Proprietary information and data is the most critical aspect of any organization. Having centrally located data is mission-critical to ensure correct parts are ordered and files are not duplicated. Understanding history, who made changes, and why changes were executed is the essence of design, engineering, and ever-evolving products. Dassault Systèmes offers two data management packages that have unique capabilities and the tools are designed to be different so there is not a “one-size fits all” solution. This article aims to explain the technical differences between SOLIDWORKS PDM and the 3DEXPERIENCE platform.
Hardware
SOLIDWORKS PDM is locally installed software and requires server infrastructure that meets the minimum system requirements. The server for SOLIDWORKS PDM can be on-premise or cloud-hosted through systems like Microsoft Azure or Amazon Web Services but is your responsibility to maintain and update. Connections to a cloud-hosted SOLIDWORKS PDM typically require a VPN and aren’t available through a public cloud like 3DEXPERIENCE.
Many organizations are moving away from the traditional IT infrastructure and onsite support for their team. The 3DEXPERIENCE on the Cloud solution is 100% cloud-based and accessed with industry-standard web protocols to ensure your data is secure. Because these tools are web-based, one of the biggest benefits of the platform is its versatility to use any operating system that has web access to consume the data. However, the native CAD connectors must be deployed through a supported Windows operating system.
Software
SOLIDWORKS PDM runs directly within Windows File Explorer and is thus a Windows-only product. End users can leverage the familiar user interface they use daily with enhanced functionality that SOLIDWORKS PDM provides. It also has add-ins for other SOLIDWORKS products including SOLIDWORKS Visualize, SOLIDWORKS Inspection, and SOLIDWORKS Electrical.
For additional functionality, SOLIDWORKS PDM has direct integration with common non-SOLIDWORKS platforms like Microsoft Office, DraftSight, and Inventor. To access SOLIDWORKS PDM on systems without File Explorer like a phone, SOLIDWORKS PDM has a Web2 interface that allows file interaction from a web browser. Web2 provides similar tools to the desktop application for remote users to preview files, print documents, and participate in approval workflows.
SOLIDWORKS PDM Web2 showing custom columns
The 3DEXPERIENCE platform is accessed via a web browser on any internet-connected device meaning we can use Windows, Linux, or Mac. Users can visualize CAD data, participate in lifecycle management, and create or edit bills of materials in a fully customizable user interface through dashboards. The dashboard concept is much more powerful than a traditional Windows Explorer interface but can take some time to learn how these tools work since they are different from 30+ years of Microsoft Windows methodologies. There are CAD connectors to many mainstream tools beyond Dassault Systèmes’ SOLIDWORKS, CATIA, and Draftsight including Inventor, AutoCAD, and Altium. Delivering CAD to the platform must be done via the authoring tool that is installed on a computer running a supported instance of Microsoft Windows.
CAD files uploaded to 3DEXPERIENCE
Licenses
SOLIDWORKS PDM uses network license functionality meaning that the licenses live in a pool that can be shared between users. The total number of licenses is for active, concurrent users, and licenses are released to the pool when a user logs out. This means that non-SOLIDWORKS user licenses can typically be purchased at a ratio other than 1:1 since those users will not be constantly interacting with vaulted data.
3DEXPERIENCE runs with a SaaS (software as a service) model. This means that each user is explicitly named in the system and there is no flexibility to check-in/check-out licenses as many SOLIDWORKS are accustomed to with the network license concept. The user will hold on to the assigned roles (licenses) for 30 days. Starting with 2025x FD01, your SOLIDWORKS CAD in 3DEXPERIENCE lock is reduced to one day. For the vast majority of our clients, it is important to realize that many if not most of your roles are yours for 30 days after being assigned. After the 30 days is over, the roles may be reassigned to a different user.
Searching
Searching in SOLIDWORKS PDM is done from a dedicated interface that is fully customizable by the PDM administrator. The searchable data for SOLIDWORKS PDM ranges from content authors, lifecycle information, and file properties allowing for results to be filtered to find the exact file needed.
SOLIDWORKS PDM dedicated search tool
3DEXPERIENCE search routine takes a modern approach. Users can search broadly for CAD data, documents, and other objects which can filtered down on 6WTags. The 6WTag approach allows users to answer the Who, What, When, Where, Why, and hoW of the data with the goal of finding the one file to rule them all! Potentially, your 3D CAD search could yield 100,000 results but very quickly could be narrowed based on Who owns the file, When the file was saved, etc. Alongside the standard tags, companies can deploy custom attributes and 6WTags for further power and standardization.
