SolidWorks Revision and Approval Workflow With Locked Releases
Redirecting...
- Approvers and Observers named on every release
- Released files locked against check-out
- Release notes and approval history kept with the file
Every version tracked before it becomes a revision
You can work on parts, assemblies and drawings directly in SolidWorks while Sibe tracks every version. When a version is ready, you release it as a formal revision.
- Check out a file and it locks for everyone else, so no accidental overwrites
- Every check-in creates a new version with your name and check-in note
- Open an older version directly in SolidWorks to compare
- Release the version you want, not a copy saved under a new file name
Versions are your working history. Revisions are what manufacturing builds from.
See where every file stands
You can see the workflow state of every file in the vault. It shows in the Web Dashboard file list and on the model.
- In Progress: engineers check out, edit and check in
- Under Review: the release candidate waits for its approvers
- Released: the file is locked and carries its revision
- Move a Released file back to In Progress when work restarts
Filter search by workflow state to find every file waiting on a review.
Release a whole assembly in one pass
You can pick the files to release, add release notes, and name who approves and who observes. Sibe groups them into a release candidate for review.
- Approvers sign off, Observers follow the release as it happens
- Bulk Release: approve or reject several files in one review
- Build one release from components across several top-level folders
- Release notes stay on the release, not in someone's inbox
Each release records who approved it, when, and why.
Bring non-CAD reviewers into the release
Your quality, purchasing and production teammates can review and sign off in the Web Dashboard. They don't need SolidWorks or a CAD license.
- Contributors view, comment, mark up, download and join release workflows
- Viewers get read-only access in the browser
- Mark-ups pin feedback to the part, assembly or drawing it refers to
- Free Visitor Links let clients and suppliers view a file without an account
Contributor and Viewer seats are available on Core and Scale. Visitor Links are free.
Know who released what, and why
You can open any file and see every version, every release, the release notes and who approved each one.
- Version history with names, dates and check-in notes
- Release notes and approval decisions attached to each revision
- Released files locked against check-out until you reopen them
- View and restore a previous version in a few clicks
- Check-out status shows who is editing a file right now
When someone asks which revision went to the shop floor, the answer is on the file.
Hand the approved revision to manufacturing
You can send the released model to a supplier or the shop floor with a link or QR code. On the Scale plan, production files are generated the moment a file is released.
- Automated Exports create PDF, DXF, DWG and STEP files on release (Scale)
- Get an email report when an export run finishes
- Share a model with a Visitor Link or QR code, no Sibe account needed
- Embed a Visitor Link on your own site with HTML embed code
Exports come from the released version, so the drawing and the STEP file match.
From first check-in to released revision
You can follow every file through three states, and your whole team sees the same one.
Design
You check files out and in directly in SolidWorks. Every check-in creates a new version while the file stays In Progress.
Review
You create a release candidate, add release notes and name Approvers and Observers. Non-CAD reviewers open the model in a browser.
Release
Approvers sign off. The file is locked, the revision is applied, and manufacturing builds from the released version.
IP Protection Without Slowing Collaboration Down
Works for Everyone — Inside and Outside the Company
Sibe is designed for modern engineering teams, where the work doesn't stop at the company boundary. Whether you're co-developing with a partner, getting quotes from a supplier network, or walking a customer through a design review, the sharing experience is the same: fast, secure, and frictionless.
Internal engineers access the vault through the SolidWorks add-in or web app
External partners and customers access via browser link — no account required
No VPN. No IT ticket. No file sent over email.
"We're remote. The designer is in Philadelphia, our CTO is in Miami, and I'm in Austin. We needed a way to design, review, and release without everyone sitting in the same place — or even in the same software."
Alberto Lopez
Chief Executive Officer,
Sunfish
"Our SolidWorks files carry structured product data that people outside the CAD team regularly need to access. Bridging that gap was essential for our global growth."
Dean Pascasio
CAD Engineering Lead,
Nordair Systems
Enterprise-ready Security & Privacy
Everything in Sibe is designed to keep your work safe and secure.
Because your business is nobody else’s business.
SOC 2 Audited
Audited for Service Organization Controls (SOC 2 Type II) compliance.
Data Encryption & Backups
AES-256 encryption with daily backups and disaster recovery protocols.
Google Cloud Partner
Hosted on Google Cloud with data centers in Europe and the United States.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Sibe work with my existing SolidWorks files?
Yes. You check your existing parts, assemblies and drawings in through the native SolidWorks add-in, with no file conversion. Sibe mirrors your folder structure in a local cache folder and handles assembly references for you.
Do approvers need a SolidWorks license?
No. Approvers work in the Web Dashboard in any browser. A Contributor seat lets them view, comment, mark up, download and join release workflows. Free Visitor Links let anyone view a shared file without an account.
What happens to a file once it is released?
It is locked against check-out, so no one can overwrite the approved revision. When work restarts, you move it back to In Progress, and the next release creates a new revision.
Can suppliers and contract manufacturers take part?
Yes. Share a file with a free Visitor Link or QR code and they open it in a browser, with no account, no VPN and no CAD license. Partners who need to comment, mark up or join a release workflow get a Contributor seat.
How does Sibe prevent two engineers from overwriting each other's work?
Engineers check files out and in directly in SolidWorks. A checked-out file is locked for everyone else, who can still open the latest checked-in version read-only.
Do I need servers or IT support to run approvals?
No. Sibe runs on Google Cloud. There are no servers to set up, no VPN for remote engineers and nothing for IT to maintain. Teams are live in under 20 minutes.
What are the workflow states in Sibe?
In Progress, Under Review and Released. Engineers edit freely while a file is In Progress. A release candidate moves it to Under Review for its approvers. Once approved, the file is Released, locked, and carries its revision.
Who can approve a release?
You choose. Each release names its Approvers, who sign off, and Observers, who follow it. Workspace Owners can approve, and Contributors join release workflows from the browser.
Book a free Demo with Ken to see Sibe in action
Ken Maren
Chief Solutions Architect
SolidWorks Expert with 30+ Years Experience
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