Solidworks Being Phased out? 1

[SBaugh]

This is sort of a poll.

Reasons:
1) Since "Solidworks World" has been renamed to "3D Experience World". (Which Sounds totally stupid IMO.)
2) Draftsight the free 2D software that is going to no longer to be free at the end of this year and all older versions will cease to work.

How many people feel that Dassault is phasing out Solidworks to their new 3D experience platform (Legal Ransomware software) or something else cloud based?

I honestly expect to hear them tell us at "Solidworks World" (will always be SW world to me) in 2020 in Nashville, TN that they are going to start phasing it out and eventually stop altogether.

Your thoughts or comments?

Scott Baugh, CSWP
CAD Systems Manager
Evapar

http://www.evapar.com

"If it's not broke, Don't fix it!"

faq731-376

 

[ctopher]

I don't know. I wasn't there last time.
But, when I was at SW World the previous year, I tested some software that had CATIA feel to it.
It had CATIA looking icons and other changes that did not look like SW.
At that time I left with the feeling they were working on maybe on a new CATIA/SolidWorks hybrid version.
I still expect that.

Chris, CSWP
SolidWorks '17
ctophers home
SolidWorks Legion

 

[Sparweb]

Could you provide a link to some kind of news article or press release you are talking about?
I'm off to google whatever it is you're talking about.

No one believes the theory except the one who developed it. Everyone believes the experiment except the one who ran it.
STF

 

[drawoh]

SBaugh,

Since Draftsight was primarily a resource to get people to stop using AutoCAD, I figured it was a matter of time before it got phased out, and I have never relied on it.

No problem.

--
JHG

 

[SBaugh]

SparWeb: It's not something you will find on the web. It's merely a question per your opinion.

I think they are slowly phasing SW out with all the new products that Dassault is releasing. Why have 3 CAD systems to manage and run, Catia, Solidworks and their new 3D experience? Several of us were informed @ SWW several years ago by the former SW CEO Jeff Ray that within 5 years SW was going to be replaced by the Cloud (We were told the year he was replaced by Dassault's very own Bertrand Sicot). Several of us posted it on the forum and I was told be several SW employees that it was never going to happen and that I should stop posting it online. Slowly it did die out, but lately with all the Ransomware CAD that is out there and now Dassault changed the name of SW world to 3D experience world. 22 years of Solidworks World renamed to something so they can promote their Ransomware. Just seems a little odd to me that they would destroy something that a lot of us respected. However, SWW is not the fun place it used to be either and its a lot them patting themselves on their back. I think with all the publicity they got about phasing SW out then they pushed it out to possibly 10 years instead, which is coming up. They are going to continue to push hard to flip us over to the 3D experience platform. Going that direction is going to put a lot of VAR's and people out of business.

Scott Baugh, CSWP
CAD Systems Manager
Evapar

http://www.evapar.com

"If it's not broke, Don't fix it!"

faq731-376

 

[ctopher]

VARs going away and users like us becoming support, be ready.

Chris, CSWP
SolidWorks '17
ctophers home
SolidWorks Legion

 

[DanStro]

I don't see this happening in the near (or even mid) future, if ever. I am sure that they (DSS) would love to get everyone using SW to switch over to whatever 3DExperience is but they know that it isn't something that they can force people into. Especially if the cost is higher. I haven't looked into it so I don't know how the costs differ but it being DSS I am sure the cost is way higher than it should be though.

I think the most likely path that they will (not necessarily successfully) try to take is to slowly move SW into this experience thing, but that will have to be done very slowly and hopefully just as carefully because I don't think there is any commonality between the codes.

 

[SBaugh]

All the online CAD is far less expensive and I know that makes it more attractive to upper management versus paying 1200 per seat for basic SW bundle per year. Fusion 360 is $500 per year and you get everything, FEA, PDM, and several other options. Of course, if you stop payment you cannot open or work on your files anymore. I am sure 3DX is going to be in the same area of cost. Onshape is similar in cost, but I think Fusion has them all beat. I hate to say it, but Fusion 360 has a good package to offer, but I hate that its cloud-based and I totally dislike Autodesk.

