TrustRadius Insights for SOLIDWORKS are summaries of user sentiment data from TrustRadius reviews and, when necessary, third party data sources.
Recommendations
Users of Solidworks have made several recommendations based on their experiences with the software. The most common recommendations include evaluating other products to consider their benefits, especially for CAD software. Users also recommend utilizing Solidworks for 3D design work, highlighting its user-friendly interface and easy learning curve for new users. Additionally, users praise Solidworks for its active community and available support resources, which they recommend taking advantage of. Overall, these recommendations emphasize the importance of exploring different options, leveraging community support, and considering Solidworks for 3D design purposes.
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
Likelihood to Recommend
SolidWorks is perfect for solid modeling of mechanical parts and assemblies, especially if there are not too many surfaces involved in the process
I have started using SOLIDWORKS during my college days, and from the experience I can say that it is the first software that a Mechanical Engineer requires to study for different mechanical components due to it's simple user-interface and placing of all the features in a concise manner that even a fresher can start without any prior experiecne. Using SOLIDWORKS we can make 3D design of parts from 2D, can make orthographic views from 3D model, we can make assembly by combining different parts. SOLIDWORKS also support various types of analysis like Static, Thermal, Flow, Fatigue, Linear, Non-linear, Drop test, Buckling, as well as Mold Simulation. With SOLIDWORKS Design Library, we can also import different standard mechanical components as per our design requirements based on different codes like ANSI, DIN, ISO, BIS, etc. Plus, we can also use the animation wizard of SOLIDWORKS to view the live results of deformation or stress distribution in the parts, hence allows us to study as per real time scenario.
Pros
Simple Modelling and Assembling of parts
Contains large database of materials
Design Library to import every important standard parts, hence reducing time in designing the same
Allows every simulation, with results as per the real time scenario
Animation wizard, to view the deformation and stress occuring in a precise way
No need of manual calculation in calculating the weight and inertia of the component, SOLIDWORKS can do the work for you
Cons
With increase in complexity of the mechanical components, the solving time also increases exponentially.
With SOLIDWORKS, I can't do manual meshing by selecting the face of the components, unlike Ansys
SOLIDWORKS is a high end software, hence requires system which can support the software.
Likelihood to Recommend
SOLIDWORKS is the best software for the Mechanical Engineers, who want to design and build real time 3D models and study them in a simple way. With SOLIDWORKS I can make every mechanical components and with the help of material database I can assign different materials to each parts of my model. With the presence of Design Library, SOLIDWORKS becomes the best software in terms of importing of standard components like gears, keys, nuts, bolts, pins, washers, and structural members directly in my design interface. However, there are some drawbacks like high loading time, and increase in solving time with the increase in complexity of the model. Hence, for complex design simulations I prefer Ansys Workbench over SOLIDWORKS.
SOLIDWORKS is being used in engineering department to create solid models for our product, parts and assembly drawings later generates from solid model. Both 3D models and 2D drawings are used by other departments, and some times shared with external supplier. In certain situation, 3D model will be analyzed using SOLIDWORKS add-ons, such as simulation.
Pros
Design solid model
Generate 2D drawing
Check parts fitment
Cons
Sketch can be easier to use by adding more features
Rotation by reference would be useful feature to be added
Welding simulation would be helpful
Likelihood to Recommend
SOLIDWORKS is a easy to use 3D modeling software suitable for designing less complex parts and assemblies, creating accurate size solid model using the software gives benefits such as visualize design concept without having to create physical model, which saves time and money. Checking interference ahead of time will also improve design quality.
SOLIDWORKS is used by certain departments. Primarly, it's used by our Technical Applications team in order to perform Injection Molding draf analysis when required, on 3D files provided by customers.
Pros
While SOLIDWORKS has many features to learn, it is quite easy to start modeling if you're new to software.
The UI has always been one of my favorite reasons to use it, as other 3D modeling software provides a more "industrial" feel to the process of CAD modeling.
Cons
From the administrator side, managing licenses needs some major improvements. They offer 2 ways to manage: 1) per machine 2) online. Both are painful and need some feature development to improve both methods.
Likelihood to Recommend
As a mechanical engineer, it is one of the best tools to just start modeling and engineering with. The UI tools are intuitive and engineering analysis such Mold Analysis, FEA, are great! Other 3D CAD modeling tools have a longer learning curve to master.
All in all, if you're not planning to design an entire airplane with large assembly files, then Solidworks is your tool!
VU
Verified User
Engineer in Manufacturing (Consumer Electronics company, 51-200 employees)
[SOLIDWORKS] is being used to create 3D models and 2D drawings. We use 3D models to create plastic parts for molding and sheet metal parts for stamping. The 3D model allows us to see how parts in assemblies interact with each other, allowing us to control the fit and feel of the assembly. 2D drawing allow us to communicate with suppliers for tool creation and QA. Mainly used in the mechanical department
Pros
Great interface
Intuitive menus, tool bars and features
Import many file types
Cons
Large assemblies and complex part are slow to load
Limited collaboration ability
Needs a powerful PC to run it
Likelihood to Recommend
[SOLIDWORKS] is well suited to larger teams that work with complicated geometries and assemblies. EPDM integration also allows good file management and structure. [SOLIDWORKS] is less appropriate for single users that could get similar results from a lower priced product. Also less appropriate for teams that only need the modeling basic features.
