Mini Surprises from
DASSAULT SYSTÈMES
The enhancement that we never knew would come one day.
Even though Dassault Systèmes has shifted their focus on the cloud solution, they are still paying a lot of attention to the SOLIDWORKS software development. SOLIDWORKS works well with the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, not only allows users to view their files on web browser. The platform itself also comes with an ecosystem, allowing members to communicate with each other in their dedicated communities. From the latest update, Dassault Systèmes has released more role and web apps, such as, xSheetmetal, xMold, xDrawing, and XFrame. With this design webapp, the existing user can easily adapt into these cloud solutions.
The yearly released version not only provides a more stable version of SOLIDWORKS, certain enhancements also being included in the software. It might seem small, but it helps users to speed up their design process. Speaking of dedication of job, whenever the R&D team received service request from the VAR, they will start collecting data from the report and study the behavior of the issue occur in the software. Once they resolve the issue, they will directly patch in the next service pack, to make sure other users will not face the same issue. So, it is recommended that, to continue the software renewal subscription, not only to use the stable and improved version of SOLIDWORKS, but also to provide support for their hard work on the software development.
As always, everyone is welcome to join our SOLIDWORKS what’s new workshop to be hands-on on SOLIDWORKS 2024 and experience it firsthand by yourself.
The enhancement that we never knew would come one day.
Save in previous version enhancement.
There are few enhancements worth the time to explore. Such as, making multibody parts from assemblies, corner management, but this save in previous version is a big wow from the Dassault Systèmes.
In SOLIDWORKS 2024, the software allows you to save your file in previous version, not all versions are available, but only support up until 2022 version. Which means that you can export all the data and features you created in 2024 and share the file to 2022 user without any issue.
Which includes the part files, assembly files, drawing files, and other data files you created in SOLIDWORKS 2024.
You can save your part file in 2022 or 2023 version.
You can save your assembly file in 2022 or 2023 version.
You can save your drawing file in 2022 or 2023 version.
Even the pack and go allow you to choose to export in 2022 or 2023 version.
People have been waiting for it.
So, why saving in previous version, big deal for all the users? If you used SOLIDWORKS before, then you will know that, in the previous version, to share your file with other SOLIDWORKS user with different version, you must save your files in IGES format. IGES file is one of the neutral file formats used to share your CAD data with geometry across other SOLIDWORKS version or other types of CAD software.
The user who received these files can only continue to create new features to modify the geometry, but unable to access the feature tree, to adjust or modification from there.
Even if you try to share your SOLIDWORKS files directly, only the user with the lower 1-year version, and must be service pack 5, only able to open the files with SOLIDWORKS features, but do not include the color decal applied on the CAD model.
Some companies are forced to renew all the licenses to avoid this file compatible issue. Else they must rely on the neutral CAD file format to share the files with others. Occasionally, an error might pop up, showing that the files are not compatible with the design software, causing delays of production time or project completion time in the company.
When this enhancement rolled out, giving a choice or flexible option for the company, to decide which license key to renew, which to maintain at the existing version. The CAD owner does not have to worry about file compatibility issues with users who use 2022 version SOLIDWORKS. This allows the company to have more funds or a budget to investigate other solutions that SOLIDWORKS can provide.
IGES is commonly used to share the CAD geometry file with the other CAD user.
Conclusion
So far, we can only save the files in SOLIDWORKS 2022 version. Are we going to have this option when we go for the upgrade in SOLIDWORKS 2025? Or is it only allowing you to save in previous 2-year version, as we know that, any license lapse more than 3 years are not allowed to renew the license. Try this by yourself and let us know if you encounter any issue when you saved the file in 2022 version. As usual, stay tuned to our blog and online seminar for more information on SOLIDWORKS.
– Henry Chai, Senior Solution Advisor, IME Technology Sdn. Bhd.
