# 174: Agile Product Development & Additive Manufacturing

- Show: [Product Startup](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup)
- Published: 2023-05-04
- Length: 24m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-05-04-174-agile-product-development-additive-manufacturing
- Listen: https://productstartup.com/

## Summary

Jon Hirschtick, co-founder of SolidWorks and Onshape, explains why hardware startups and large enterprises are adopting agile product development to handle volatility and leverage modern tools. He details how Onshape’s cloud-native architecture enables real-time collaboration and rigorous version control, solving the 'ski boot' friction of traditional desktop CAD. The conversation highlights how additive manufacturing facilitates this agility by allowing high-fidelity prototyping that closely mimics final production materials and processes.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-05-04-174-agile-product-development-additive-manufacturing#t=0) Introduction: Jon Hirschtick and the history of SolidWorks and Onshape
- [3:29](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-05-04-174-agile-product-development-additive-manufacturing#t=209) Four reasons for agile hardware development: software, workforce, volatility, and tools
- [7:36](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-05-04-174-agile-product-development-additive-manufacturing#t=456) Large companies adopting startup methodologies and the difference between software and hardware agility
- [10:55](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-05-04-174-agile-product-development-additive-manufacturing#t=655) The rapid evolution of additive manufacturing and its role in de-risking production
- [15:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-05-04-174-agile-product-development-additive-manufacturing#t=934) Onshape’s cloud-native architecture solving the 'ski boot' problem of traditional CAD
- [19:44](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-05-04-174-agile-product-development-additive-manufacturing#t=1184) Integrating speed, freedom, and PDM rigor in a single system for manufacturing readiness

## Topics

- [EDA & CAD tools](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/eda-and-cad-tools)
- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Design for manufacturing & NPI](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/design-for-manufacturing)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- SolidWorks (tool)
- Onshape (tool)
- PTC (company)
- Z-Corp (company)
- Jira (tool)
- Miro (tool)
- SmartSheet (tool)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Additive Manufacturing (AM): Injecting Agility and Innovation into Product Development](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2022-01-25-additive-manufacturing-am-injecting-agility-and-innovation-into-product-developm) (Additive Snack)
- [#062 - How a hardware SaaS company wants to help you not get lost in your data during product development, with Michael Corr of Duro Labs, USA](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2018-09-26-062-how-a-hardware-saas-company-wants-to-help-you-not-get-lost-in-your-data-duri) (The Hardware Entrepreneur)
- [Jon Hirschtick | Founding & Developing the Solidworks and Onshape CAD Systems](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-02-10-jon-hirschtick-founding-developing-the-solidworks-and-onshape-cad-systems) (Being an Engineer)
- [S3 E1: Mastering Tech Adoption and The Hardware Development Workflow with Jon Hirshtick](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-builder-circle/2025-09-30-s3-e1-mastering-tech-adoption-and-the-hardware-development-workflow-with-jon-hir) (The Builder Circle)
- [S6E39 Sam Holland | Informal Engineering Collective, the Hardware Handbook, & Donut Hole-Der](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2025-09-26-s6e39-sam-holland-informal-engineering-collective-the-hardware-handbook-donut-ho) (Being an Engineer)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-05-04-174-agile-product-development-additive-manufacturing. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Product Startup.