Analysis for All, Part 2: SolidWorks and COSMOS

ANSYS was the first CAD/CAM vendor to propose analysis for all. Its DesignSpace product sought to make FEA easy to use, so easy that even those without engineering degrees could use it. Though its first iteration (back in the mid nineties) could only do linear static analysis, it made the analysis process effectively a push button process. The fact that DesignSpace was created by ANSYS, a respected leader in the industry, gave DesignSpace instant credibility and facilitated acceptance, opening the door for others. "Analysis for all" had come to stay.

Years later, SolidWorks jumped into the analysis-for-all market with both feet, buying an entire FEA company, SRAC, the makers of COSMOS. SRAC had been selling COSMOS as a standalone FEA package as well as an add-on for for SolidWorks. After the acquisition, COSMOS was completely and fully integrated with SolidWorks. Once a marginal player in the FEA market, COSMOS has bloomed with the close association to SolidWorks, the MCAD market's rising star. Rife with mechanical engineers, SolidWorks --the company--was quick to realize the value of analysis as a complement to its design product and untiringly continues to do all it can to popularize FEA. Every demo of the popular SolidWorks program seemed to mention COSMOS. Every user of SolidWorks gets a version on COSMOS in the box.

 
COSMOS flourishes after SolidWorks acquisition, benefiting from an inseparable association with a popular MCAD program.

SolidWorks now claims that, with over 24,000 commercial seats, COSMOS is now the market leader in analysis.

What is the competition doing? Algor would probably maintain that it holds a leadership in the number of FEA products in actual use, not just shipped. However, Algor and its close competitor ANSYS, both of whom only maintain 3rd party relations, with CAD vendors, now both seem naturally limited in growth. UGS has followed SolidWorks' lead and put its analysis program, FEMAP, in the box with Solid Edge but UGS' lack of marketing (see Solid Edge- the Best MCAD Program You'll Won't Buy) continues to keeping Solid Edge a secret and FEMAP even more so. PTC sells very capable FEA programs that are completely integrated with Pro/ENGINEER but gives nothing away, showing a lack of strategy to win new users in the design community. Autodesk's Inventor maintains 3rd party relationships with several FEA products but includes no FEA in the box. One of the main 3rd-party FEA products for Inventor is ANSYS.

Next: speculation.

Comments

[RasnaWasFirst]

If anyone was "first" to pitch directly to the "designer FEA" market, then it would have to be RASNA with Mechanica. DesignSpace was not even an idea when the RASNA boys were tearing up the rulebooks...