Onshape vs Plex Systems

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Our analysts compared Onshape vs Plex Systems based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Manufacturing Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

Product Basics

Onshape is a cloud solution that integrates CAD, data management, real-time collaboration and KPI management. It connects stakeholders, business executives, product designers and other key players in one centralized location to share updates seamlessly. It stores designs and tracks every change made.

It includes data management, workflow, parts, analytics and reporting. It establishes email and alert triggers. It offers concurrent BOM creating, managing and editing.
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Plex Manufacturing Cloud uses real-time data to connect and facilitate operations among various business aspects such as finance, distribution and production. It has built-in compliance and approval monitoring tools to ensure that your products are created accurately and with regulations in mind.

With Plex software, you also have the ability to develop customized reports and dashboards to make visualization easier and more streamlined. These reporting tools can make developing insights faster and easier, especially when considering the program’s use of actual minute-by-minute data.
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$1,500/User, Annually
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Tailored to your specific needs
$500/User, Monthly
Get a free price quote
Tailored to your specific needs
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Chromebook
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Android
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Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile
Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile

Product Assistance

Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Documentation
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Videos
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Email
Phone
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FAQ
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Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support
Email
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24/7 Live Support

Product Insights

  • Expedites Market Times: Experiment with design substitutes as a group or individually to allocate and deliberate on feedback. When approved, share designs with manufacturers and suppliers quickly to meet production and deadlines, boosting productivity and customer satisfaction. 
  • Enhances File Protection: Upkeep design version histories and activate role-based authorization controls to protect creations. All associated designers, engineers, contractors and suppliers gain specific permissions and rights. 
  • Keeps Everyone on the Same Page: Any team member around the world can make the most minor design change. Everyone involved in the project will know about changes in real time, reducing communication silos and pricey mistakes. 
  • Simplifies Data: Obtain straightforward tables and charts to evaluate design actions, file admissions and project and resource management. Pinpoint and fix bottlenecks, track work hours and distribute resources more efficiently. 
  • Specializes Filters: Examine CAD drawings with part, surface, assembly or sketch views on one or several sheets. Annotate designs with ANSI and ISO drawing regulations to ensure plans are up to par. 
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  • Increased Efficiency: Plex Manufacturing Cloud uses real-time data and set parameters to maximize production capabilities. Its Advanced Planning and Scheduling tool uses information such as inventory levels, amount of production floor space and maximum productivity levels to generate a best-fit manufacturing schedule. 
  • Accessibility: As a cloud-based manufacturing software, Plex is available anytime and anywhere as long as a user has internet access. This is especially beneficial in the manufacturing center considering manufacturing managers and production line employees can access real-time data from internet-enabled devices while they’re actually on the floor working. 
  • Improved Customer Experience: Customers are the backbone of your business, and Plex software capitalizes on this fact through its customer portal, which provides visualization as a product moves throughout the supply chain. Shipping notifications are also included so that clients have an accurate expectation as to when an item should be delivered. 
  • Heightened Visibility: With increased visibility, you can develop insights more quickly. Plex Manufacturing Cloud contains the ability to use customizable dashboards to reflect minute-by-minute information such as inventory levels and labor allocation, which enables you to make informed decisions based on current processes. 
