OpenVault vs SolidWorks PDM

SolidWorks PDM: What it is and who it serves

SolidWorks PDM (Product Data Management) is an enterprise vault built by Dassault specifically for SolidWorks. It runs on a central Windows server and integrates deeply with SolidWorks on the desktop. Engineers check files out for editing and check them back in when done, maintaining a single vault of record on the server.

SolidWorks PDM is engineered to be the system of record for all-SolidWorks teams. It includes tight integration with SolidWorks UI for check-in and check-out workflows, server-based revision control and vault administration, workflow approval states and document release management, rights management and access controls tied to vault roles, automatic updates to references when parts are revised, and search and document property management across the vault.

SolidWorks PDM fits teams that have committed to SolidWorks as their primary tool and have Windows-based server infrastructure. Teams with hundreds of engineers or multiple sites have often invested in PDM because it provides central governance, audit trails, and the discipline that regulated industries require.

The tradeoff is operational overhead. Administering SolidWorks PDM requires Windows server expertise, network planning, backup strategy, and often a dedicated administrator as the team grows. Check-in and check-out workflows add process steps to simple edits. If your team uses tools outside SolidWorks, PDM does not track them directly and you end up with a patchwork of systems.

OpenVault: What it is and who it serves

OpenVault is a Git-based version control system designed specifically for CAD files and engineering data. It is free and open source, installs locally via pip install openvault, and requires no server, no per-seat licensing, and no centralized administration.

Instead of a vault and check-out workflow, OpenVault brings Git's commit, branch, merge, and diff commands to engineering files. You clone a repository, make changes on a branch, commit with an author and message, and merge when ready. It works offline and syncs when you have a connection.

OpenVault handles large binary files through Git LFS (large file storage), automatically routing recognized CAD file types so repositories stay fast and usable.

OpenVault serves teams that want lightweight version control without server overhead, a workflow that mirrors Git so software engineers and hardware engineers speak the same language, support for multiple CAD tools in the same repository, offline-first work with automatic syncing, and simple, file-based history without administrative overhead.

OpenVault is a good fit for startups, mid-market manufacturers, multi-CAD shops, and teams that have already adopted Git for other work and want the same philosophy applied to CAD.

Key differences: where each excels

Integration and workflow. SolidWorks PDM is built into the SolidWorks interface. You open a part, click check-out, edit, and click check-in. There is no command line and no separate version control mindset. OpenVault uses command-line Git-style commands. If your team already uses Git for firmware, documentation, and test automation, OpenVault feels natural. If your team is exclusively SolidWorks on Windows and has never used Git, PDM asks less learning.

Multi-CAD support. SolidWorks PDM is optimized for SolidWorks files. It can store other file types, but workflows and integrations are built around the SolidWorks ecosystem. OpenVault treats all file types equally. Teams using multiple tools benefit immediately.

Server and administration. SolidWorks PDM requires a Windows server, backup strategy, network configuration, and ongoing administrative care. OpenVault has no server. You can host repositories on GitHub, GitLab, or any Git hosting service, or keep them on a shared NAS, or sync via cloud storage. There is no dedicated administrator role.

Offline work. SolidWorks PDM ties you to the vault server. If the server is down or inaccessible, you cannot check out files. OpenVault is offline-first. Clone the repository once, work anywhere without a network connection, and sync when you reconnect. This is crucial for field teams, remote workers, and traveling engineers.

Process and governance. SolidWorks PDM enforces check-in approval workflows, release states, and document properties as part of the system. Teams in aerospace, medical device, or automotive industries often need this enforced governance. OpenVault is a version control foundation. If you need approval workflows, you layer them on top. They live in your process and your team's practices.

Conflict resolution. When two engineers edit the same SolidWorks file in PDM, one check-in succeeds and the other is rejected. The second engineer must reconcile manually. OpenVault flags the conflict and shows both versions so the engineer with the most context can decide. It does not try to automatically merge binary geometry because that is not a solved problem and could corrupt the design.

How to choose

Choose SolidWorks PDM if your team:

• Uses SolidWorks as the primary or only CAD tool
• Has Windows-based IT infrastructure
• Needs enforced approval workflows and release states as part of the tool
• Wants tight out-of-the-box SolidWorks integration without learning a new command-line workflow
• Has already invested in vault administration expertise
• Is in a large, regulated organization with formal change-control processes

Choose OpenVault if your team:

• Uses multiple CAD tools in the same projects
• Works across macOS, Linux, and Windows
• Values offline-first work and the ability to work disconnected from a central server
• Has software engineers on the team who already use Git and want hardware and firmware to use the same workflow
• Wants to avoid server administration and licensing overhead
• Needs a lightweight foundation that you can wrap with your own approval processes
• Is a startup, mid-market firm, or distributed team

There is also a middle path: some teams use both. They maintain a SolidWorks PDM vault for release-ready designs and use OpenVault for early-stage exploration and multi-CAD prototyping. The choice depends on your team structure, your toolchain, and what kind of friction you want to tolerate in exchange for what kind of guarantee.

Getting started

If you choose SolidWorks PDM, plan for server setup, Windows infrastructure, and training. Dassault provides documentation and support. The system will handle your CAD files reliably and integrates with SolidWorks at a deep level.

If you choose OpenVault, install it locally with pip install openvault and openvault init. Then commit your first change with openvault add models/bracket.step and openvault commit -m "Initial bracket design".

You can work entirely offline, or sync to GitHub, GitLab, or Gitea for team collaboration. For teams wanting a web-based 3D viewer, permissions UI, and hosted cloud storage, Tool Crib Cloud wraps OpenVault repositories with a SaaS experience while keeping OpenVault itself free and open source at the core.

Can you migrate from SolidWorks PDM to OpenVault?

Yes, but it depends on what you need to preserve. OpenVault can ingest your current SolidWorks files directly. Each file becomes the tip of its history in OpenVault. If you need to preserve your full vault history, that requires a custom migration script because the two systems store history differently. PDM stores revisions server-side with vault-specific metadata. OpenVault stores commits in a Git DAG. Most teams prioritize having the current geometry and BOM correct and accept that ancient history stays in the old vault for reference.

The practical path is: export current drawings and parts from SolidWorks PDM, commit them to a new OpenVault repository as the initial commit, and begin working from there. Older revisions stay in PDM as an archive.