3DEXPERIENCE searching with 6WTags
Data Cards
SOLIDWORKS PDM displays file information through data cards. The data cards are fully customizable to show pertinent information to the user. The fields on a data card can be read-only or editable, pulling information from PDM variables or SOLIDWORKS custom properties. Advanced logic can be applied to data cards so only certain fields appear if previous selections allow for it.
SOLIDWORKS PDM data card showing file properties
The 3DEXPERIENCE data card is largely out of the box and referred to as the Information Pane in the interface. Based on the object type, users will see different pieces of metadata in a list format. All critical pieces of data from the object can be accessed here. Data including attributes, relations (contains/where used), derived outputs (PDF/STEP), attachments, and specification documents all can be accessed here.
3DEXPERIENCE Information Pane showing file properties
Versions and Revisions
Versions in SOLIDWORKS PDM are created whenever a file gets checked into the PDM Vault, act as checkpoints in history, and are not tied to the release of a file. This means that as you are working on a file the history of design changes is being tracked by the system and can be reverted to at any point. Versions follow a numeric scheme starting at 1 and can not be customized.
Revisions in SOLIDWORKS PDM typically represent the formal releases of the files and can be different between prototyping and releasing. SOLIDWORKS PDM allows you to have a completely customized revision scheme whether it is generated automatically, from a list, or manually. Revision schemes can be customized to include major and minor revisions depending on your team’s needs. The revision scheme is completely separate from the version numbers other than stating that version 11 represents revision A, for example.
SOLIDWORKS PDM history showing versions and revisions
The 3DEXPERIENCE Platform doesn’t have the same mechanism of versions. Additionally, there is a limited number of revision schemes available on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform. Generally, you can have letters, numbers, or a combination of the two as your revision scheme. Many of our clients have adopted the minor revision scheme that looks like A.1, A.2, B.1, etc. for their engineering data. All files start in the “In Work” state where editing can occur then based on the maturity graph along with the user’s permission in the collaborative space would dictate if they could promote objects to a “Released” state. The release process is also different when compared to PDM. For example, if a user is a leader in the collaborative space and releases the object, the object is released at the revision level. If change is necessary, a user would need to create a new revision and then he or she would see a new object that is editable.
Workflow
All files in SOLIDWORKS PDM go through a workflow that helps control file visibility, editing rights, and automation. SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional supports multiple workflows that can help detail and define your company’s approval processes and control the file lifecycle. While a typical PDM workflow will follow your standard engineering release process they can be customized to be more simplistic for library parts or more complex to have greater control over release and better visibility for auditing.
At different points in a SOLIDWORKS PDM workflow, automation can take place. A common example is generating PDF or STEP files on the release of a document package that then gets sent to a manufacturing folder. Through workflows, SOLIDWORKS PDM controls file access while allowing all functional groups to access the data they need.
SOLIDWORKS PDM example complex workflow
At face value, 3DEXPERIENCE employs the power of maturity states to govern the ability to edit objects. However, companies can similarly customize their approval process to PDM workflows through routes and change actions. Generally, we have found companies want to take bite-size chunks and use the out-of-the-box features to start with maturity graphs to control permissions and later grow into routes or change actions with time. The Business Process Management role will be introduced later in 2025 to fully orchestrate actions and possible automation within the platform to encompass all functional groups in your organization.
3DEXPERIENCE maturity graph
File References
SOLIDWORKS PDM tracks both upstream and downstream references for files inside of the vault. At a glance, you can see the file name, location, configuration, and version in a table view directly inside Windows File Explorer. The references shown can be modified for various versions and revisions of the selected file to see how a change we make might affect other projects in the vault. SOLIDWORKS PDM enables you to directly navigate to a reference with a right-click and quickly drill down to even the smallest component in a massive assembly. Custom references can be created to link related files together that SOLIDWORKS would not traditionally see as related. For example, we can link an engineering change document, email communications, and images with the affected SOLIDWORKS assembly so all the information lives in one place.
3DEXPERIENCE will make quick and efficient work of tracking references much like SOLIDWORKS PDM. This is done through the Relations app on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform. Users can access file relations very easily through the information panel within the CAD interface or the web. Understanding relations is a critical function for customers especially doing their own migration.
Bills of Materials
SOLIDWORKS PDM tracks the CAD Bill of Material coming from your SOLIDWORKS drawings and assemblies. These BOMs will be “as built” meaning they will take the references from SOLIDWORKS and present them in File Explorer for all users. In the event there are multiple BOMs in a drawing, you can quickly switch between them. Additionally, SOLIDWORKS PDM allows you to compare different BOM variants to see what has been added, removed, or modified.
