Streamline Your Product Development: The 3DEXPERIENCE Marketplace Make SOLIDWORKS Add-In for On-Demand Manufacturing

In a rapidly evolving global manufacturing landscape, the ability to transform digital designs into physical parts quickly and cost-effectively is paramount for innovation. Recognizing this critical need, Dassault Systèmes, a global leader in 3D design software and product lifecycle management solutions, introduced its pioneering online manufacturing ecosystem, the 3DEXPERIENCE Marketplace, in 2018. This revolutionary platform was designed to bridge the gap between virtual ideation and real-world production, empowering companies to accelerate their product development cycles.

Within the expansive framework of the 3DEXPERIENCE Marketplace, three core services were established to address distinct phases of the manufacturing workflow: Part Supply, Engineering, and Make. The ‘Make’ service stands out as a dedicated on-demand manufacturing solution, meticulously crafted to connect a vast network of manufacturing service providers with buyers globally. Through the powerful 3DEXPERIENCE Marketplace Make service, businesses gain unprecedented access to over 200 qualified providers spread across the world. These providers offer an extensive array of manufacturing technologies, ranging from cutting-edge additive manufacturing (3D printing) to traditional yet essential processes like CNC machining, injection molding, and laser cutting. This comprehensive offering means that companies seeking to prototype new designs, validate concepts, or even produce low-volume batches, no longer face the daunting prospect of significant investment in in-house equipment. Instead, they can leverage a global network of specialized facilities, ensuring their parts are produced with efficiency and precision. The ability to consolidate numerous high-quality providers under a single, user-friendly platform represents one of the most significant advantages of the 3DEXPERIENCE Marketplace Make service, simplifying procurement and expanding manufacturing capabilities for users worldwide.

One of the most innovative features integrated into the 3DEXPERIENCE Marketplace Make service is its dynamic instant quoting system. This powerful tool revolutionizes the procurement process by allowing buyers to effortlessly compare prices from a multitude of providers simultaneously. This transparency extends beyond just cost, enabling users to evaluate manufacturing options based on diverse criteria, including different materials, various technologies, lead times, and quality certifications. This granular level of comparison empowers informed decision-making, ensuring that businesses can optimize for cost, speed, or specific technical requirements. Understanding the pivotal role of streamlined workflows in engineering and design, Dassault Systèmes further enhanced the platform’s utility at the beginning of 2020 by releasing a dedicated add-in specifically for all SOLIDWORKS users. This integration was a game-changer, designed to allow engineering and design teams to seamlessly transition from virtual design to physical production without ever leaving their native SOLIDWORKS environment. Hubert Masson, User Experience Director at Dassault Systèmes, eloquently articulated the company’s vision, stating: “Our objective with the 3DEXPERIENCE Marketplace Make service is to reduce the distance between virtual parts and real parts. Millions of designers and engineers use SOLIDWORKS to design great products. At some point, all these designs need to become real – either as prototypes or functional parts. It makes sense for SOLIDWORKS users not to have to leave their design environment if they need quotes or to order parts. We know this is something they expect, and this is what this add-in provides. Additionally, it connects users with qualified industrial services, helping them better collaborate to achieve better results.” This strategic integration underscores Dassault Systèmes’ commitment to providing an end-to-end solution that not only simplifies manufacturing but also enhances collaboration and accelerates the entire product development lifecycle.

The add-in will have a wide impact on teams that use SOLIDWORKS for product development

SOLIDWORKS stands as one of the world’s most ubiquitous and popular 3D modelling applications, renowned for its intuitive interface and robust capabilities. Its adaptability spans a vast range of manufacturing processes, from conventional machining to the newer, rapidly advancing additive manufacturing technologies. The sheer scale of its adoption is impressive, with recent figures estimating millions of active users across approximately 80 countries globally. This widespread use makes the new SOLIDWORKS add-in for the 3DEXPERIENCE Marketplace Make service a truly impactful development. It is poised to significantly transform how design and engineering teams approach product development, offering a direct conduit from conceptualization to production. A critical objective for any engineering department is the judicious management of design costs. This is particularly true during the intensive prototyping phases, where numerous iterations might be required, and it extends to series production once a design has been rigorously validated. The Make add-in serves as an invaluable tool in this regard, providing enhanced visibility and control over manufacturing expenditures throughout every stage of the product lifecycle. By embedding instant quoting and ordering capabilities directly within the design environment, the add-in empowers engineers to make cost-conscious decisions early in the design process, preventing costly modifications further down the line and ultimately streamlining the path to market. This proactive approach to cost management is a cornerstone of efficient product development in the modern era.

