This is a fairly long-standing issue we come up against on the Innova Systems technical support desk, and also while talking to prospective customers about SOLIDWORKS. The simple answer is that SOLIDWORKS do not develop an Apple Mac version of the software, so we can’t install SOLIDWORKS natively.
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We used to recommend the Bootcamp route, which involves installation of Bootcamp and then Microsoft Windows on the partition Bootcamp creates. The issue here is that if you need to access the Apple Mac Operating System (OS), you would need to shut down windows and boot up the Apple Mac OS, because they cannot be running simultaneously. This allows the full use of the hardware (RAM and graphics card) you have in your Apple Mac for Windows.
- SolidWorks is a 3-D computer-aided design software used in industries such as architecture. You can use your student status or borrow a license to get this software free or you can get your own copy of the license from the SolidWorks.
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The alternative solution that we used to steer people away from is Parallels, a virtual machine software that allows you to run another OS inside the Mac OS (inside a window). The reason for not recommending this is that you are sharing the resource of the machine with two operating systems, thus not necessarily having the required resource to run a demanding program like SOLIDWORKS.
There were also historic problems with not being able to use the graphics card properly which would result in exceptionally slow performance when selecting things. This is due to most Macs not having certified graphics cards for SOLIDWORKS and parallels using a virtual graphics card driver or the default Windows driver. The virtual or generic drivers don’t offer the level of performance needed to run SOLIDWORKS correctly.
Innova Systems Technical Director, Ed Hawkins, explains
We have now installed and configured this on over 20 users’ Apple Mac computers and I have to say the response from these people has been amazing.
I have a mid 2014 MacBook Pro, which I’ve been using as a test bed. The specs are listed below:
You will note that this machine has Intel Iris Graphics (specific to the Mac) and not a certified graphics card for SOLIDWORKS.
So, I installed the latest version of Parallels (version 10) and a fresh copy of Windows 10 into the virtual environment and then set about making SOLIDWORKS work!
It’s pretty easy to get Windows installed, as Parallels guides you through that process very nicely. You can specify how much of the machine’s resource to give to the Windows OS – which is where a high spec Mac will stand you in better stead. It is always a good rule of thumb to assign half the available RAM to the Windows OS, so in my set up, I assigned 4GB of RAM.
The difficult bit is making the “Use Software OpenGL” button inside SOLIDWORKS become accessible. When you first install SOLIDWORKS, this button is ticked and greyed out, so we can’t turn it off. In our opinion, SOLIDWORKS is unusable at this point, as selecting geometry and navigating the software is too slow to be productive.
With a bit of effort, and some registry modifications, I was able to untick the OpenGL box, allowing us to use the graphics card to a much higher potential. The difference in performance was huge, and it allowed me to select and navigate the software much, much faster. One limitation that frustrated me early on was the lack of RealView Graphics (Accurate reflections and appearances), so I set about solving this problem too. I’m happy to report that RealView works perfectly on a properly specced Mac Book Pro!
Of course, this isn’t necessarily a new solution – Parallels has been around for some time, and installing Windows on a Mac for as long. The difference with our solution is that we can make SOLIDWORKS behave as well as a normal windows PC. No more slow selecting or poor rotational speed.
Above is a screenshot of the working set up, albeit in Window mode, not full screen. I have this running at a resolution of 2560 x 1600 in full screen mode and it is functioning very well. Please note: the specification of my Mac, and the resource I can assign to Windows is far from ideal. It would be recommended for people who are creating fairly simple parts with up to 100 features, and assemblies containing up to 500 components. Any more than that, and I think it would struggle.
In summary, the Parallels solution is now recommended by Innova Systems. We are confident of this working well in a production environment, but the spec of the Mac is key to the success. Along with our modifications to the registry in Windows, of course.
Video: See SOLIDWORKS running on Apple Mac
Video: How to run SOLIDWORKS on Apple Mac Computers
Get in touch with us to find out more
Are you based in the UK and interested in running SOLIDWORKS on your Apple Mac? We can demonstrate our configuration to you via a Team Viewer session, or if you prefer and are interested in purchasing SOLIDWORKS we can come out and show you live with some of your data.
Call us on (01223) 200690 or complete this form to organise a consultation
Editor’s note: This post was originally published in August 2015 and has been updated to feature new information on our process.
Version: 2020 Filesize: 1024MB
- Open Source
- In English
- Scanned
- 4.1
- (4.54 K Downloads)
The use of science and mathematics to solve problems is called engineering. Engineers can understand how it works and find practical applications for scientific findings. Scientists and inventors often recognise tools for inventions that promote the human condition, but it is engineers that make these innovations accessible to the public. After thinking of a new product, before developing it, you have to create a product design. For creating a layout, there are many software available which can help you to design the product. One such efficient software that allows you to create 3D designs effortlessly is SolidWorks.
SolidWorks is a product of Dassault Systemes; this software is a strong CAD and computer-aided engineering (CAE) computer design modelling that works mainly on Microsoft Windows. You can use this software to create designs and sketches with less of a hassle. No matter how large an organisation is, this tool will help them improve efficiency and enhance product design. Many technicians agree that this tool is superior to any other CAD tool. This software provides a very initiative user interface with all the commands and tool right at your cursor. This interface is called the heads-up user interface, which is designed to keep your focus on the screen to make you more productive. At first, you draw a 2D sketch and then that 2D drawing can be extruded in either direction. This software provides you with many tools and features which help you create a perfect 3D design. All these features make this tool a must-have in your PC/Laptop for designing 2D and 3D models.
Features of SolidWorks
- Helpful- This software provides to many tool and features which help you create 2D and 3D design effortlessly.
- Heads-up Interface- This software provides a simple user interface, which provides all the feature and tools right at your cursor, which helps you to keep your focus on the screen to make you more productive.
- High-Quality Product- This software helps you to create high-quality products which can are applicable at the industry level.
- Unique Tools- This software provides many unique tools and allows you to work with sheet metal, surfacing and, weldments. These tools help you to finish your work faster.
How to download SolidWorks on Windows?
- 1- Just click on the download button and select a location where you want to download the file.
- 2- After the download finishes, open the SolidWorks folder and extract the content from it.
- 3- Now open the SolidWorks folder and double click on the SolidWorks setup file.
- 4- Now an installation window appears, now agree to License Agreement and select a location for installation.
- 5- It will take a few minutes to install the SolidWorks, click on the Finish button after installation.
Pros
- This software helps you to create 2D and 3D designs effortlessly.
- This software provides a simple user interface.
- This software provides many additional tools and features.
App Name: SolidWorks
Solidworks Download Mac Free
License: Open Source
OS: Windows 7 / Windows 7 64 / Windows 8 / Windows 8 64 / Windows 10 / Windows 10 64
Microsoft For Mac Free Trial
Latest Version: V2020
Solidworks 2017 On Mac
Latest Update: 2020-12-19
Developer: Dassault Systemes
User Rating: 4.1
Category: Imaging and Digital Photo