Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Insight Maker VS SolidWorks Simulation

Compare Insight Maker VS SolidWorks Simulation and see what are their differences

Insight Maker logo Insight Maker

Explore powerful simulation algorithms for System Dynamics and Agent Based Modeling in a truly...

SolidWorks Simulation logo SolidWorks Simulation

Simulation solutions for SOLIDWORKS® provide an easy-to-use portfolio of analysis tools for predicting a product’s real-world physical behavior by virtually testing CAD models.
  • Insight Maker Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-05
  • SolidWorks Simulation Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-07-27

Insight Maker features and specs

  • Versatile Modeling
    Insight Maker supports a wide range of modeling paradigms, including system dynamics, agent-based modeling, and causal loop diagrams, making it adaptable for various types of simulation and analysis.
  • Cloud-Based
    Being a web application, it offers the flexibility of accessing models from anywhere without the need for software installation, facilitating collaboration and easy sharing.
  • Free to Use
    Insight Maker is free, making it accessible to students, educators, and professionals who need powerful modeling capabilities without financial constraints.
  • Community Support
    It has an active user community and plenty of resources, including tutorials and forums, which can be very helpful for newcomers to the platform.

Possible disadvantages of Insight Maker

  • Learning Curve
    The breadth of features and types of modeling can be overwhelming for new users, particularly those unfamiliar with systems thinking or modeling concepts.
  • Limited Advanced Features
    While powerful for general use, it may lack some of the advanced features and customization options available in more specialized or commercial modeling software.
  • Performance Issues
    Being a cloud-based tool, it may experience lag or performance issues, especially with large models or complex simulations.
  • Internet Dependency
    As a web-based application, continuous internet access is required to work on models, which might be inconvenient for users with limited or unreliable internet connections.

SolidWorks Simulation features and specs

  • Integration
    Seamlessly integrates with SOLIDWORKS CAD, allowing for easy transition from design to simulation without requiring data translation or additional file handling.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    SolidWorks Simulation features an intuitive interface with comprehensive help documentation and tutorials, making it accessible for both beginners and experienced users.
  • Wide Range of Analysis Types
    Supports various analysis types including static, dynamic, thermal, fatigue, and fluid flow, among others, providing versatility for different engineering needs.
  • Parametric Optimization
    Allows users to perform parametric optimization studies, facilitating design improvements and innovation by evaluating multiple design scenarios efficiently.
  • Robust Validation Tools
    Equipped with tools to validate and verify simulations against empirical data, aiding in the credibility and accuracy of the simulations.

Possible disadvantages of SolidWorks Simulation

  • Cost
    SolidWorks Simulation can be expensive, with high licensing fees that might not be affordable for small businesses or individual users.
  • Hardware Requirements
    Requires high-performance hardware to run complex simulations efficiently, potentially necessitating additional investment in computing resources.
  • Learning Curve
    Although user-friendly, mastering the full suite of tools and capabilities requires time and effort, especially for those new to simulation software.
  • Complex Simulations Limitations
    Some users report limitations when dealing with extremely complex simulations or very large assemblies, which may require supplementary specialized software.
  • Limited Mac Compatibility
    SolidWorks Simulation is primarily designed for Windows-based systems, resulting in limited compatibility and support for macOS users.

Insight Maker videos

Building a simple simulation with Insight Maker

More videos:

  • Review - Insight Maker Simulation xRev
  • Review - Simulation with Insight Maker xRev

SolidWorks Simulation videos

What's New SOLIDWORKS Simulation 2021

More videos:

  • Review - SOLIDWORKS Simulation Step-Up Series: Accuracy and Convergence

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Insight Maker and SolidWorks Simulation)
Technical Computing
55 55%
45% 45
3D
0 0%
100% 100
Simulation Software
100 100%
0% 0
Numerical Computation
47 47%
53% 53

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Insight Maker seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 4 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Insight Maker mentions (4)

  • Modelica
    Switch to https://insightmaker.com/ if you can. It is FOSS , maintained and used as powerfull but simpelere alternative. - Source: Hacker News / 5 months ago
  • Where is the system model for human nutrition and digestion?
    I'm looking into free to use online simulation and collaboration software such as https://insightmaker.com/ and will start digging into it. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Fools Stop Mysticizing System Dynamics
    I created a fairly popular system dynamics modeling applications back when I was a grad student [0]. When using modeling tools like system dynamics, it's useful to keep in mind George Box's quote that "All models are wrong, but some are useful". When using a modeling tool to describe any form of social system you're creating an imperfect copy of it. This imperfect copy embeds what the modeler (rightly or wrongly)... - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
  • How to Safely Think in Systems
    Some other commenters here seem to think this article is (or should have been?) an introduction to systems thinking, or an argument for using it. The article is explicitly framed as some advice, based in experience, on avoiding common pitfalls with using explicit models in systems thinking. As such I think it is a nice read. It is also full of links to other interesting work by the author, not least of which is a... - Source: Hacker News / over 3 years ago

SolidWorks Simulation mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of SolidWorks Simulation yet. Tracking of SolidWorks Simulation recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Insight Maker and SolidWorks Simulation, you can also consider the following products

StochSD - StochSD (Stochastic System Dynamics) is a Continuous System Simulation extension that is built with the capabilities to help you simulate continuous flows between compartments and, most importantly, also has the power to manage discrete transitions …

Inventor - Inventor is a 3D CAD software that lets you quickly create 3D models with embedded intelligence, intuitive workflows, and optimized performance.

EMSO simulator - EMSO simulator is an equation-oriented process simulator with a graphical interface for modeling...

Autodesk Fusion 360 - Integrated CAD, CAM, and CAE featuring collaborative editing and cloud-based computation.

Minsky - System dynamics program with additional features for economics

MATLAB - A high-level language and interactive environment for numerical computation, visualization, and programming