SOLIDWORKS is a 3D mechanical CAD program that runs on Microsoft Windows. It can be found on the Windows stations in Poe Hall (Rooms 106, 122, 400), in the Engineering Labs, in multiple locations in the NCSU Libraries, and in the Virtual Computing Lab.
Students enrolled in Graphic Communications courses can also install SOLIDWORKS Student Edition on their laptop computers for course use.
INSTALLING
Students installing SOLIDWORKS Student Edition on their personally owned Windows computers should download the software directly from SOLIDWORKS' web site. (If you have a previous version of SOLIDWORKS on your computer, you may want to uninstall it before installing the current version.)
For instructions, follow ITECS' video walkthrough on YouTube. If you see a message indicating the video is unavailable, click the Sign In button in the upper right corner of the browser window and login with your NCSU Google account.
Please note: The video was made with an older version of SOLIDWORKS, so the the license key in the video likely will not not work for you. You can get the latest license key in the written instructions linked immediately below.
For written instructions:
Go to the Engineering Information Technology page (https://it.engr.ncsu.edu/)
Click "Software" > "View Available Software" > "Software Catalog"
Scroll down and select SOLIDWORKS Student Edition.
Select SOLIDWORKS Student Edition: Installation Instructions.
INSTALL TIPS
During installation the SOLIDWORKS Installation Manager will first download required files from SOLIDWORKS.com. With a fast network connection like you would get on campus, the download step typically takes 30 - 60 minutes. With a slower Internet connection, expect it to take longer.
If an older version of SOLIDWORKS is already installed, uninstall it before installing the new version.
Do not start an installation unless you have sufficient time to complete it.
Plug in your laptop's AC adapter so it does not run out of power before installation completes.
Make sure your computer is not set to go to sleep. Go to the Start menu and select Settings. In Settings open System. Then select Power & Sleep and set your computer to sleep Never.
Make sure your computer has an active Internet connection.
If a "Download Problem" error pops up, simply click Retry Download and the Installation Manager will re-establish contact with SOLIDWORKS.com and resume downloading files from where it left off. It is not uncommon for this to occur more than once during the download portion of the installation process.
TROUBLESHOOTING
SOLIDWORKS includes the utility SOLIDWORKS Rx. The Rx Diagnostics tab displays system information and settings that impact upon SOLIDWORKS performance. The System Maintenance tab allows you clean out cache and temporary files that may be filling up your drive. To launch SOLIDWORKS Rx, go to Start > All Programs > SOLIDWORKS 2023 > SOLIDWORKS Tools > SOLIDWORKS Rx.
SOLIDWORKS on non-PCs
SOLIDWORKS is a Windows-only application. There is no version for macOS, Linux or ChromeOS.
VCL
Folks with Macs, Chromebooks, Linux notebooks (or Windows laptops that are not powerful enough to run SOLIDWORKS) are encouraged to run SOLIDWORKS in the cloud using the new Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD, formerly WVD) environment in the NC State Virtual Computing Lab. The VCL is a service that allows you to connect to a virtual Windows PC and run its software remotely through your web browser.
Instructions for connecting to a Windows Virtual Desktop PC can be found on the VCL page, as well as in Engineering IT.
Loading SOLIDWORKS Faster in VCL
You may notice from the SOLIDWORKS splash screen that during launch it loads a number of add-ins. Once SOLIDWORKS has finished loading, you can can configure it to launch faster in the future by only having it load add-ins that you plan to use. In SOLIDWORKS go to the Tools menu and select Add-ins. In the Add-ins box uncheck any add-ins that you do not use regularly. (You may want to ask your instructor which add-ins you will be using in the course.)
Saving Your Work in VCL
Do not save your work to the remote PC's desktop or hard drive. While files you save there may be available the next time you sign in, you should not count on it, as the next time the virtual PC's image is updated, your files may be deleted without notice.
Instead, save your work to one of your NCSU network storage locations like your NC State Google Drive or your NCSU Drive.
Use the Google Drive app (formerly known as Google Drive File Stream) in the Start menu to mount your NCSU Google Drive as a network drive (usually G: or Q:). You can save files to and open files from your mounted Google Drive as you would any mounted drive or storage device.