  • Collaboration: Plex allows for collaboration with clients through the customer portal. It also contains internal collaboration tools that are emphasized through its multi-site functionality for supply chain and financial processes. 
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  • Data Management
    • Release Management and Approval Workflows: Unleash locations, validations and archives of multiple design files in minutes rather than hours. Reference contents for any specific release for any timeframe.
    • Real-Time Analytics: Employ the activity overview dashboard to gain a simplified review of employee or external vendor information. Make better thought-out decisions when issuing resources. 
    • Edit History: Govern infinite undo and redo options during any phase of the editing process. Gain a thorough list of performed actions made to the drawing document and return to an earlier version as necessary. 
    • Compare: See design modifications in written and visual forms and compare two versions side by side. 
  • Collaboration
    • Branching and Merging: Discover variant designs with branches from the core blueprint. Combine the ideal traits of various plans into one drawing. 
    • Live Comments/Assigning Tasks: Share comments within the design document seamlessly. Delegate tasks to specific employees or a team rapidly. 
    • Markups: Mark up designs and parts in one place easily without clarification emails. 
  • Workflow
    • Automatic Part Number Creation: Utilize sequential part numbering automatically. When a new object is released, the following part number appears. Replicated numbers are blocked. 
    • Automation: Use automatic workflows to supervise all approval and revision control part phases. Automate assemblies, blueprints and imported documents and develop tailored workflows explicitly linked to business processes. 
    • Non-Blocking Releases: Develop and release candidates for verification without blocking projects from further editing. 
  • Part Studio
    • FeatureScript: Execute intricate rules based on recurring design assignments to expedite designing operations. Write and share custom features with other teammates. 
    • Import Data: Upload multiple CAD files, including STEP, Parasolid, SOLIDWORKS, JT, CATIA, NX, Creo and Inventor. 
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  • Inventory Management: Plex Manufacturing Cloud allows you to track the quantity and location of your inventory, whether you want to look at raw materials, WIP or finished goods. It also supports barcode scanning and label printing in an effort to improve the accuracy of reported inventory levels. Controls are also in place to ensure that products are always developed using the right materials, therefore improving inventory viability. 
  • PLM Functionality: Built-in revision control workflows allow for approved changes to be reflected across the entirety of the product lifecycle. Product specifications can also be developed to expedite processes. 
  • Quality Management: Plex software helps to ensure that you are retaining compliance with standards such as ISO, TS and QS. You can also use supplier scorecards to look at your entire supply chain. For example, your suppliers can use checksheets to validate the quality of their materials before the goods reach your facility, therefore hastening the quality analysis process on your end. 
  • Management of Shipments: The shipping management system ensures that only products that meet acceptable quality specifications are sent to customers and that they are sent to the intended recipient. Plex software's manufacturing system also contains a labeling feature that automatically prints labels using customer information in order to avoid shipping errors. ASNs are automatically sent and formatted as products leave the production facility. 
  • Real-Time Financial Management: Plex software contains continuously updated information on components such as labor hour utilization and point-in-time inventory. The financial management system is designed for order-to-cash and procure-to-pay processes and includes multi-site functionality. Financial reports are also easily accessible with this tool. 
  • Customer Relationship Management: This program includes a customer portal that provides visibility of a product as it moves throughout the supply chain and allows for enhanced collaboration ability. Important components such as quotes, estimates, issue resolution and order management are built into the tool along with an integrated EDI. 
  • Advanced Planning and Scheduling: The Plex Advanced Planning & Scheduling (APS) solution allows you to account for constraints in your workplace such as amount of resources and maximum production capacity to develop optimized production runs. Finite Scheduling includes the ability to plan your development schedule based on factors such as resources, tools and space. The program also allows you to level-load production across different manufacturing centers. 
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Product Ranking

