SOLIDWORKS
A Dassault Systèmes brand providing 3D computer-aided design, engineering, simulation, data-management, and product-development software.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
SOLIDWORKS is a 3D computer-aided design and product-development software brand associated with Dassault Systèmes. Its core products are used to create parametric solid models of parts, assemblies, and production drawings, while related tools support simulation, visualization, technical communication, product-data management, and collaboration. The brand is especially established among mechanical engineers, industrial designers, manufacturers, educators, and smaller or mid-sized product-development teams. The business was founded in 1993 in the United States by Jon Hirschtick and other engineers who sought to make capable mechanical solid-modeling software available on standard Windows personal computers. At the time, much high-end CAD work was associated with expensive Unix workstations and complex enterprise systems. SOLIDWORKS differentiated itself through a comparatively accessible interface, feature-based parametric modeling, Windows compatibility, and a distribution model aimed at mainstream design-centric users. The first product generation, SolidWorks 95, established the brand in the mechanical-design market. Dassault Systèmes announced an agreement to acquire SolidWorks Corporation in June 1997. The transaction was structured as an all-stock acquisition and was valued at approximately $310 million based on the contemporary share price. Following the transaction, SOLIDWORKS continued to operate as a separate business with its own identity, products, distribution channel, and partner programs, while benefiting from Dassault Systèmes' industrial software portfolio and international reach. The acquisition positioned SOLIDWORKS as a complementary offering to Dassault Systèmes' CATIA products: SOLIDWORKS served a broad mainstream mechanical-design market, while CATIA addressed highly complex enterprise engineering and manufacturing programs. Over time, the portfolio expanded beyond basic 3D modeling. Dassault Systèmes' acquisition of SRAC brought simulation capabilities into the SOLIDWORKS ecosystem. Conisio technology contributed to the development of SolidWorks Enterprise PDM, while the acquisition of Seemage added 3DVIA Composer technical-communication capabilities. Other additions, including Priware-related technology, supported the brand's broader product-development and visualization direction. The product family has consequently included professional and premium desktop packages, simulation and visualization applications, electrical and manufacturing tools, technical-publication capabilities, and product-data-management solutions. In more recent product strategy, SOLIDWORKS has been connected with the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, Dassault Systèmes' cloud-based environment for design, collaboration, data management, and lifecycle processes. This direction extends the brand from a primarily desktop CAD application toward connected workflows in which engineering data can be shared with manufacturing, sales, marketing, and other stakeholders. Related offerings include browser-based communication and visualization functions that allow users to generate product imagery, presentations, technical illustrations, and other content from CAD models. SOLIDWORKS operates internationally through Dassault Systèmes, resellers, distributors, education channels, and partner networks. Its market position rests on ease of adoption, a large user and training ecosystem, compatibility with established mechanical-design workflows, and a broad set of add-on capabilities. The brand remains active as a major engineering-software franchise within Dassault Systèmes, although current product packaging, cloud integration, and naming conventions continue to evolve.