Everyone with a Unity account also has an NCSU Drive, 20 GB of dedicated storage on network share. You should see it mounted as the B: Drive on the VCL computer.
GC SOLIDWORKS Templates in VCL
To access the course templates in SOLIDWORKS in the VCL:
Download the GC templates folder from the course Moodle.
Right-click the downloaded zip file (Windows users) and select Extract All to unzip the folder of templates, or double-click the downloaded zip file (Mac users) to unzip it.
Copy the unzipped GC templates folder to your NCSU Drive (B Drive) to keep them handy.
In the VCL Windows computer, in the Start menu go to "Window System" and launch the Command Prompt utility.
In the Command Prompt window type "cd C:\ProgramData\SOLIDWORKS\SOLIDWORKS 2022\templates" and then hit Return.
Then type "start ." and hit Return to open SOLIDWORKS' templates folder.
Drag a copy of the GC templates folder from your NCSU Drive into the SOLIDWORKS' template folder you opened in step 6.
Once configured, when creating a new SOLIDWORKS file, click Advanced in the New Document dialog window to reveal the templates in a tab with the same name as GC templates folder.
Windows on Macs
Although we no longer support it, Mac users can install Windows on their Mac and then install SOLIDWORKS in the Windows installation. Under the university's campus license for Windows, Windows 10 Education is available for free to NCSU students.
SOLIDWORKS can be run on Windows within virtualization software like Parallels (Macs with Intel or Apple Silicon processors). Older Macs (Intel processors) may also be able to run SOLIDWORKS in Windows in a Boot Camp partition. (Apple provides step-by-step instructions on installing Windows 10 on a Mac using Boot Camp.)
If you decide to try installing Windows on your Mac:
Determine whether your Mac has an Intel or Apple Silicon processor. On your Mac, click on the Apple menu and select About This Mac. The pop-up window will identify whether the computer has an Intel processor (i7, i5, i3, etc) or Apple Silicon chip (M1, M2, etc).
Make sure your Mac has sufficient space for Windows and SOLIDWORKS. Go to the Apple menu and select About This Mac. In the pop-up window that appears, click the Storage tab. Your computer's hard drive must be 256GB or larger and must have plenty of unused space as Apple recommends making your Boot Camp partition 128GB if possible.
If installing Windows in a Boot Camp partition, be sure to follow the instructions, as it is not an intuitive process. Depending upon your computer, installing Windows via Boot Camp can take up to 90 minutes. Do not start the Boot Camp/Windows installation process unless you have time to complete it. Stopping part way through the installation (i.e. cancelling the process or closing your laptop) may leave your computer unable to Boot Camp.
As mentioned on ITECS' Student Owned Computing page, when obtaining your copy of Windows do not forget to copy down or take a photo of your red product key because you will need to type it in to activate Windows after it has been installed. Also, be sure to download the 64-bit version of Windows.
According to SOLIDWORKS system requirements, the current version can run on either Windows 10 or Windows 11.
Be aware that Microsoft Windows running on a Mac, whether virtually or in a Boot Camp partition, is just as at risk of becoming infected by malware as any other Windows PC. It is not "protected" by running on a Mac. To help ensure the security of your computer be sure to keep Windows patched and install antivirus software and antispyware software.
HELP RESOURCES
Technology & Media Services Support Center
Walk-in services include virus/spyware removal, ResNet & campus wireless connectivity, warranty repair for computers purchased from NCSU Bookstore, and more.
Hours of operation: Monday through Friday, 8:00AM to 5:00PM
help@ncsu.edu / (919) 515-HELP
ITECS Help Desks (College of Engineering)
Room 204 at 111 Lampe Drive on Main Campus & 1002 EB1 on Centennial Campus
Engineering majors can get computing assistance at either of the ITECS Help Desks.
Hours of operation: Monday through Friday, 8:00AM to 5:00PM
eoshelp@ncsu.edu / (919) 515-2458
Education IT Help Desk (College of Education)
Hours of operation: Monday through Friday, 8:00AM to 5:00PM
ced_help@ncsu.edu / (919) 515-1760