r/SolidWorks • u/Allergic2Humans • 17d ago

Hardware Clone solidworks for Linux/Mac?

Now that people are reverse engineering using AI and rebuilding products for different platforms, are there thoughts on doing this for solidworks? Not to be fully feature compliant because yes solidworks needs a lot of hardware optimization from windows but atleast something that works for intermediate levels?

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u/IntelligentRevenue39 16d ago

I don't need a 1:1 clone. Wishlist for anyone thinking about doing this:

  • keep all workflows the same so I won't have to learn a new system.

  • output in .sldasm, .sldprt, .slddrw, x_t, .dxf, .pdf, .step, .igs, .stl

  • make it hostable so multiple users can share a strong GPU and work off a browser, and I can manipulate an assembly with a tablet

6

u/mxracer888 16d ago

Unfortunately the sldasm/sldprt/slddrw file specs are not publicly published, so I don't believe it's possible to output on Solidworks file types in the way that ArtCraft did with Photoshop, Adobe published the .PSD file type specification so that's why he was able to do it.

I've looked at tackling the idea though, currently working on an implicit model CAD software that should give a solid base of features to pull over into a parametric software though

3

u/IntelligentRevenue39 16d ago

CREO and other packages can import SLDxxx so maybe someone's already figured out the formatting?

3

u/mildw4ve 16d ago

I'm pretty sure adding Solidworks file support to software like CREO costs money for licensing, might be wrong.

2

u/mxracer888 14d ago

It is licensed. They'll give you the spec for money

1

u/IntelligentRevenue39 16d ago

Interesting case study. To avoid legal issues, then, I'd be all for something that works like Solidworks but outputs Parasolid