History
SOLIDWORKS emerged in the early 1990s from an effort to bring three-dimensional mechanical solid modeling to ordinary Windows-based personal computers. The company was founded in 1993 by Jon Hirschtick and a group of engineers, including Constantine Dokos, Scott Harris, and Bob Zuffante according to secondary accounts. Its founding objective was to offer engineers a more approachable and economical alternative to workstation-oriented CAD systems. The product emphasized feature-based parametric modeling, allowing designers to build parts through ordered operations and then assemble those parts into larger mechanical products. The first product generation, SolidWorks 95, helped establish the company in the design-centric mechanical-CAD market. The software's graphical interface and Windows deployment model made it attractive to users who needed professional capabilities without the cost and complexity associated with many traditional high-end systems. The company obtained early venture backing and grew rapidly. By the time Dassault Systèmes announced its acquisition agreement in June 1997, SolidWorks had more than 6,000 installed seats serving over 3,000 customers, according to the acquirer's announcement. Dassault Systèmes agreed to issue approximately 4.85 million common shares in exchange for all outstanding SolidWorks capital stock and certain related options and warrants. The transaction was valued at approximately $310 million using the contemporary Dassault Systèmes share price. SolidWorks was expected to remain a separate subsidiary headquartered in Concord, Massachusetts, retaining its identity, products, distribution channel, and partner programs. Jon Hirschtick was identified as the leader of the SolidWorks management team and was expected to report to Dassault Systèmes chief executive Bernard Charlès. The acquisition gave Dassault Systèmes a stronger presence in the mainstream mechanical-design segment and allowed SOLIDWORKS to draw on the larger company's international infrastructure. During the following years, the portfolio expanded through product development and acquisitions. SRAC technology added simulation capabilities aimed at bringing analysis closer to everyday design work. The acquisition of Conisio contributed to SolidWorks Enterprise PDM, extending the product family into engineering-data control and collaboration. Seemage technology became associated with 3DVIA Composer, which enabled users to repurpose three-dimensional design data for technical illustrations, assembly instructions, service documentation, and other communications. Priware-related technology also became part of the broader product and visualization portfolio. The brand's scope consequently grew from a core mechanical CAD application into a collection of tools covering design, simulation, visualization, electrical design, documentation, manufacturing preparation, and product-data management. The desktop SOLIDWORKS products continued to serve individual designers and engineering departments, while connected capabilities addressed larger organizational workflows. Dassault Systèmes later linked SOLIDWORKS more closely with the 3DEXPERIENCE platform. This cloud-oriented strategy supports centralized data, collaboration, lifecycle management, and access to product-development functions through a common environment. Offerings marketed under the 3DEXPERIENCE Works umbrella are intended to connect SOLIDWORKS users with cloud applications and workflows while preserving familiar design processes. Browser-based tools such as Product Communicator extend CAD data into product imagery, presentations, renderings, and technical content for audiences beyond engineering. Marketing and community activity has supported the brand's international reach. A documented Northern European social-advertising program run with OST Marketing began in 2015 and used LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook across markets including the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. The program promoted existing content and produced blog material intended to generate awareness and leads. A case study reported 2018 campaign results of approximately 18 million impressions, 120,000 link clicks, and more than 1,400 leads; these figures describe the agency's campaign results rather than SOLIDWORKS corporate revenue. SOLIDWORKS remains an active Dassault Systèmes brand with a global reseller, education, user, and partner ecosystem. Its continuing challenge is to balance the familiarity and installed base of desktop mechanical CAD with increasing demand for cloud collaboration, integrated lifecycle management, simulation, visualization, and data continuity.
- 2018
Reported social campaign performance
[3]An agency case study reported approximately 18 million impressions, 120,000 link clicks, and more than 1,400 leads from optimized SOLIDWORKS social advertising campaigns.
- 2015
Northern European social advertising program began
[3]OST Marketing reported beginning multilingual business-to-business social advertising and content work for SOLIDWORKS across Northern Europe.
- 2007
3DVIA Composer added through Seemage
[2]Dassault Systèmes acquired Seemage, after which SOLIDWORKS added 3DVIA Composer capabilities for technical communication and documentation.
- 2006
Enterprise PDM expanded through Conisio
[2]The acquisition of Conisio added SolidWorks Enterprise PDM to the product portfolio and strengthened engineering-data management.
- 2001
Simulation capabilities added through SRAC
[2]Dassault Systèmes acquired SRAC, enabling the SOLIDWORKS portfolio to incorporate simulation capabilities aimed at mainstream designers.
- 1997
Acquisition by Dassault Systèmes
[1]Dassault Systèmes announced and completed an all-stock acquisition of SolidWorks, valued at approximately $310 million based on the announcement-date share price.
- 1995
SolidWorks 95 shipped
[2]The company's first seat of SolidWorks 95 was shipped, establishing the product in the mainstream mechanical-CAD market.
