How to View SOLIDWORKS Files Without Having SOLIDWORKS

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We get this question a lot: “Can You View SOLIDWORKS Files Without Having SOLIDWORKS?” And, we are happy to report the answer is yes!  Are you ready to find out how? Keep reading.

Have you ever needed to share a SOLIDWORKS design file with a vendor or client who doesn’t use SOLIDWORKS themselves? Or, have you ever needed to access and view one of your team’s SOLIDWORKS files from home or on the go for a quick review? Well, with Share and Markup through SOLIDWORKS Cloud Services and eDrawings Viewer, SOLIDWORKS has got you covered.

Share and Markup

 

What is Share and Markup?

Share and Markup is a functionality available with Cloud Services for SOLIDWORKS. Cloud Services, which is included in all SOLIDWORKS subscriptions, connects your SOLIDWORKS software to the 3DEXPERIENCE Platform, opening new doors for improved collaboration and easier file sharing and management.

Share and Markup allows you to create a shareable version of your 3D design files directly from your working file in SOLIDWORKS. This is a game-changer. Through the connection to the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, you can manage who has access to that file by generating a sharable link you can then send to whomever you would like to grant access to your design. With this functionality, Share and Markup eliminates the friction traditionally associated with file sharing. In addition to being able to create a shareable link, you can also share the file directly through the 3DDrive, the 3DEXPERIENCE platform’s file sharing app. Both options offer a seamless, fully browser-based sharing experience—the recipient has nothing to download, nothing to install, with no license required.

How does Share and Markup Work?

Share and Markup is a robust solution granting you the full operability of SOLIDWORKS, while also allowing you to share 3D design files in a range of formats with both internal and external collaborators regardless of whether or not they have SOLIDWORKS. Once they are granted access to your design file, a collaborator will have a range of options available to them for comments, redlining, markup, and other editing capabilities. You can then view their notes natively in your SOLIDWORKS application.

To note, Share and Markup does not give a collaborator direct access to the source file you are sharing. That source file is still protected through a review process on any comments, redlines, markup, or other edits that a collaborator may add. So fret not—your original designs cannot be changed by an external viewer without those changes first going through a review process, ensuring you have control over all changes made to your design while allowing for real-time collaboration and effortless file sharing.

Overall, this solution allows you to streamline the collaboration process and drastically cut down on the time spent on file management, freeing you up to focus on designing.

For a more detailed breakdown of how Share and Markup works, there are some extremely helpful tutorial videos available that we highly recommend.

eDrawings

For those who haven’t yet moved to the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, eDrawings is another agile tool that enables anyone to view and collaborate on 3D design files, ultimately streamlining communication and reducing time to market. This offering comes in three different versions depending on your unique use case: eDrawings Viewer, eDrawings Professional, and eDrawings Publisher.

eDrawings Viewer is a lightweight collaboration tool that is free to download and use. eDrawings Viewer is available on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android devices. This tool is ideal for those involved in the product development process who need to share and collaborate on a range of design files without worrying about software compatibility or a person’s CAD expertise.

eDrawings Professional has all the capabilities of eDrawings Viewer, plus additional AR & VR capabilities, allowing viewers to “see” their designs in the real world. The Professional version also comes with additional support for eDrawing creation from a range of CAD products. eDrawings Professional is available on Windows, iOS, and Android devices.

eDrawings Publisher is a mobile-only (iOS and Android) offering ideal for those working in a multi-CAD environment. eDrawings Publisher supports the creation of eDrawings from a range of the leading CAD systems.

The eDrawings offerings are great solutions for fast sharing and viewing of ultra-compact files. Depending on your needs, this could be the solution for you. However, to go beyond sharing, we recommend our Share and Markup capabilities available with Cloud Services for SOLIDWORKS.

To Wrap Up…

There are a range of options available that enable sharing and collaboration between SOLIDWORKS users and non-SOLIDWORKS users. The offering that you select will primarily be based on your unique needs. If you’re looking for quick file sharing, consider the eDrawings Viewer. If you’re looking to go beyond sharing and want a collaboration tool that is integrated with your existing SOLIDWORKS experience, consider Share and Markup, now included with Cloud Services in all new licenses of SOLIDWORKS.

Viewing, sharing and collaborating on SOLIDWORKS designs—from seasoned experts to non-CAD users—has never been safer, faster or easier. Explore your options today.

If you’d like help determining which solution is right for you, we encourage you to reach out to your local reseller today to talk through your options.

 

SOLIDWORKS

SOLIDWORKS

Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks Corp. offers complete 3D software tools that let you create, simulate, publish, and manage your data. SolidWorks products are easy to learn and use, and work together to help you design products better, faster, and more cost-effectively. The SolidWorks focus on ease-of-use allows more engineers, designers and other technology professionals than ever before to take advantage of 3D in bringing their designs to life.
SOLIDWORKS

@SOLIDWORKS