidWorks Manage

SolidWorks Manage includes advanced data management tools for project, process, and item management. It provides capabilities for creating dashboards and reports on top of the file management offered by SolidWorks PDM Professional. Released in January 2018.

SolidWorks Simulation

Originally launched as COSMOSWorks, SolidWorks Simulation includes tools for structural analysis using Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and rigid-body dynamics, allowing users to test the physical behavior of CAD models. It was renamed to SolidWorks Simulation in 2008.

SolidWorks Flow Simulation

A Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) tool, originally COSMOSFloWorks, that uses a finite volume approach to analyze fluid flow and temperature conditions in CAD models. It was renamed SolidWorks Flow Simulation in 2008.

SolidWorks Plastics

SolidWorks Plastics simulates the injection molding process to evaluate manufacturability, helping to identify potential defects in molded parts prior to manufacturing. Introduced in April 2012.

SolidWorks Visualize

SolidWorks Visualize enables users to create photo-realistic renderings and animations from 3D CAD data for visual content and presentations. Released in October 2015.

SolidWorks Composer

Previously known as 3DVIA Composer, SolidWorks Composer enables the creation of technical illustrations, animations, and interactive graphics directly from 3D CAD data. It was renamed in 2013.

SolidWorks Inspection

SolidWorks Inspection automates the creation of inspection documentation, including ballooned drawings and inspection reports for manufacturing quality processes. First released in 2014.

SolidWorks MBD

SolidWorks MBD (Model-Based Definition) allows users to define and publish 3D annotations and model data in standard file formats, supporting industry requirements for 3D documentation. Released in 2014.

SolidWorks CAM

Integrated within the SolidWorks CAD environment, SolidWorks CAM provides tools for programming and machining, including high-speed machining, multi-axis programming, and assembly machining. Launched in September 2017.

SolidWorks eDrawings

SolidWorks eDrawings is a tool for viewing, creating, and sharing annotations and markups on 3D models. It supports collaboration by enabling users to review and interrogate CAD files across platforms. First released in September 1999.

Browser-Based and Cloud-Connected Roles

SolidWorks provides browser-based and cloud-connected roles as part of its 3DExperience platform, which enables users to run SolidWorks applications directly through a web browser and connect design data to a cloud environment. These roles, such as 3D Creator and 3D Sculptor, support design and modeling tasks without requiring local installation of the software, allowing for centralized data management and version control within the cloud.

- - - - - - - - - 

Thank you for donating your valuable free time to help this page. Please adjust as necessary within Wikipedia guidelines or tag me with any comments or questions. GreenAppleClimber (talk) 14:55, 10 January 2025 (UTC) GreenAppleClimber (talk) 14:55, 10 January 2025 (UTC)

References

Parasolid modeling kernel

Looking at the citation for "The software uses the Parasolid modeling kernel." and going to that domain with the wayback machine I was unable to verify the citation regarding that and the only mention I saw of solidworks using that is inside Wikipedia. There should be a consideration for removing that segment from this and the parasolid wikipedia page 79.103.73.88 (talk) 14:08, 11 September 2025 (UTC)

History section

Hi, I’m Stephanie and I’m here as part of my work for Beutler Ink. On behalf of SolidWorks, I would like to propose updates to the page. The current History section has a few gaps in it. There is a "citations needed" tag; a few sources do not meet Wikipedia's standards (The CAD Insider; design-engine.com; tecnetinc.com); and there is no information between 2006 and 2024. The draft below uses better sources and fills in the gaps in history.

SolidWorks Corporation was established in December 1993 by MIT graduate Jon Hirschtick. During this time, computer-aided design software was only compatible with UNIX systems. Hirschtick aimed to create a software that was easy to use and affordable and so created SolidWorks for Microsoft Windows.

SolidWorks was originally based in Concord, Massachusetts with Hirschtick as its first chief executive officer. Its first product, SolidWorks 95, was released in November 1995 after two years of development.The next year, John McEleney succeeded Hirschtick as CEO. In 1997, Dassault Systèmes acquired SolidWorks for $316 million.

Under McEleney, SolidWorks increased its number of customers to over 40,000 and had a market valuation of $1.5 billion. After 12 years as CEO, McEleney stepped down and was succeeded by Jeff Ray.

In 2011, Dassault Systèmes purchased a new office in Waltham, Massachusetts, where SolidWorks became headquartered

By 2013, SolidWorks was used by 62 percent of engineering professionals.

Gian Paolo Bassi was named CEO in 2015. During his tenure, he was credited with modernizing SolidWorks by adding cloud features, utilizing databases in the software over files, and pushing for environmental initiatives. Bassi stepped down in 2022 and was succeeded by Manish Kumar, SolidWork's vice president of research and development.