#26

among all
Manufacturing Software

#14

among all
Manufacturing Software

Find out who the leaders are

Analyst Rating Summary

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Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

Onshape
Plex Systems
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Bill Of Materials (BOM) And Routing Computer-aided Design And Computer-aided Manufacturing (CAD And CAM) Management Engineering Change Control Inventory Management Manufacturing Execution System (MES) Mobile Capabilities Platform Capabilities Product Configuration Production Planning Production Scheduling Quality Management Recipe And Formula Management Reports And Dashboards Shop Floor Control Warehouse Management Work In Process (WIP) Work Order Management 43 0 56 71 80 67 79 36 67 70 80 47 100 70 44 0 44 0 25 50 75 100
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Analyst Ratings for Technical Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

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User Sentiment Summary

Excellent User Sentiment 595 reviews
Good User Sentiment 32 reviews
90%
of users recommend this product

Onshape has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 90% when considering 595 user reviews from 2 recognized software review sites.

74%
of users recommend this product

Plex Systems has a 'good' User Satisfaction Rating of 74% when considering 32 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

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3.3 (17)
4.49 (297)
4.2 (11)
4.5 (298)
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4.3 (3)
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3.0 (1)

Awards

Onshape stands above the rest by achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating as a User Favorite.

User Favorite Award

SelectHub research analysts have evaluated Plex Systems and concluded it earns best-in-class honors for Reports and Dashboards.

Reports and Dashboards Award

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Version Control: Eliminates the need for manual file management, ensuring everyone on the team is always working with the latest design iteration. This streamlines collaboration and prevents version conflicts.
Cloud-Based: Provides access to design files from any location with an internet connection, enabling remote work and collaboration. This is particularly beneficial for teams with members in different geographic locations or those who travel frequently.
Parametric Modeling: Allows for easy modification of designs by changing parameters, such as dimensions or features. This makes it simple to explore different design options and iterate quickly.
Collaboration Tools: Offers features such as real-time co-editing and commenting, which facilitate communication and collaboration among team members. This helps to ensure that everyone is on the same page and that feedback is incorporated efficiently.
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Improved Shop Floor Visibility: Users praise Plex for providing real-time insights into production processes, enabling better decision-making and quicker responses to issues.
Streamlined Inventory Management: Plex helps manufacturers optimize inventory levels, reducing waste and ensuring materials are available when needed.
Enhanced Quality Control: The system's quality management features help track defects, identify root causes, and improve overall product quality.
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Limited Offline Functionality: Onshape's cloud-based nature presents challenges for users with unreliable internet access or those who require offline editing capabilities, hindering productivity in certain work environments.
Learning Curve and Complexity: Onshape's extensive feature set and unique approach to parametric modeling can lead to a steep learning curve for new users accustomed to traditional CAD software, potentially requiring additional time investment for proficiency.
Performance Considerations: While Onshape generally performs well, users with complex assemblies or resource-intensive operations may experience occasional performance lags or delays, particularly when working on lower-spec systems or with limited internet bandwidth.
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Reporting Limitations: Users express frustration with the inflexibility and limitations of Plex's built-in reporting features, making it difficult to extract and analyze data in ways that suit their specific needs.
User Interface Complexity: The system is often described as being difficult to navigate and non-intuitive, especially for new users who require extensive training to become proficient.
System Rigidity: Plex is often criticized for its lack of flexibility in adapting to unique or evolving business processes, requiring workarounds or customizations that can be time-consuming and costly.
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Get ready to "shape" your perspective on product development software! Onshape has been making waves in the industry, but is it the right fit for your needs? Let's dive into what users have been saying over the past year. Onshape's cloud-based nature is a major draw, offering seamless collaboration and version control that outshines traditional desktop-based CAD software like SolidWorks. Users rave about the real-time updates and the ability to work on projects simultaneously without stepping on each other's toes. The parametric modeling tools are also a hit, allowing for easy design modifications and iterations. However, some users find the interface less intuitive than other CAD software, leading to a steeper learning curve. Additionally, Onshape's reliance on a stable internet connection can be a drawback for those working in areas with unreliable connectivity. So, who is Onshape perfect for? Teams that prioritize collaboration and real-time design updates will find Onshape to be a game-changer. Its cloud-based platform and parametric modeling capabilities make it ideal for fast-paced environments where agility and version control are crucial. However, individuals or teams who prefer a more traditional CAD experience or those with limited internet access may want to explore other options.

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Want to know if Plex Systems is truly complex or simply complexly awesome? Recent user reviews suggest the former might be closer to the truth. While Plex Systems is praised for its comprehensive suite of features covering everything from planning and scheduling to supply chain management, users often highlight a steep learning curve and a sometimes clunky interface as drawbacks. This complexity can make it challenging for smaller businesses or those with less tech-savvy teams to implement and utilize effectively. However, Plex Systems shines in its ability to connect different aspects of a manufacturing operation, providing real-time visibility into production processes, inventory levels, and quality control data. This end-to-end integration is a key differentiator, allowing businesses to streamline operations and make data-driven decisions. For example, users cite the ability to track production in real-time and identify bottlenecks as a major advantage, leading to improved efficiency and reduced downtime. Ultimately, Plex Systems is best suited for larger, established manufacturing businesses with the technical resources and expertise to navigate its complexities and leverage its powerful features for maximum impact.

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