PDMPublisher for SOLIDWORKS - 2026 Pricing, Features, Reviews & Alternatives

PDMPublisher for SOLIDWORKS is a SOLIDWORKS add-in that automates the export, conversion, and publishing of SOLIDWORKS drawings and models. It runs inside SOLIDWORKS from a dedicated CommandManager tab with no PDM dependency required, and is also available as a SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional task add-in that triggers publishing automatically from workflow transitions. Batch export covers individual part files (.sldprt), drawing files (.slddrw), and assemblies (.sldasm) along with all referenced files. Supported output formats include PDF, DXF, DWG, STEP, IGES, X_T, STL, U3D, EPRT, EDRW, EASM, IFC, 3MF, HTML (eDrawings Professional required), and Office documents converted to PDF. Output destinations span inside or outside the PDM vault, SharePoint, and file servers. Deployment is handled via PDMDeploy for cloud-based continuous delivery with version control and rollback, or manually via CEX file import into the PDM vault Administration tool. Requires SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional 2018 SP0 or later; SOLIDWORKS PDM Standard is not supported. Licensed per vault with unlimited users and unlimited automated tasks. A free Community Edition with PDF, DXF, and STEP output is available.

Targeted at engineering and manufacturing teams in discrete manufacturing, sheet metal fabrication, and engineering-to-order environments, PDMPublisher for SOLIDWORKS replaces multi-step manual publishing workflows with a single automated process. Smart folder and file naming uses datacard variables, workflow state, version, revision, configuration name, SQL-based variables, host machine username, and top-level assembly folder to generate output paths and folder structures automatically. Each SOLIDWORKS configuration can be published as a separate file with custom naming rules. Sheet metal flat pattern export generates 1:1 DXF files with control over bend lines, layers, and counterbore geometry. Dynamic PDF annotations place static text and live datacard values, configuration data, user, date/time, workflow state, and top-level assembly metadata anywhere on exported PDFs. PDF merging combines drawings from top-level assemblies and referenced components into a single structured document, appending manufacturing quantities, revision information, and custom metadata. Advanced publishing conditions apply workflow-like rules to control which files, configurations, and references are processed. Automated watermarking, versioning, archiving, and cloud-based execution logs support auditing, traceability, and compliance requirements. Documented results include reduction of per-package publishing time from 19-35 minutes to under 3 minutes, elimination of over 1,000 manual hours per year, and annual cost savings in the tens of thousands of dollars for documented customers.