References

Please let me know if there is anything I can answer or address. Stephanie BINK (talk) 22:04, 27 May 2026 (UTC)

Hi Stephanie, am I missing something, or does the sentence 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 stil not have a citation? Needless to say, if your intent was to delete this sentence, we need to have a reason why (not to mention, a clear direction to delete the sentence) unless There is a citations needed teg was the reason. I can't access the other references in order to verify, perhaps you could add the relevant text under the |quote= parameter? Thank you! Regards,  Spintendo  20:29, 20 June 2026 (UTC)

Spintendo thanks for the reply! Here is a revised draft below with the quote parameter for the Boston Globe and WSJ sources, since those have paywalls. To your other question, yes my intent was to delete this sentence because of the citation needed tag; I was unable to locate any source which verified the information.

SolidWorks Corporation was established in December 1993 by MIT graduate Jon Hirschtick. During this time, computer-aided design software was only compatible with UNIX systems. Hirschtick aimed to create a software that was easy to use and affordable and so created SolidWorks for Microsoft Windows.

SolidWorks was originally based in Concord, Massachusetts with Hirschtick as its first chief executive officer. Its first product, SolidWorks 95, was released in November 1995 after two years of development.The next year, John McEleney succeeded Hirschtick as CEO. In 1997, Dassault Systèmes acquired SolidWorks for $316 million.

Under McEleney, SolidWorks increased its number of customers to over 40,000 and had a market valuation of $1.5 billion. After 12 years as CEO, McEleney stepped down and was succeeded by Jeff Ray.

In 2011, Dassault Systèmes purchased a new office in Waltham, Massachusetts, where SolidWorks became headquartered.

By 2013, SolidWorks was used by 62 percent of engineering professionals.

Gian Paolo Bassi was named CEO in 2015. During his tenure, he was credited with modernizing SolidWorks by adding cloud features, utilizing databases in the software over files, and pushing for environmental initiatives. Bassi stepped down in 2022 and was succeeded by Manish Kumar, SolidWork's vice president of research and development.

References

Please let me know if there is anything I can answer or address. Stephanie BINK (talk) 19:54, 23 June 2026 (UTC)

Reopening this request due to the new information provided. Stephanie BINK (talk) 16:54, 1 July 2026 (UTC)

I updated the History section with the most recent text above. There were some formatting errors:

The name of a "ref" should have quotes around it if 2 words:

• <ref name="first second"> ... </ref> Correct.
• <ref name=first second>... </ref> Wrong.

And do not use the same "ref" name twice:

• <ref name=SomeName> Source A, page 25. </ref> This is the first name (okay).
• <ref name=SomeName> Source A, page 25. </ref> Wrong: do not duplicate, Instead use <ref name=SomeName/>
• <ref name=SomeName> Source A, page 134 </ref> Wrong - different page.
• <ref name=SomeName> Source B </ref> Wrong - different source

.. instead, change the ref name if the details of the source changes.

Noleander (talk) 20:49, 13 July 2026 (UTC)

Thanks! Stephanie BINK (talk) 21:09, 13 July 2026 (UTC)

Infobox and new section proposal

I would like to propose adding a new section with operational information with the subheading name "Company overview". Under this section, I would like to propose the following content be added:

Manish Kumar is CEO of SolidWorks, as of 2025.

SolidWorks, originally a privately held company, was acquired by Dassault Systèmes in 1997 through a stock transaction valued at $300 million. Prior to the acquisition, it was named Solidworks Corporation.

As of 2024, SolidWorks had an estimated 7.5 million users.

References

Additionally, I would like to propose that the "Stable release" in the infobox be updated:

• Update "latest release version" to: SolidWorks 2026
  • Currently, this parameter says "SolidWorks 2024".
• Update "latest release date" to: November 14, 2025
  • Currently, this parameter says "September 26, 2023"

This release information can be verified with historical release information. Noleander notifying you of this request since you reviewed the previous one. Thanks! Stephanie BINK (talk) 16:26, 15 July 2026 (UTC)

@Stephanie BINK I added the Company overview section.

Regarding the latest date/version in InfoBox: the data looks good. I suggest that you:

1. Directly update that information in the InfoBox
2. In the "Edit summary" comment (when you complete the edit) post a note that there is a COI, and mention tha the edit was first suggested in the article Talk page
3. Post a note here in the Talk page explaining that you performed the edit yourself. Quote from the COI guideline that says such edits are merely discouraged but not prohibited. State that if any other editors are not comfortable with the edit, they can either revert it themselves, or ask you (SB) to revert it.
4. If anyone does revert, no worries: just discuss here in the Talk page and maybe you can get the reviewer to validate the edit.

I'm not planning on validating any more COI edits ... I only noticed because I'm a member of the WP Engineering project. WP is a bit shorthanded, so going forward, I suggest that you consider using the following process for edits to the article:

1. Post a COI-edit-request here in the Talk page
2. Wait a month. If it has not been approved: post a 2nd note in Talk page and say you will make the edit in one week (if the edit has not yet been done).
3. After a week: perform the edit yourself
4. In the "Edit summary" comment (when you complete the edit) post a note that there is a COI, and mention tha the edit was first suggested in the article Talk page
5. Post a note here in the Talk page explaining that you performed the edit yourself. Quote from the COI guideline that says such edits are merely discouraged but not prohibited. State that if any other editors are not comfortable with the edit, they can either revert it themselves, or ask you (SB) to revert it.
6. If anyone does revert, no worries: just discuss here in the Talk page and maybe you can get that editor to validate the edit.