VU
Verified User
Engineer in Engineering (Electrical & Electronic Manufacturing company, 201-500 employees)
Solidworks is used to review 3D model files by estimating and engineering. Also used in production to create flat patterns from customer-supplied sheet metal model files and create in-house shop drawings to define limited dimension drawings from customers.
Pros
Review and measure model files.
Convert sheetmetal model file to flat patterns.
Create in-hose drawings.
Cons
Export model characteristics more easily.
Easily convert surfaces to extrusions.
Likelihood to Recommend
Solidworks is suited for what we do as a company by being versatile and having functions across multiple departments, also is very user-friendly and there are many users worldwide making it easy to find tips on troubleshooting issues. Pricing is our biggest concern.
SOLIDWORKS is utilized solely by the Engineering Department to evaluate, measure, and flatten customer 3D models so we can turn them into 2D drawings and fabricate the parts on our laser and brake presses. A lot of our customer models are very lackluster and must redraw the parts with SOLIDWORKS to be able to create the 2D prints. We also will use it in conjunction with customer prints to get missing dimensions on the customer-supplied prints to ensure we meet quality requirements.
Pros
Heal corrupt 3D models.
Feature recognition is invaluable to correcting corrupt models.
Drawing 3D models made easy.
Cons
Some 3D models are completely impossible to repair via feature works and healing. Understanding all the different 3D modeling software and convincing customers to set standards for all models drawn by employees would be ideal even though it is outside of SOLIDWORKS control, some people that model parts are plain and simply not suited or managed properly to ensure the end customer has the ability to work with their model.
Likelihood to Recommend
A phenomenal product that is invaluable to any company that works with 3D models, especially sheet metal fabrication and stamping production facilities. I have not found anywhere that SOLIDWORKS was inappropriate for what I was working with.
We are an OEM so we do not design our own products. We use SOLIDWORKS to open our customer's files, and it has a wide variety of supported 3D files it can open. This is very useful since we cannot control what file types our customers create, but we need to be able to open and convert everything to use within MasterCAM and design tooling for these parts.
Pros
Opens many file types.
Easy to convert into 2D DWG files.
Fast 3D rendering for complex assemblies.
Cons
Save DWG 2D files in inches or metric easily, defaults to metric and has to be manually converted to inches
When using the sketch feature, the ability to disable ALL references. If I don't know the exact shape and I want to draw/adapt my design, it harshly interprets the references which have no value to me. The easiest exact is to think about when you have a Microsoft Word document that has a lot of formatting, photos, tabs, etc. If you accidentally hit the "enter" key, you can explode the formatting and everything goes crazy. SW does this to me, I just want to "doodle" my sketches, edit/delete/etc and not be bound by arbitrary references.
For the sketch feature, ability to use a DraftSight plugin of some sort. I'm super fast in DS, if I could draw using the commands in SW then I would probably never open DS again and convert to SW full time. Currently, I only use SW as a way to convert 3D files so I can build everything in DraftSight.
Likelihood to Recommend
Specifically for me at my company, the only people that need SOLIDWORKS are in my team. So there wouldn't be a need for anyone else to be recommended the product or eDrawings would satisfy anything else my department would need. If a peer from another company asked me, I would certainly recommend the software as it is simple and everyone across multiple industries uses it as the standard.
VU
Verified User
Engineer in Engineering (Machinery company, 51-200 employees)
We use SOLIDWORKS to model our product from individual components up to full assemblies and how they will fit in with our customer's product, especially when we have to design bracketry for installation. As our customers provide us with the models of their vehicles, we can see that our signs will fit and line up with mounting positions and viewing apertures.
Pros
Visualisation
Clash detection
Easy modification
Cons
Resource hungry
Time consuming to load models
Fault correction is difficult
Likelihood to Recommend
The ease of creating drawings from the 3D models makes this a powerful tool. As assemblies get more complex, it is simple to create sub assemblies, partial exploded views, and cutaways on the drawing to aid production and ensure that information and concepts are clearly communicated. This makes the design and realization process so much more effective and efficient.
We use SolidWorks as our primary CAD application throughout the organization including both our engineering and production (CNC programing) departments.
Pros
Top of the line parametric solid modeling
Intuitive interface
Expansive feature set
Excellent handling of both large and small design projects.
Fantastic support network
Stable and reliable
Cons
Solidworks is continually improving its product, however, more focus could be put into traditional drawings as opposed to MBD.
Crashes can at times happen without warning or symptoms.
The newer focus on cloud-based applications is a bit late to the game and needs some work to bring it up to enterprise-class.
Likelihood to Recommend
I believe SolidWorks to be the best all-around 3D parametric modeling software available on the market for most organizations. The only exception I can think of is you have a deeply entrenched AutoCAD culture, then perhaps Inventor would make an easier transition path into 3D. For brand new small companies that do not have the resources to put behind a full CAD suite, a cloud-based option like 3DExperience or OnShape may offer a solution. Otherwise, I believe that SolidWorks is, and should be, the go-to solution for most 3D CAD needs for most companies regardless of industry.