Elaborating further on the strategic advantages of this groundbreaking integration, Hubert Masson emphasized: “There are many benefits with this integration. The biggest one is to manage design-to-cost. With instant quotes for 3D printing and CNC machining right from within SOLIDWORKS, users know the cost of the part they are currently designing. As they modify designs, the prices update automatically. Once they are happy with it, they can go ahead and place their order, still without leaving SOLIDWORKS. This is the second benefit: users stay in their design environment all the way to the order confirmation. Finally, it’s all very simple and straightforward. We are bringing a network of qualified industrial manufacturing service providers to SOLIDWORKS users’ fingertips. No need to manually export and manipulate files, just push a button in SOLIDWORKS and get your parts made.” This statement highlights several key benefits that fundamentally reshape the design and manufacturing workflow. The principle of ‘design-to-cost’ is central, offering engineers real-time financial feedback as they iterate on their designs. Imagine designing a complex part, and as you adjust its geometry or material, the estimated manufacturing cost updates dynamically. This immediate insight enables designers to optimize for both functionality and economic viability simultaneously, leading to more efficient and cost-effective final products. Furthermore, the ability to remain within the familiar SOLIDWORKS environment from initial concept to order confirmation eliminates context switching, reduces the potential for errors associated with file conversions and exports, and significantly accelerates the overall process. This seamless experience translates into increased productivity, fewer delays, and a more intuitive journey from digital model to physical component. By providing direct access to a curated network of qualified industrial manufacturing service providers, Dassault Systèmes has democratized access to advanced manufacturing, making it as simple as a few clicks.

The versatility of this SOLIDWORKS add-in, powered by the 3DEXPERIENCE Marketplace Make service, extends across an incredibly broad spectrum of applications. For those engaged in 3D printing, it targets virtually any part that can be modelled within SOLIDWORKS, encompassing aesthetic prototyping for visual mock-ups, functional prototyping for rigorous testing, and the creation of specialized jigs and tooling to enhance manufacturing efficiency. Beyond prototyping, it facilitates the production of low-volume production parts and the on-demand creation of spare parts, which is invaluable for extending product lifespans or addressing obsolescence challenges. The true power of the Make service, however, lies in its expansive coverage of additional manufacturing processes. If your design requires CNC machining for high precision and material strength, injection molding for mass production of complex plastic parts, or intricate sheet metal fabrication, these capabilities are all readily accessible through the very same add-in. This comprehensive approach means that whether you’re designing a simple bracket or a sophisticated multi-component assembly, the necessary manufacturing services are just a few clicks away, all within your trusted SOLIDWORKS interface. The integration simplifies the entire manufacturing procurement process, making it easier than ever for engineers and designers to bring their innovative ideas to life using the most appropriate and cost-effective production methods available globally. If you are a SOLIDWORKS user eager to experience this transformative tool, you can easily follow this link to download the add-in and unlock a new era of streamlined product development and on-demand manufacturing capabilities.

This pivotal integration of the 3DEXPERIENCE Marketplace Make service into SOLIDWORKS represents more than just a convenience; it is a strategic advantage for businesses striving for agility and innovation in a competitive global market. By reducing the friction between design and production, it empowers engineers to iterate faster, optimize designs with real-time cost feedback, and access a diverse range of manufacturing capabilities without the overhead of maintaining internal facilities or navigating complex supplier networks. From startups needing rapid prototypes to large enterprises requiring specialized components or an efficient supply chain for spare parts, this add-in provides a tangible benefit, accelerating time-to-market and fostering a more responsive approach to product development. Its impact extends beyond individual users, enhancing collaboration within teams and streamlining communication with external manufacturing partners. As digital manufacturing continues to evolve, tools like the Make add-in are essential for staying ahead, enabling seamless transformation from digital blueprint to tangible reality. We encourage you to explore its capabilities and witness firsthand how it can revolutionize your workflow. Do you think such an add-in is useful and how do you envision it impacting your projects? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below or join the conversation on our Facebook and Twitter pages! Don’t miss out on the latest advancements in the world of 3D printing and digital manufacturing – sign up for our free weekly Newsletter to receive all the breaking news straight to your inbox!