SolidWorks Corporation is a leading developer and publisher of Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software known as SolidWorks. The company was originally founded in 1993 by Jon Hirschtick, with its headquarters located in Waltham, Massachusetts, USA.
History
- Foundation: SolidWorks Corporation was established in 1993 by Jon Hirschtick, who aimed to bring parametric feature-based solid modeling to the desktop, making it accessible to smaller companies and individual designers.
- First Product: The first version of SolidWorks was released in November 1995. It was designed to run on Windows, making it one of the first Windows-based 3D CAD systems.
- Acquisition by Dassault Systèmes: In 1997, Dassault Systèmes, a French company known for its CATIA software, acquired SolidWorks Corporation. This acquisition allowed SolidWorks to expand its capabilities and market reach significantly.
- Evolution: Over the years, SolidWorks Corporation has continuously updated and expanded its software suite, incorporating new tools for simulation, product data management, and technical communication, among others.
Products and Services
- SolidWorks: The flagship product, offering a comprehensive suite for 3D CAD, simulation, visualization, and product data management.
- SolidWorks Simulation: Provides tools for engineers to test product performance under various conditions.
- SolidWorks PDM: Product Data Management solutions to manage design data and related documents.
- SolidWorks Composer: A tool for creating 3D technical illustrations and animations.
Market Position
SolidWorks Corporation is recognized as one of the top providers of mechanical CAD software, with a significant market share in the mid-range CAD market. Its software is used across various industries including automotive, aerospace, electronics, and consumer goods, among others.
Innovations and Contributions
- Introduction of SolidWorks World, an annual user conference to promote innovation, education, and networking in the CAD community.
- Pioneering features like the 'FeatureManager' design tree, which has become a standard in parametric CAD systems.
- Development of cloud-based solutions like 3DEXPERIENCE Works, integrating CAD with collaborative tools on the cloud.
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