3DEXPERIENCE World 2023 Recap

3DEXPERIENCE World 2023 in Nashville, TN was a huge success! 3DEXPERIENCE World is an annual conference where engineers from around the world come together to learn about the latest features, network with other technical-minded individuals, and try out some amazing partner products; it was a great time. As always, the conference had a few key messages and takeaways, as well as dozens of sessions presented by experienced engineers who are experts at using these tools. It was quite a week for education, networking, and getting to (3D)EXPERIENCE the power of the Platform in the Partner Pavilion.

3DEXPERIENCE Licensing Included with SOLIDWORKS

We heard the first major news early on Monday during the General Session when Executive Vice President of Dassault Systèmes, Gian Paolo Bassi, announced that starting in July 2023, every seat of SOLIDWORKS will include Cloud Services with any new license.

So, if you want to get started with SOLIDWORKS but need a solution to manage your data, this is an answer to your prayers. This is also a step in the direction of getting the broader SOLIDWORKS community onto the 3DEXPERIENCE Platform by making it easier to adopt a leading Platform for innovation and to “futureproof your company”.

But the news doesn't end there. For years, the community has longed for a simpler way to share files. To this point, sharing files on 3DEXPERIENCE is a bit challenging because everyone needs a license. This is particularly important with CAD files, just as it is with the majority of software tools. On the same date, those of you that are using 3DEXPERIENCE will now be able to share files for review and markup on a web browser with anyone. The kicker is that the reviewer will not need their own license!

Innovation is Everywhere

Many people think Dassault Systèmes is a company that caters solely to engineers. And while that is mostly true, one of the key takeaways from 3DEXPERIENCE World was that innovation is everywhere and is critical for advancement and growth. Let’s take the final keynote speaker, Liv Boeree, as an example. Liv was a professional poker player, but you might not have guessed that by just looking at her and knowing her background as a physics and numbers nerd.

In her speech, Liv mentioned how much innovation has changed the game in the past 15-20 years. Previously, the best poker players were longtime players that mastered the art of reading their competition. That’s still important, but as Liv talked about, analytics and understanding probabilities matter now more than ever.

Poker isn’t a game of only chance. It’s about understanding when to hold them and when to fold them. That’s what innovation has taught gamblers since the statistics surrounding poker have become more widely tracked. With trends and probabilities, it’s easier to anticipate what cards may be coming up next and when your hand just isn’t going to work out. The same is true for the world of engineering.

Innovation is what’s driving companies like Ocean-Based Climate Solutions to create wave-powered pumps to circulate the water below the oceans’ surface. This helps the “living water” absorb more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The 3DEXPERIENCE Platform is what’s driving that innovation and growth. By measuring exactly how much CO2 they pull from the air, we can better understand the positive environmental impacts they’re having.

SOLIDWORKS Isn’t Going Anywhere

When it was announced that SOLIDWORKS World was changing to 3DEXPERIENCE World, I'll admit I was bearish about the future of my favorite CAD tool. However, I think I’ll have to change my tune on that one going forward.

I attended several sessions throughout the week and a common theme emerged. SOLIDWORKS is the CAD tool for 8 million users worldwide. The goal is to make the 3DEXPERIENCE Platform easier for those users to adopt so that their favorite CAD tool is augmented, not replaced, by the Platforms’ features. But why would I change my mind?

It’s for one simple reason; everyone was still talking about SOLIDWORKS. Now, they say that you should judge people by their actions and not their words. The actions this week spoke to a goal of integrating the 3DEXPERIENCE Platform with SOLIDWORKS. We saw several enhancements during the final General Session to core SOLIDWORKS. Those enhancements tie directly into using the Platform to manage data while using SOLIDWORKS to create the CAD files.

They also spoke at length about making SOLIDWORKS easier to use and easier to navigate while learning a new backbone (3DEXPERIENCE). With enhancements in the FeatureManager design tree for better visibility, new users of SOLIDWORKS will learn the tool with an understanding of the Platform living behind it. Sure, it will take some getting used to for seasoned SOLIDWORKS users, but so did learning SOLIDWORKS when people switched from 2D drawings and drafting boards!

Final Thoughts

First, it was great to be back in person. Personally, I got to meet several people in person that I’ve spoken with on the phone but have never shaken their hand. I had a great week and hope to see so many more of you next year in Dallas!

Second, the Platform is going to be a driving force for innovation, and Dassault Systèmes and GoEngineer want to make it as easy as possible to adopt the Platform. With the announcement of included licensing starting this summer and an easier way to share data, we can start to see a connected future where everyone uses the 3DEXPERIENCE Platform for their everyday job.

Finally, Dassault Systèmes is making it easier to adopt a leading innovation tool while keeping our core SOLIDWORKS at the heart of innovation. It’s our designs that drive our innovations and that’s still a message we can all agree with.

Related Articles

How to Import SOLIDWORKS Parts Into 3DEXPEREINCE

3DEXPERIENCE 2023x Data Management Improvements

3DEXPERIENCE Apps Local Installation: Setup, Versions, and More

3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS 2023x - Top 5 Enhancements

Getting Started with 3DEXPERIENCE: Setup, Dashboards, Connectors & More

VIEW ALL ARTICLES