At 3DEXPERIENCE World 2020, CAD giant Dassault Systèmes made a number of announcements related to its 3DEXPERIENCE suite and SOLIDWORKS CAD software. One piece of news in particular has particular relevance for the 3D printing industry: Xometry’s manufacturing platform will be tied into Dassault’s SOLIDWORKS and CATIA applications.
Within the design environments of SOLIDWORKS and CATIA, users will be able to automatically and directly access Xometry price quotes on MAKE Marketplace. Engineers are therefore able to obtain a cost estimate for a part as it is being designed, without the need for manually uploading and checking the price of parts using a variety of online service bureaus.
For CAD users, remaining within the confines of the design environment is key to maintaining efficiency and an optimal workflow. With every new software update, software developers like Dassault count the number of clicks it takes to perform a given action. In the case of getting a quick manufacturing quote in SOLIDWORKS and CATIA, it now takes one, as opposed to about a dozen in a web interface.
Due to the digitization of manufacturing as made possible by technologies like 3D printing, the lines between designer, engineer and machine operator are starting to blur. As a result, engineers and designers are playing an increasing role in the actual production of a part. This latest update allows them to source the cost of a part as they are designing it.
A screenshot of Make Marketplace within SOLIDWORKS. Image courtesy of SOLIDWORKS.
Sébastien Massart, head of corporate strategy for Dassault Systèmes, said of the partnership, “We launched the MAKE Marketplace in 2018 to make it easy for customers to design and manufacture. Our partnership with Xometry takes this a step further. Customers can order high quality additive manufacturing or CNC machining parts in one click at the right price, thanks to Xometry instant quoting capabilities. This is all part of our vision to continuously reduce the friction that customers face going from design to manufacturing.”
Xometry is Dassault’s first “prime partner” for its MAKE Marketplace, which purportedly signifies qualified service providers with industrial-grade quality certifications, high production capacities and satisfaction rates. Other prime partners will be added to the marketplace in the future.
The news of its partnership with Xometry came with the overall update of Dassault’s 3DEXPERIENCE, a cloud-based platform that connects all of the software company’s apps in a single environment. This year’s update includes a full integration of SOLIDWORKS with 3DEXPERIENCE, meaning that users no longer have to rely on the desktop version of the CAD software and can connect more directly with the larger platform’s apps. Perhaps the most unique announcement from the event was that Dassault is developing a digital twin of the human body.
For Xometry, the partnership with Dassault is a significant one. After obtaining a $50M investment last year, the manufacturing platform will be placed in front of the eyes of over two million engineers and designers via SOLIDWORKS, one of the most popular CAD software packages on the market.