SOLIDWORKS Frequently Asked Questions

You can design classic joinery details such as mortise and tenon, dovetail, dado, or slot-fit joints. SOLIDWORKS for Makers enables you to visualize clearances and fit before fabrication, ensuring your pieces assemble cleanly and securely.

Design with wall thickness, tolerance, and support direction in mind. FDM printers require thicker walls and fewer overhangs, while resin printers capture finer details but require good drainage and proper orientation. SOLIDWORKS for Makers helps you analyze both, ensuring your figurine prints cleanly across various printer types.

Use the Split and Assembly tools to divide big models, such as helmets or armor, into smaller printable sections. You can add tabs, joints, or dowels for easy alignment and reassembly after printing, ensuring accuracy and ease of use.

After modeling, you can export STL files for 3D printing or DXF files for laser cutting. Once printed, finish your parts with sanding, priming, and painting—or add foam, LEDs, and fabric details to complete your look.

Run fit checks, motion studies, and stress simulations to confirm that your drone design is ready for assembly. You can also create drawings and 3D renderings to document your project or share it with other makers for feedback.

You can sketch, dimension, and generate drawings or cut lists to ensure your parts fit correctly and that you know exactly what materials you will need. You can start with simple 2D sketches and quickly transform them into precise 3D models for efficient and accurate home builds.

SOLIDWORKS for Makers costs only $48 USD/per year (or $15 USD/per month), excluding taxes. It’s an affordable way to access the same professional 3D CAD trusted by engineers, now priced for personal, non-commercial use. Whether you’re designing a 3D print, fixing something at home, or working on a hobby project, your subscription gives you full access to pro-grade tools at a maker-friendly price. Subscriptions renew automatically unless you cancel them in your My Account portal. See details in the Makers FAQs.

SOLIDWORKS for Makers is currently available with a billing address in:

• Americas: Canada, United States
• Europe: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
• Asia-Pacific: Australia, India, Japan
• Africa/Middle East: Algeria, Morocco

More countries will be added soon.

Yes. Both SOLIDWORKS for Makers packages are designed to be easy to learn and accessible for new users. You’ll find all the help you need within your platform’s Resources section, which brings together step-by-step tutorials, the Getting Started video playlist to learn at your own pace, and the Welcome App with tours, videos, tips, and training to help you make the most of your tools.

You can also join the Makers Made in 3D community to connect with others, share ideas, and find inspiration for your next DIY project.

Not at all. Whether you’re creating your first prop or building a full suit of armor, SOLIDWORKS for Makers combines professional CAD precision with maker-friendly tools and tutorials. You’ll find guides, videos, and community support to help at every step.

SOLIDWORKS for Makers includes 25 GB of 3DEXPERIENCE cloud platform storage through 3DDrive and 3DSpace, providing ample capacity for your designs. Features such as file versioning, history tracking, and recovery help keep your personal workspace organized. This is usually more than enough for personal and hobby projects.

Currently, storage cannot be expanded, and the 25 GB limit applies only to SOLIDWORKS for Makers licenses.

SOLIDWORKS for Makers is intended for personal, non-commercial projects. You can design and even sell parts you create, as long as you generate less than $2,000 USD/per year in revenue.

For broader or professional use, you’ll need a SOLIDWORKS commercial or startup license. There is no direct upgrade path from a SOLIDWORKS for Makers license to a commercial one—if you decide to expand your work, you’ll need to purchase both separately.

You can design anything from tables and chairs to cabinets, shelving, and custom storage pieces. SOLIDWORKS for Makers lets you turn sketches into 3D CAD models, test how parts fit, and create detailed plans for cutting, assembling, or 3D printing.

You can choose between two SOLIDWORKS for Makers packages:

• SOLIDWORKS xDesign for Makers – a browser-based 3D CAD app that works on Mac, tablets, Chromebooks, and Windows. It includes an AI design assistant, rendering tools, motion studies, and easy sharing for quick hobby or repair projects.
• 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS for Makers – full SOLIDWORKS desktop CAD for Windows, with both local and 3DEXPERIENCE cloud platform storage, CAM features, and photorealistic rendering. You can install it and work offline for up to 30 days before syncing your data online.

Each subscription is sold separately, allowing you to purchase one or both, depending on your specific project needs. Access your tools anytime through Start Making, using the same email address you used to subscribe, to ensure your platform links are set up correctly.

You can export in DXF, DWG, STEP, or IGES formats to communicate with CNC routers, laser cutters, or waterjets. Files are dimensionally accurate and ready for post-processing in your chosen CAM software or directly in 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS for Makers.