SolidWorks 2D Position Paper

By Autodesk, August 2004

Introduction

SolidWorks recently announced that a new DWG Editor will be released as a feature of SolidWorks 2005, shipping sometime this summer. They claim that the SolidWorks 2005 DWG Editor provides the ability to edit 2D DWG files in their native format within an AutoCAD -like interface. The tool is being touted as the ideal 2D DWG solution for companies who use 3D design software but need to periodically maintain legacy 2D designs. SolidWorks claims that their DWG Editor can read and write .DWG data from early AutoCAD releases up to the current release, of AutoCAD 2005. It emulates much of the look and feel of AutoCAD software, offering a command line interface, similar command syntax, and application user interface. All of this aims to try and fool current AutoCAD users into thinking that this feature is a replacement for AutoCAD.

Manufacturing companies simply cannot afford to risk their design data to the SolidWorks 2005 DWG Editor.

Technology Basis

First and foremost, it is important to consider that this software is based on reverse-engineered technology available through the Open Design Alliance, <http://www.opendwg.org/>. IntelliCAD recently announced their IntelliCAD technology was a critical component of the SolidWorks 2005 DWG Editor’s software <http://www.intellicad.org/news/news.asp?NewsId=34>. The technology has been available for many years and has gone by the name of IntelliCAD or more recently BricsCad. It does not use any original Autodesk tools or software to correctly read or write .DWG files.

Reverse-engineered technology has some obvious drawbacks:

• It takes time and effort to update each new version of DWG that Autodesk releases. This has led to lag times of as much as six months between when the time Autodesk customers can effectively collaborate with the latest version of DWG and when users of others’ DWG-based products can. This will certainly be an ongoing issue for anyone using IntelliCAD or products that may be based on it, such as the SolidWorks DWG Editor.
• Reverse-engineering tries to uncover what the content of a DWG file is and makes guesses as how to accomplish the same results. Guessing can easily lead to mistakes, and ultimately could risk customers’ critical business assets – their design data.

All it takes is one mistake. If this reverse-engineered technology erroneously reads or writes a dimension or note, it is likely that parts will be inaccurately manufactured, that you will waste significant costs and resources, and that you will find your critical design data to be unreliable.

Requirements of an Effective 2D DWG Solution

Fidelity: Manufacturing companies need to entrust their crucial DWG data to products that are going to read and write high fidelity DWG. They need to be confident that their data can be read by other AutoCAD users worldwide. They can not afford to use tools that do not support a myriad of AutoCAD objects or can produce drawings that appear wrong or impossible to read. IntelliCAD has difficulty with even simple objects like AutoCAD .SHX fonts and OLE embedded objects. Any mistake is one too many.

Collaboration: Without fidelity, companies cannot completely trust the data contained in their drawings, and thus cannot confidently collaborate with their suppliers and vendors. The entire manufacturing supply chain must have confidence that their CAD tools provide compatibility and quality in reading and writing DWG data. It takes very few mistakes to make up the cost difference between buying a second-hand interpretation of DWG and getting the real thing from Autodesk. Autodesk’s DWG file format is a world-renowned standard for 2D design collaboration. Only Autodesk can deliver the native DWG solutions customers can trust.

Customization: Many manufacturing companies have made significant investments in customizing both AutoCAD and the wide variety of third-party applications that have been developed for the AutoCAD foundation. Changing CAD platforms essentially wastes the time, knowledge, and process optimization these companies have invested. It can literally mean throwing away years of work. IntelliCAD can only offer limited compatibility with third-party applications. In contrast, Autodesk invests substantial effort in its third-party developer network, actively helping such companies deliver quality applications. This is the type of support and dedication required to help customers remain productive.

AutoCAD Mechanical Productivity: Any customer who must read, write, or maintain AutoCAD Mechanical based files cannot use IntelliCAD without risking serious incompatibility issues.

• IntelliCAD will lose the ability to maintain balloons, associative parts list, and structure.
• IntelliCAD users will have to manually change layers any time a change is required, greatly increasing the chances for errors.
• IntelliCAD has no productivity features equivalent to the mechanical standard parts library, gear wizard, cam wizard, shaft wizard, or 2D FEA of AutoCAD Mechanical.

Support: When choosing a 2D solution, all companies require a partnership with a software vendor that is going to be there to help support and improve their business over the long term. Autodesk’s worldwide distribution network and multi-language support provide solutions no matter where customers need to do business. Autodesk’s extensive history in education means that finding AutoCAD-trained users is easy anywhere in the world. The accessibility of Autodesk’s training and support network means that customers can find answers on the web, in schools, and in libraries and bookstores worldwide.

Summary

While the SolidWorks 2005 DWG Editor may be initially attractive because of its AutoCAD-like look and claimed DWG interoperability, manufacturing companies simply cannot afford to risk their design data by using this product. Autodesk provides the only sensible solution. Autodesk Inventor Series didn’t become the world’s best-selling 3D mechanical design software by accident. It became the industry leader because it consistently delivers the right tools for the job. Autodesk Inventor Series enables manufacturing companies to design their entire product line with a single solution from a single software company. It provides one powerful and integrated solution:

• Autodesk Inventor software for designing and documenting 3D parts and assemblies;
• AutoCAD Mechanical for productive 2D drawing, documenting Autodesk Inventor files, and protecting investments in AutoCAD DWG files; and
• Autodesk Vault to manage work-in-process design data and synchronize design teams’ efforts.

Because all of these applications are integrated into one complete package, Autodesk Inventor Series delivers a risk-free path from 2D to 3D. Customers can move to 3D at their own pace, protect their existing investments in 2D drawings and knowledge, and trust that they’re working with the most compatible platform on the market.

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