Scott Baugh, CSWP
CAD Systems Manager
Evapar

http://www.evapar.com

"If it's not broke, Don't fix it!"

faq731-376

 

[DanStro]

Knowing DSS/Simulia I don't expect it to be on the same level of pricing as the others. All of their programs are on the very expensive side. To be fair they are all very powerful too but you pay handsomely for that power, even if you don't need it.

Personally I wasn't terribly impressed with Fusion, even ignoring the mostly cloud approach.

 

[Sparweb]

I feel compelled to pay attention to this because I've recently started working at a company whose 3D CAD is done in SW, and I'm starting to pick it up, now. I am fairly certain that most companies that are already supporting the network and licensing structure for dozens of other applications will remain comfortable enough to keep their CAD on their own network, rather than risk losing all of their IP to north korean hackers. I am personally very happy to use Onshape for projects at home, it having just enough features for my personal stuff, but that's about as far as I expect it to go. Now without a significant change in operating mechanism.

I wonder if Cloud-CAD could be split in a hybrid fashion where the proprietary data is stored on the company's network, but the processing is still done with the cloud computing processors? If ever necessary, the same data could be accessed by locally-installed software, but the data format is made equally accessible through the cloud interface on a user's web browser.

No one believes the theory except the one who developed it. Everyone believes the experiment except the one who ran it.
STF

 

[rothers]

Dessault must be paying vast sums to Siemens for a Parasolid license, it makes sense they want rid of it.

We use both Solidworks and NX Unigraphics. For speed of modelling simple but complex parts (many repeated features, patterns etc) NX is way ahead. The Solidworks version of the Parasolid kernel is creaking at the seams, too much bloat has been shovelled in over the years. The NX version, whilst being equally feature rich, seems agile in comparison.

 

[SBaugh]

Another alternative for 3D CAD which has gone under the radar for many years is Alibre. Their CAD for a time looked just like SW. SW just bet them to the punch in the beginning. 3DSystems owns Alibre now and has revamped the software. Right now you can buy it (basic version) for $149 -

https://www.alibre.com/springsale/

Even their expert for $1450 normally $1935 seems like a possible resolution for my company if SW goes belly up.

Rothers is right, I forgot about that. Years ago SW bought rights to the Parasolid kernel for like 20 years. That 20-year mark is up and he is right they are probably paying quite a bit for those rights. The other problem SW suffers is it still cannot utilize today's multiple core PC's. The only way to fix that is to rewrite the software from the ground up. Would be easier to make new CAD software than it would be to re-write SW code. Hence the 3DExperience by Dassault.

Scott Baugh, CSWP
CAD Systems Manager
Evapar

http://www.evapar.com

"If it's not broke, Don't fix it!"

faq731-376

 

[berkshire]

SBaugh,
Alibre is now once again a stand alone program. 3D systems bought them out several years ago to have a parametric modelling program for their 3D printers, then did nothing with the program except jack up the prices.
Two years ago the original principles bought back the program from 3D systems, renamed it back to Alibre and have improved it, they also rolled back the prices for most of the programs and maintenance. There is an Alibre forum group on this site that was started many years ago by an Eng tips member Swertel . It does not see much use these days because Alibre has a much better forum that is direct linked from the program itself. Alibre is getting ready to issue their latest update in a few weeks, we will see what bells and whistles they add then. I have used Alibre since 2009 , I used to have a seat of Solidworks at work. When I retired I wanted to do some side drafting work and nearly choked when I saw the price of a seat of Solidworks then, I was able at that time to buy what is now the $1935 program for $100. Later 3D systems bought them out, and you know the rest of that story.
B.E.

You are judged not by what you know, but by what you can do.

 

[Old3DNewbie]

A NX seller told me Dassault was focussing on Catia, letting underdeveloped SW. Not sure if it's true, of course, but it seems to be in concordance with the said on this thread.