SolidWorks 3D CAD is designed to let ideas be transformed quickly into products. Its powerful toolsets and virtual prototyping generates manufacture-ready drawings in record time with accuracy and appealing realism.
The light graphical interface maximizes the graphics area and gives quick access to commands and options. There is a semi-transparent toolbar of options when you need it, yet it fades away as the mouse moves away from it and becomes solid when you move the mouse back to select an option. This is very convenient for those who find that immovable toolbars stifle their creativity.
The Command Manager is a horizontal tool bar with part, drawing and assembly tabs placed in the center of the graphics area so that you can access related commands on a customizable toolbar. It is semitransparent to act as a visual yet unobtrusive heads-up display; when the screen is split it appears in each one in order to give the operator specific pane control.
SolidWorks also has RealView to allow real time modeling in a nearly realistic environment. It reflects a design better than standard software due to dynamic use of textures, shadows, materials. The Appearances Property Manager optimizes mapping orientation, size and style.
Modeling has also been made more realistic. You can simulate a cutting tool passing through a solid body to demonstrate function, for example. If you're in sheet metal environment, you can add weld beads to your 3D model that are suppressed when the model is flattened. You can also export flat patterns to DXF format without having to create a drawing sheet first.
Other editions include features such as simulation but for basic, quick idea-to-prototype function SolidWorks is more than up to the task.
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FreeCAD 