The above process is entirely consistent with WP policies. We have to strike a balance between avoiding bad/biased/wrong info and no info at all. Noleander (talk) 17:28, 15 July 2026 (UTC)

FYI: I posted a note in COI Talk page about the edit request backlog and the "strongly discouraged" phrase. See Wikipedia_talk:Conflict_of_interest#Should_"strongly_discouraged"_be_relaxed_for_some_edits?. Noleander (talk) 18:15, 15 July 2026 (UTC)

I completely understand! Thank you for reviewing this one and moving forward, I keep in mind the approach you outlined above. Thanks! Stephanie BINK (talk) 18:43, 15 July 2026 (UTC)

Infobox updates

Hello editors, I wanted to post a note here that I have updated the infobox. I have a conflict of interest due to my work for Beutler Ink. Following suggestions and effective go ahead in the post above, I have updated the infobox with current release information:

• Updated "latest release version" to: SolidWorks 2026
• Updated "latest release date" to: November 14, 2025

Please let me know if there are any questions. Stephanie BINK (talk) 18:43, 15 July 2026 (UTC)

Modeling technology section

Hello editors, I would like to make a proposal for this page as an editor with a conflict of interest. The article currently has a section named Modeling technology, which is narrow in scope and uses one defunct source. I would like to suggest expanding the scope of this section by renaming it Products. Additionally, I would like to suggest replacing the content with the following, which offers a more comprehensive description than what is currently used.

SolidWorks is a mechanical CAD software that uses a parametric feature-based approach. Updated versions are released routinely. It has service packs that are continuously released and include new functionality that coincides with the functional deliveries of the 3DExperience Platform.

In 2019, cloud-based applications called 3DEXPERIENCE Works were created for the desktop based tools. SolidWorks offers cloud-based tools through the 3DExperience platform for design, simulation, and data management. In 2025, Dassault Systèmes launched an AI assistant called AURA, connected to SolidWorks through the 3DExperience platform. The following year, it introduced two new AI assistants, Leo and Marie.

SolidWorks announced in 2025 that it would offer online purchase for its software, previously only available through resale vendors.

References

A quick summary of the request:

• Rename "Modeling technology" section name to "Products"
• Remove all current information under "Modeling technology" and replace it with the content above.

Please let me know if there are any questions! Stephanie BINK (talk) 18:43, 15 July 2026 (UTC)

Regarding the sources: Ideally WP wants super reliable sources, by independent authors. For details see

• WP:RS
• Wikipedia:Reliable_sources#Questionable_and_self-published_sources
• Wikipedia:Verifiability#Reliable_sources
• This page is very instructive: Wikipedia:Reliable sources/Perennial sources

Using trade journals or similar (I'm not familiar with engineering.com or Develop3D ... are they trade journals?) is acceptable ONLY if:

1. there is no better alternative; AND
2. if the trade journal article is written by a person independent from the company it describes

If the trade journal is simply publishing a press release written by the company (that the press release about) that is probably not sufficiently independent to be used as a source of a WP article.

Some WP articles do use trade journals for minor facts (date of an event; name of a product; etc) ... and that may be acceptable for SolidWorks. But for anything that is remotely puffery or subjective or descriptive (the "First", the "newest", the "most"...) then press releases are not acceptable at all. Noleander (talk) 19:06, 15 July 2026 (UTC)

Thanks for the feedback! These articles are not re-publications of press releases and all have author bylines with them. They are trade publications, Engineering.com is within the larger Design World network (see information on this here). Develop3D is a magazine based out of the UK. Stephanie BINK (talk) 20:23, 16 July 2026 (UTC)

Taking a look at some of the Engineering.com sourcing: Dassault Announces SOLIDWORKS 2025 is a near word-for-word copy of the a 2025 Dassault Systèmes press release, and the other Engineering.com sources read very promotionally, as if they were press releases. An Introduction to SOLIDWORKS: "How to get started with the #1 professional mechanical CAD program...Keep reading and you’ll learn why SOLIDWORKS is the first choice for millions of engineers and designers who want to bring their ideas and concepts to life in 3D." Finally, you can buy Solidworks online: "Solidworks has not yet revealed what that Ultimate price will be, but soon enough you’ll be able to see it, click it and buy it online. Finally." The Develop3D source is better, but the Engineering.com sources are too non-neutral to merit addition to the article IMO. Lastly, the proposed change reads more for someone who is a potential client rather than an encyclopedia reader looking for information about the company. For example, information such as "Updated versions are released routinely", "service packs that are continuously released" sounds more promotional and client-facing rather than encyclopedic information about what the software does. I'm going to mark this as answered for now, but please change "|answered=yes" to "|answered=no" in the {{edit COI}} template to reopen the request when there are new changes to the request. Best, Spencer^T•C 21:26, 23 July 2026 (UTC)