# What is SOLIDWORKS? Modules, integrations and alternatives > Source: https://netray.co/software/solidworks > Publisher: Netray (netray.co), AI and integration engineering for ERP and manufacturing systems. > Section: Manufacturing Software Encyclopedia ## Short answer SOLIDWORKS is a parametric 3D mechanical CAD application from Dassault Systemes, built around parts, assemblies and drawings. It is widely used by machine builders, fabricators and product companies to design components and generate the bills of materials and drawings that ERP and shop-floor systems consume. It runs on Windows and is sold alongside simulation, PDM, electrical and CAM-related add-ons. ## Vendor Dassault Systemes ## Category cad-cam ## Aliases - SolidWorks - SW - Solid Works - SOLIDWORKS 3D CAD ## Overview SOLIDWORKS is a feature-based, history-driven modeler. Engineers sketch profiles, apply features such as extrudes, revolves, sweeps, lofts and fillets, and assemble parts with mates. The same model drives 2D drawings, so a dimension change on the part flows to the drawing and to downstream outputs such as flat patterns and exports. Beyond core modeling the product family covers sheet metal, weldments, surfacing, mold tools, rendering, simulation, product data management and technical communication. Teams typically start with the core part, assembly and drawing environment and add packages as needs grow, for example finite element simulation, a CAM add-on, or PDM for revision control. In a manufacturing stack SOLIDWORKS sits upstream of ERP and MES. The assembly structure becomes the engineering bill of materials, custom properties become item attributes, and neutral files such as STEP and DXF go to CAM, nesting and suppliers. The quality of that handoff, meaning consistent part numbers, properties and revision rules, usually decides how much manual re-keying ERP planners do. ## Best For - Machine builders and special-purpose equipment makers designing assemblies with many purchased and custom parts. - Sheet metal and weldment fabricators who need flat patterns and DXF output for cutting and bending. - Small and mid-sized product companies that want a broadly known CAD tool with a large pool of trained designers. - Job shops and contract manufacturers that receive native SOLIDWORKS files from customers and need to open them directly. - Engineering teams that want to add simulation, PDM and documentation tools around one CAD core. ## Modules ### Part and assembly modeling **Description:** Parametric solid and surface modeling with mates, configurations, design tables and large-assembly handling tools. ### Drawings **Description:** Associative 2D drawings with views, sections, annotations, bills of materials and balloons driven from the 3D model. ### Sheet metal and weldments **Description:** Bend-aware sheet metal features with flat pattern generation, plus structural member and weld bead tooling with cut lists. ### Simulation **Description:** Optional analysis packages for static, thermal, motion and flow studies so designers can check designs before prototyping. ### PDM **Description:** Vault-based data management with check in and out, revision control, lifecycle states and workflow, available in Standard and Professional tiers. ### Model-based definition **Description:** Product and manufacturing information added directly to the 3D model, with export to formats consumed by inspection and CAM. ### Electrical and routing **Description:** Optional electrical schematic and 3D routing tools for harnesses, tubing and piping within the assembly. ## Deployment SOLIDWORKS is primarily a Windows desktop application, licensed per user as standalone or network licenses. Dassault Systemes also offers cloud-connected 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS roles, and PDM can run on a customer-managed server. ## Integrations ### Native API **Detail:** A COM-based API usable from VBA, C# and VB.NET lets teams automate modeling, extract properties and build add-ins. ### Neutral CAD formats **Detail:** Exchanges STEP, IGES, Parasolid, ACIS, STL, 3MF, DXF and DWG so CAM, nesting, inspection and supplier tools can use the geometry. ### ERP bill of materials **Detail:** Assembly structures and custom properties are commonly pushed into ERP item and BOM tables through PDM exports, CSV or middleware. ### PDM and PLM **Detail:** SOLIDWORKS PDM handles file vaulting, and larger organisations connect to PLM platforms for change control across disciplines. ### CAM and nesting **Detail:** CAM add-ons and third-party systems read native or neutral models; nesting tools consume DXF flat patterns. ## Strengths - Approachable interface and a large community, training market and reseller network. - Strong sheet metal, weldment and machine-design workflows with usable drawing automation. - Rich ecosystem of add-ins, CAM, simulation and PDM options that integrate with the core. - Open API makes property extraction and design automation practical for in-house developers. - Customers commonly send native files, so supporting it avoids translation losses. ## Limitations - Windows-centric; there is no native macOS or Linux desktop client for the core product. - Very large assemblies and complex surfacing can demand careful modeling practice and capable hardware. - Full PLM-style change control across disciplines usually needs PDM tiers or a separate PLM platform. - File-based data management means rigor is needed around references, naming and revision rules. ## Alternatives - Autodesk Inventor - PTC Creo - Siemens NX - Autodesk Fusion - CATIA - Solid Edge ## Ai Opportunities - Checking that every released assembly has complete custom properties (part number, material, revision) before the BOM reaches ERP. - Answering natural-language questions across a PDM vault, such as which drawings reference a given purchased part. - Comparing the engineering BOM exported from SOLIDWORKS with the ERP item master and flagging mismatches for review. - Drafting design review summaries and change descriptions from revision history, with an engineer approving the text. - Running a private, on-prem model over drawings and specifications so proprietary designs never leave the plant network. ## Selection Tips - Decide early whether you need PDM and which tier, since retrofitting vaulting onto years of loose files is painful. - Define custom properties and part numbering rules before rollout so the ERP handoff is consistent. - Test your largest real assembly on the intended hardware, not a sample model. - Ask which CAM and nesting tools your shop uses and confirm how they read native or neutral files. - Check what your key customers and suppliers send and receive, and whether native or neutral exchange is expected. - Review licensing model (standalone versus network) against how many designers work concurrently. ## Faq ### What is SOLIDWORKS used for? **Answer:** SOLIDWORKS is used to design mechanical parts and assemblies in 3D and to produce the drawings, flat patterns and bills of materials that manufacturing needs. Typical users are machine builders, fabricators and product companies. It also supports simulation, rendering and data management through additional packages. ### Does SOLIDWORKS connect to ERP? **Answer:** Not directly as a single built-in connector for every ERP. Most integrations export the bill of materials and custom properties from the model or from PDM, then load them into the ERP through CSV, an API or middleware. The reliability of the result depends on clean property and numbering conventions. ### Is SOLIDWORKS a cloud application? **Answer:** The core product is a Windows desktop application. Dassault Systemes also offers cloud-connected roles through its 3DEXPERIENCE platform, and PDM can be hosted on a company server. Which deployment fits depends on your security needs, collaboration pattern and existing infrastructure. ### What file formats does SOLIDWORKS read and write? **Answer:** Native files cover parts, assemblies and drawings. For exchange it handles STEP, IGES, Parasolid, ACIS, STL, 3MF, DXF and DWG, among others. Neutral formats are the safest choice when sending geometry to CAM, nesting or suppliers who do not run SOLIDWORKS. ### How does SOLIDWORKS compare with Inventor or Creo? **Answer:** All three are parametric mechanical CAD tools with assemblies and drawings. SOLIDWORKS is often chosen for usability and ecosystem breadth, Inventor for teams already on Autodesk tools, and Creo for complex parametric work with strong PTC Windchill ties. A pilot on your own models is the reliable test. ## Search terms what is solidworks, solidworks alternatives, solidworks modules, solidworks api, solidworks vs inventor, solidworks vs creo, solidworks erp integration, solidworks bom to erp, solidworks pdm, solidworks sheet metal --- Talk to an engineer: https://netray.co/contact?intent=erp_ai | Machine catalog: https://netray.co/agent/catalog.json