Interesting seeing all this, as Onshape appear to be gunning for the SolidWorks users again (ref Joe Dunn’s posts on LinkedIn basically stirring it).
Here’s the thing though. All this file translation at feature level means nothing. I speak as a person and business owner who has swapped CAD systems several times. Moving 3D data between systems is easy these days. It is accurate and in most cases you do not WANT feature level content moving between businesses or even in house. We often built parts then save out a parasolid file to continue to use that part in other assemblies. The “dumb solid” is quicker, it won’t break should someone do something stupid with a reference or an edit.
But you know what the real issue for companies is when moving platforms? And I mean your typical SME here, not your global giants. The issue is drawings. Drawings are the currency in most businesses. They are used in 10x more places than 3D data. QA, marketing, costing, sales etc.
so when you have over 20,000 drawing files linked to 3D data (like we have and some of my customers have) you are sticking to the system you are on.
Now if Onshape or any other vendor could say, open any Solidworks drawing file and it will open, with all relations intact, all dimensions linked, all tables linked, all visual styles and configurations working, then I’ll take notice.
This is even more relevant if you do any work in the AEC supply chain. Drawings are king. They are not going away any time soon. Certainly not in my lifetime.
But lets assume you could do all this. Why change to another platform like Onshape if you are on an active maintenance plan with SolidWorks?
For us to change would double our annual software costs. My team would need retraining. It would take 4-6 months before we were at the same level of competency. We would use a toolset then that is less functional than the one we knew and paid less to stay on. Then should something change we have no access to native data. PTC as a business policy raise annual subscription costs year on year with Creo (we were subscribed to it for several years). With Creo it was a 5-8% increase year on year. No idea if Onshape does that but lets be real here, they will, PTC paid way over the odds for them so they need a ROI.
This is the reality of platform swapping. Like I say I’ve done it in my business several times, and it gets harder each time.
This is not a knock to Onshape btw. I know several of the team and it’s kind of an in joke when I meet them at shows. I like the product. I like the team. I’ve pushed many many people to Onshape over the years (far more in the last 5 years than I push to SolidWorks). There is a lot to like about it, but the ability to read feature tree’s isn’t one of them in my view.
Like any sensible business owner I look to the future, to try to see what is coming. Solidworks as a business is a total mess. They are relying solely on the legacy data to sustain their sales. I do not know a single person here who is using 3D Experience browser apps. I do know several using desktop SolidWorks linked to the cloud, but these were all companies that switched due to PTC costs. I recently was pulled in by an old customer who switched from Creo to help them transition. They had not even heard of the 3DX apps! And that sales was direct from Dassault! This is the reality on the ground.
Running CAD is like spread betting. Put all your eggs in one basket and it might be great, but if your horse trips on the final jump you lose. So we use mutliple systems and we keep abreast of the market.
Right now I’ve no plans to switch. What will change that equation would be if SolidWorks decide to play silly buggers with pricing and or development.
Finally, if you are really serious about changing platforms, do it from a position of strength. Not because you have to. Look at the total costs of switching over 3 years. Consider factors for retraining, employee loss because they don’t like the new system (key factor this, always always get the team to agree on the switch as I’ve seen so many top down switches leading to tight teams breaking apart and even moving to competitors or startups). And always keep one license of the old system for at least 3 years so you can access legacy drawings!
Treat changing as a scorched earth policy and you can do what you want. It’s no coincidence that new CAD systems always show their product with StartUps or standalone divisions in corporate entities.
Enough wittering from me
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