15 Years of Automation – How did it all start?
2001
Glen Smith, mechanical engineer, automation advocate and SOLIDWORKS 3D Evangelist saw the opportunity to create a productivity tool for automating designs created in SOLIDWORKS. He asked Maria, also a SOLIDWORKS enthusiast and business development specialist to work with him and “Take DriveWorks to Market.”
Whale Tankers (our very first customer) started using DriveWorks to automate the design of these tankers. We are delighted that one of their engineers will be presenting at DriveWorks World 7 – 11 March, 2016
Technology that has had an impact
SOLIDWORKS was the first 3D CAD technology to run on an intuitive Windows platform, it was priced to be affordable and within months of being commercially released in 1995, was winning awards for its ease of use.
- January 2007 – Steve Jobs announced the iPhone and it was released in June of that year.
- 2007 – SOLIDWORKS announced that DriveWorksXpress would be included in every license of SOLIDWORKS
- September 2008 – Google Chrome launched
- October 2008 – the first commercially available smartphone running Android was released
- April 2010 – the first iPad was launched
- December 2015 – 34% of web browsing was from a mobile device rather than a desktop.
Here at DriveWorks, we actively listen to the market and because we are an agile, extremely proactive business we have made sure that we are continuously responding to customer needs. Today there are 3 levels of DriveWorks software to match the needs of engineers and others too.
What does it look like today?
15 years from when we started, our software is now used as a Configurator for desktop, mobile and tablet. And while it’s still used by thousands of engineers at companies of all sizes around the globe, it’s also used by non-technical people in those companies too and by thousands of their dealers and distributors. Watch this video to see DriveWorks in action on a tablet today.
Great Results
With over 90% of businesses and consumers now researching products online before making a buying decision, and with a growing number of those seeking custom, bespoke or personalized products, an online sales configurator can help expand a company’s global presence and reach many more customers. We’re excited!
It is thanks to our amazing Team at DriveWorks, to our Resellers and to our Customers past, present and even future, that all of this is possible.
Dan Heidelmeyer of Fisher Unitech with one of our “15 years” shot glasses at SOLIDWORKS World