Although we can create named BOMs in SOLIDWORKS PDM, creating a customized manufacturing BOM is better suited for something like SOLIDWORKS Manage. Bills of material can be exported as a CSV or XML to be used in other systems. TriMech’s Powersuite for SOLIDWORKS PDM can make it easier to translate data back and forth between PDM and external systems such as an MRP or an ERP.
In the platform, there is the Product Explorer app for out-of-the-box viewing of BOMs. There are additional functionalities for modifying BOMs and connecting EBOM and MBOM to extend functionality. Bills of Materials in 3DEXPERIENCE are a direct view into the CAD data, which is different from many processes teams are familiar with today. In many design teams, a separate BOM is generated that can be presented in a table. With 3DEXPERIENCE, the BOM is a direct match to the feature tree from SOLIDWORKS, for example. Teams can also export to CSV, but to keep all the data connected to one single source of truth, we’d recommend eliminating exporting.
Preview, Review, Markup
SOLIDWORKS PDM has an integrated version of eDrawings into Windows File Explorer allowing all users to quickly preview vaulted files, take measurements, and create section views. SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional can leverage the eDrawings preview for over 300 different types of files extending well beyond your traditional CAD formats.
Markups within SOLIDWORKS PDM are also done using eDrawings. Users can open the relevant files in eDrawings, markup the file with the integrated toolset, and check the markup file back into the vault. This can then be related to the affected files and have proper visibility so users can access all the data.
3DEXPERINCE offers multiple different viewer tools. These are all apps that run on the web but depending on whether you want to mark up a file to show some possible change, view and measure a file, or create an issue- all these items would dictate which app you may use at the appropriate time.
One of the most exciting ways to utilize the platform and early-stage data management is the powerful Share and Markup feature. Shark and Markup serves as the most fundamental pillar of 3DEXPERIENCE collaboration. This allows users to work inside SOLIDWORKS, and at the appropriate time click one button to create an external link to a file that can be marked up with annotations or redlines without having to install or configure a viewer tool.
3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS sharing with external collaborators
Engineering Change
Engineering change can take many forms starting with requests to orders and finally notices. Since SOLIDWORKS PDM is a tool built around documents, the engineering change process follows the same ideology. Most often, the engineering change document in SOLIDWORKS PDM is a Microsoft Word or Excel document containing all relevant information and is related to the affected files in the vault. SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional makes use of templates to make creating change documents easier by letting you prepopulate forms, push information to data cards, and increase the visibility of data.
SOLIDWORKS PDM engineering change document
Creating change in 3DEXPERIENCE can take many forms. Generally, we recommend working progressively, first understanding permissions with maturity state. Then companies may execute changes with tools like issues and markups to stay better informed about who requested the change and who all the key players are along the way. Any user can create an issue and the issue can be elevated to be more formal with the necessary informed decisions made along the way. With time, companies may implement routes and change actions for the best ability to track the history of changes. 3DEXPERIENCE offers flexibility to use its tool in a manner that makes sense for your organization. These out-of-the-box capabilities are available and ready to implement with your growing team.
3DEXPERIENCE Issue Management
Compare
SOLIDWORKS PDM does not necessarily know the file contents of the data inside of the vault and relies on metadata and file references to work. This means that SOLIDWORKS PDM can easily compare different bills of material, file properties, and vault references of different files or file versions. However, looking at the SOLIDWORKS feature tree or contents of other files needs external applications. For SOLIDWORKS files, PDM utilizes the SOLIDWORKS Compare tool but requires access to a full license of SOLIDWORKS to do so. Other third-party comparison and viewer tools can be configured for individual users on the administrative side.
3DEXPERIENCE generates a rendered file of the CAD geometry at the time of save and offers great power to your team. On any web-connected device, users can easily open revision A of CAD geometry and compare it against revision B without opening any installed application. All on the web, users will see geometrical differences, and possibly if comparing assemblies, users will also see what is the same or different at a BOM level.
Conclusion
SOLIDWORKS PDM and 3DEXPERIENCE on the Cloud are very different tools in both administration and end-user experience.
- 3DEXPERIENCE is designed by Dassault Systèmes to be fully cloud-based and use a SaaS model. On-premise 3DEXPERIENCE is available for extenuating circumstances.
- SOLIDWORKS PDM is fully customizable and requires administration with control of server deployment.
- 3DEXPERIENCE offers flexibility and accessibility through its web interface. SOLIDWORKS PDM has Web2 functionality but is generally an on-premise solution.
- 3DEXPERIENCE can be configured and tailored to your requirements, but it also can be used out of the box with very few administrative tasks required.
- SOLIDWORKS PDM offers more forgiveness in its licensing methodology while 3DEXPERIENCE follows a named user approach.
Regardless of your decision on toolset, TriMech Group has you covered for training and services. To learn more about your options, read all about your options here.
