Parasolid
Parasolid is the dominant commercial geometry kernel in MCAD, developed at the Cambridge University CAD Centre and commercialized by ShapeData and then UGS (now Siemens). It is the geometric engine under Siemens NX, Solid Edge, SolidWorks, Onshape, ANSYS Discovery (post-2024), and dozens of other CAD applications licensed from Siemens PLM Components. By installed base it is the most widely deployed kernel in the industry, with roughly 45% share across all MCAD seats.
In context
SolidWorks, Siemens NX, Onshape, and Ansys Discovery all use Parasolid as their geometry kernel, meaning Siemens PLM Components collects a per-seat royalty from each vendor — including Dassault, whose SolidWorks pays royalties to its direct competitor. This dependency is why SolidWorks's shift to 3DExperience is strategically significant: it would move SolidWorks off Parasolid onto Dassault's own CGM kernel.
Why it matters
Parasolid's licensing position creates one of the strangest dynamics in enterprise software: Dassault's SolidWorks pays royalties to its direct competitor Siemens for every seat it ships. That dependency explains why Parasolid is the unit of analysis you have to track to understand the kernel market — and why neutrality and licensing stability, not raw geometric performance, are what actually win kernel deals.
Related concepts
External References
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Cite this definition
Finocchiaro, Michael. “Parasolid.” DemystifyingPLM PLM Glossary, 2026, https://www.demystifyingplm.com/glossary/parasolid