- 1993
SolidWorks founded
[2]SolidWorks Corporation was established in the United States to develop accessible three-dimensional mechanical-design software for Windows computers.
Products and positioning
Accessible, mainstream professional mechanical-design and product-development software spanning desktop CAD, simulation, visualization, data management, and cloud-connected collaboration.
3D mechanical CAD · 1995
SOLIDWORKS Standard, Professional, and Premium
The principal desktop packages for parametric part modeling, assembly design, engineering drawings, and product documentation. Professional and Premium editions add progressively broader capabilities, which may include design productivity, visualization, routing, simulation, and other engineering functions depending on the release and licensing configuration.
Engineering simulation
SOLIDWORKS Simulation
A family of analysis tools integrated with SOLIDWORKS workflows. It is intended to help engineers evaluate structural and other engineering behaviors during product development, reducing the need to move geometry into entirely separate analysis environments for common design-validation tasks.
3D visualization and rendering
SOLIDWORKS Visualize
Visualization software for producing photorealistic images, animations, and presentation content from three-dimensional product data. It supports engineering reviews as well as sales, marketing, and product-launch communications before a physical product is manufactured.
Product-data management · 2006
SOLIDWORKS PDM
Product-data-management capabilities for controlling engineering files, revisions, references, access, and design workflows. The portfolio grew from the Enterprise PDM product associated with the Conisio acquisition and is designed to provide teams with a controlled source for product-development information.
Cloud collaboration and product development
3DEXPERIENCE Works for SOLIDWORKS
A set of cloud-connected roles and applications that links SOLIDWORKS design work with collaboration, data management, lifecycle, simulation, manufacturing, and other product-development processes on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform.
Browser-based product communication
Product Communicator
A browser-based role for creating product shots, renderings, videos, presentations, and technical illustrations from CAD models. It is designed for makers, designers, sales teams, and marketers who need to communicate product concepts before physical prototypes or finished products are available.
Marketing campaigns
- 2018Optimized social lead-generation campaign
Northern Europe
The documented campaign used paid social distribution and content optimization to reach engineering and design audiences across Northern Europe.
Outcome. The case study reported approximately 18 million impressions, 120,000 link clicks, and more than 1,400 leads.
- 2015Northern Europe B2B Social Advertising
United Kingdom · Belgium · Netherlands · Luxembourg · Sweden · Norway · Denmark
OST Marketing reported managing multilingual lead-generation campaigns for SOLIDWORKS on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook, while also producing blog content and promoting existing campaign assets.
Outcome. The agency reported that the program continued through at least 2018 and delivered strong cost-per-lead performance.
Brand decisions
1997
Dassault Systèmes acquired SolidWorksM&ABackground
SolidWorks had developed a strong position in accessible Windows-based mechanical solid modeling, while Dassault Systèmes served more complex enterprise CAD and product-lifecycle markets.
Action taken
Dassault Systèmes agreed to issue approximately 4.85 million shares for all outstanding SolidWorks capital stock and certain options and warrants. The transaction was valued at approximately $310 million using the contemporary share price.
Aftermath
SolidWorks continued as a separate subsidiary with its own brand, products, distribution channel, and partner programs, while becoming part of Dassault Systèmes' global software portfolio.
Transaction value. $310 million approximate announced value (June 1997 announcement)
Recent events
Sources7 sources
- 1Dassault Systèmes signs definitive agreement to acquire SolidWorks3ds.com
- 2SOLIDWORKS Corporate Fact Sheetsolidworks.com
- 3SOLIDWORKS B2B Social Advertising case studyostmarketing.com
- 4Product Communicatorsolidworks.com
- 53DEXPERIENCE Works Marketing Solution for SOLIDWORKStrimech.com
- 6达梭系统推出 SOLIDWORKS 2020chinatimes.com
- 7达索系统发布SOLIDWORKS 2022news.e-works.net.cn
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