SolidWorks
Desktop software for 3D modeling
title: "SolidWorks" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["3d-graphics-software", "proprietary-software", "windows-only-software", "solid-mechanics", "product-design", "computer-aided-design-software-for-windows", "1995-software", "dassault-systèmes", "1993-establishments-in-massachusetts", "companies-established-in-1993"] description: "Desktop software for 3D modeling" topic_path: "technology/operating-systems" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SolidWorks" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Desktop software for 3D modeling ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox software"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | SolidWorks |
| logo | SolidWorks Logo.svg |
| screenshot | File:SolidWorks 2023 3D Assembly.png |
| caption | SolidWorks 2023 displaying a 3D assembly. |
| developer | Dassault Systèmes |
| released | |
| latest release version | SolidWorks 2024 |
| latest release date | |
| operating system | Microsoft Windows |
| language | Chinese, Chinese Simplified, Czech, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Turkish |
| genre | CAD CAE PDM PLM |
| license | Proprietary, term |
| website | |
| :: |
| name = SolidWorks | logo = SolidWorks Logo.svg | screenshot = File:SolidWorks 2023 3D Assembly.png | caption = SolidWorks 2023 displaying a 3D assembly. | developer = Dassault Systèmes | released = | latest release version = SolidWorks 2024 | latest release date = | operating system = Microsoft Windows | language = Chinese, Chinese Simplified, Czech, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Turkish | genre = CAD CAE PDM PLM | license = Proprietary, term | website =
SolidWorks (stylized as SOLIDWORKS) is a brand of software used for solid modeling computer-aided design (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.
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.
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
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/48/Swstapler00.jpg" caption="Screenshot captured from a SolidWorks top-down design approach"] ::
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1a/Sw03.jpg" caption="Screenshot captured from a SolidWorks top-down design approach"] ::
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.
SolidWorks software includes tools for analyses and simulations, such as Finite Element Analysis, which supports modeling, design, and collaborative work.
SolidWorks offers multiple work tools to be used when building system assemblies such as the interference detection tool. This enables the detection of potential interfering part which could cause issue in the assembly system.
References
References
- (September 27, 2011). "The future of Solidworks".
- Durham, Phil. (2022-01-25). "What is SolidWorks?".
- Bethany. (2017-12-07). "A Brief History Of SolidWorks".
- "SolidWorks Founders Reunite to Ponder Their Second Act".
- Bob Tremblay. (2008-03-26). "{{sic".
- "Solidworks: Engineering 4.0".
- (September 22, 2023). "An Introduction to SOLIDWORKS". Copyright 2024 WTWH Media LLC.
- Brejcha, Bart. (March 14, 2024). "From Origins To Now: The History Of The SolidWorks Saga".
- (1997-06-25). "Dassault Systemes Is Acquiring SolidWorks". The New York Times.
- Petrock, Stephen. (June 15, 2023). "The Guide to Passing the SOLIDWORKS CSWP".
- (2007-04-30). "Stepping outside of the parametric feature-based paradigm in SolidWorks".
- (July 14, 2020). "Sports Cars and Chin-Up Bars: Accelerating Designs with SOLIDWORKS Simulation". Copyright 2024 WTWH Media LLC.
- Patil, Rajesh V.. (2025). "Performance Assessment of Sagacious E-Powertrain Tiller for Smart Farming.".
::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::