Empowering GenNext

The mega annual user conference raised its curtain by bringing Bernard Charlès, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors and CEO, Dassault Systèmes and Gian Paolo Bassi, CEO, SOLIDWORKS, on a moveable feast table designed in SOLIDWORKS by Two Bit Circus.

Brent Bushnell, CEO, Two Bit Circus, delivered the keynote address on how it uses SOLIDWORKS to design temporary high-tech entertainment and promotional installations for corporate clients. 

SOLIDWORKS’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform

Elaborating on the company’s string of successful years, Bassi spoke about the new 3DEXPERIENCE platform, which gives the users the option to transition to it. “We are increasing the ability of our products to help you automate and integrate your innovation processes to increase the speed with which you can transform information into knowledge and seamlessly transmit that knowledge within your own and your partners’ organizations,” he explained. 

3DEXPERIENCE Social Collaboration Services: provides an open, cloud-based collaboration platform for connecting stakeholders and contributors ranging from the design team to final consumers.

SOLIDWORKS 3DEXPERIENCE PLM Services: helps to collaborate and manage the life of part generation.

SOLIDWORKS Product Designer: is fully Integrated from Art to Part.

SOLIDWORKS xDesign: is a cloud-based solid modeling system that runs anytime and anywhere on any browser and operating system.

3DEXPERIENCE Marketplace: The 3DEXPERIENCE Market-place Make and 3DEXPERIENCE Marketplace Part Supply jointly provide an environment in which contract manufacturers and suppliers can interact with SOLIDWORKS users to bridge the gap between the virtual and the real world and improve collaboration efficiency.

Explaining the thought process behind the platform, Charlès said, “Our vision with the 3DEXPERIENCE platform is to transform the design process into a single, virtual, social enterprise that accelerates our users’ ability to do business, innovate, and create value.”

Echoing the sentiment, Suchit Jain, Vice President, Strategy & Business Development, SOLIDWORKS reiterated, “What I love about SOLIDWORKS is very simple: you, our massive and growing user community, who is driving innovation in many different fields including aerospace, automotive, consumer electronics, industrial machinery and many others.”

Collaboration works

With over 5 million users, SOLIDWORKS’ MySolidWorks is the largest online community in the world where the solution partners make huge contributions. In this regard, Jain emphasized three emerging areas that are shaping the future of engineering: VR/AR, 3D Printing, and IoT.

With new capabilities to be launched soon, Meta has shortened the process of taking a CAD model into an Augmented Reality (AR) / Virtual Reality (VR) model.

The increased focus on 3D Printing was clearly visible in the Partner Pavilion and the number of booths showing innovations in this field. Ric Fulop, CEO & Co-Founder, Desktop Metal, commented, “We are excited to partner with Dassault Systèmes on the preview of our latest innovation, Live Parts, and offer our software tool as a means for educational exploration to the largest community of engineers leading advancements in additive manufacturing.”

Connected products and IoT are changing the way products are designed. As the demand for “smart” products become more prevalent, SOLIDWORKS is investing in partnerships to ensure users have the tools to meet the demand for IoT.

Knowledge-based startups

The company acknowledges the fact that education is critical for growing the next generation of engineers and, hence, provides free software and mentorship to aspiring designers through its SOLIDWORKS Entrepreneur program. Marie Planchard, Director Education & Early Engagement, SOLIDWORKS, shared that by supporting 3,000 plus competitive teams, and sponsoring hundreds of organizations, such as SAE, AUVSI, and FIRST Robotics, students are being provided the opportunity to enrich their classroom work with real-life engineering projects.

One such inspiration is Dr Kyoungchul Kong, CEO, SG Robotics and Professor at Sogang University, who was applauded at SWW 18 for his work in developing exoskeletons that reclaim mobility for paraplegics and others with partial disabilities. “We designed both the WalkON and Angelegs exoskeletons entirely in SOLIDWORKS and also made extensive use of SOLIDWORKS analysis tools. The critical safety analysis for the two exoskeletons was performed entirely in SOLIDWORKS,” Dr Kong added.

Future of possibilities

SWW 18 provided an insight into the ways myriad industry sectors are using SOLIDWORKS to innovate their designs to change the world. There is much to look forward to at SOLIDWORKS World 2019 on the software’s new capabilities that is scheduled to take place in Dallas, Texas.

SOUMI MITRA
Editor-in-Chief
Modern Manufacturing India
soumi.mitra@magicwandmedia.in

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