In the SOLIDWORKS suite of products, PDM stands for Product Data Management. But what exactly does that mean—and how does it benefit you as a SOLIDWORKS user? Simply put, PDM is a system that helps you securely manage, organize, and control access to your design files and related data, streamlining collaboration and reducing errors throughout the product development process.

Solidworks PDM consists of three components:

🗄️ Archive Server

This is where all the physical files—parts, assemblies, drawings—are actually stored in a structured vault on a server. As a PDM user, you don’t access this location directly; instead, the PDM Client handles file retrieval when you check items out or get them locally.

💾 Database Server

Running on Microsoft SQL Express (or SQL Server for PDM Professional), this server stores metadata about your files—like part numbers, revision history, descriptions, and other custom properties. Again, this isn’t something you navigate to directly—your PDM Client queries it for file data help.solidworks.com.

🔐 Combining Forces: The PDM Vault

Together, the Archive Server and Database Server form your PDM Vault, a unified repository. You interact with this vault entirely through the SOLIDWORKS PDM Client, which provides a user-friendly portal to check files in and out, preview content, search by metadata, and more—all without needing direct access to the servers.