My Top Five Platform Features Delivered in 2024 in SOLIDWORKS

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We deliver many enhancements every year, so it was challenging to determine my top five. After contemplating, here are a handful of my favorite collaboration and data management features in SOLIDWORKS that were delivered in 2024 via frequent functional deliveries and the annual update for 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS and SOLIDWORKS with Cloud Services.

  1. Multi-Level Approval For Drawing Stamping

This feature enables you to set multi-level approvals during the drawing release process and will help accelerate the drawing release process. Using the Route Management app, you can create a task/notification for a colleague, such as the engineering or manufacturing manager, to let them know a drawing is ready for their review/approval. As tasks are approved, the time stamp will automatically show the approval status on the drawing, eliminating manual work. See my how-to blog and video here.

 

  1. PDM Integration

This year, we also introduced the option to save your work locally to your SOLIDWORKS PDM database or another data management system instead of using the platform. This is helpful for those of you transitioning to the platform, however, I highly recommend you choose one location for your data to manage it best. See my blog on how to enable this here.

 

  1. 3DSwym Integration

Connect and collaborate easily with industry peers by accessing SOLIDWORKS online communities in 3DSwym directly from inside SOLIDWORKS in the MySession panel. Quickly collaborate on design reviews, troubleshoot issues with peers and SOLIDWORKS product management or show off your designs in 3DSwym.

 

  1. Make From Tab Now in MySession Panel – quickly access properties for physical products made from raw materials.

You can also access the Make From feature in the MySession Panel of an object to create a “make from” relationship to a physical product or its subtypes. In that tab, you can review the materials assigned to a SOLIDWORKS product, and if the materials are not assigned, assign them before releasing the document.

 

  1. History Tracking

Last but not least, the MySession panel has a History tab that allows you to track all actions performed on a model.

Quickly get a glimpse of the action done by whom, the current maturity state, along with additional details.

There you have it. Stay tuned for new enhancements in the new year and stay updated on what’s new here: https://SOLIDWORKS.com/xWhatsNew.

Is there something you’d like to see in SOLIDWORKS solutions? Now is your chance to submit your ideas for the top ten list.

Happy New Year! I look forward to connecting with you at 3DEXPERIENCE World in Houston, Texas, from February 23 to 26th. Catch up with me at my sessions:

  • Boost Design Productivity with Cloud-Based Data Management and Collaboration
  • 5 Key Strategies to Accelerate and Enhance Design Collaboration
  • Boost Design Productivity with Cloud-Based Data Management and Collaboration
  • 5 Key Strategies to Accelerate and Enhance Design Collaboration

 

Salih Alani

Salih Alani

Salih Alani joined SOLIDWORKS in 2013. He held SOLIDWORKS technical support position focused on core SOLIDWORKS, DraftSight, licensing (Online Licensing), and Lead Technical Support of 3D CONTENTCENTRAL, Technical Support Account Manager for Enterprise Subscription Services (ESS) customer account and lead organizer for VAR Performance Tuning Workshop in Dassault Systèmes Waltham before he joined the SOLIDWORKS Product Management Team in 2020. He is now focused on 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS and SOLIDWORKS cloud roles along with collaboration on the 3DEPERIENCE Platform. Salih Alani is Graduate of the University of Technology, Iraq - Baghdad with BS in Mechanical Engineering, graduate of Northeastern University with a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering, specializing in mechanics and design.