SOLIDWORKS and its parent company, Dassault Systems, have been ahead of the competition when it comes to all things AI. SOLIDWORKS started developing AI features, also known as Smart Features, decades ago, giving their software a lead above the competition. While continuing to invest and stay ahead of the pack, all new AI assistants are now directly available within the application, ensuring that integration is seamless.

Follow along in this blog, because I want to show you all the amazing features SOLIDWORKS has already implemented over the year, along with what is in store for the future. By the end, I will have shown how the recent attempts of our competition’s software do not hold a candle to the advances SOLIDWORKS has already made, let alone what is in store for the future.

Past Additions of Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence

For over a decade, SOLIDWORKS has been continuously adding features that make use of machine learning and artificial intelligence. From features such as Smart Mates or Smart Fasteners to new AI Drawing Creation, SOLIDWORKS has been working to optimize engineer time, and reduce the number of tedious repetitive tasks.

Excelling in time optimization for years, SOLIDWORKS has continued making tools designed with engineering resources in mind. Tools like Fully Defined Sketch and Selection Accelerators have been available for years, helping make the sketching and selection processes faster. Always improving, SOLIDWORKS took the predictive selection accelerator from the Fillet command, and added it into Chamfers in recent years, making seamless group selection even easier than before in both features.

Users can go from this underdefined sketch to this fully defined sketch in 3 quick clicks!

There have even been productivity increasing tools in the assembly environment for just as long! Smart Fasteners and Smart Mates have allowed engineers to snap together parts and fill their holes with fasteners for over a decade. Even before the general public heard about AI and chatbots, SOLIDWORKS has been working to implement AI based features to improve the engineering experience.

Current SOLIDWORKS AI Tool Additions

In 2026, SOLIDWORKS continues this trend of improving the engineering experience through implementing countless new features in the most recent as well as future updates. Some such features include AI Drawing Creation, AI Assembly Creation, Automatic Fastener Recognition, Command Predictor, and Pattern Assistant, to name a few. With these tools, SOLIDWORKS will become even smarter, and can predict an engineer’s next move; whether that move is dropping a nut into place, or needing to add a pattern of bolts in one swift movement. SOLIDWORKS can now even assist engineers in making sure the most efficient patterning methods are being used, as an efficiency check to young engineers.

Tools, like Automatic Fastener Recognition, make use of a database of thousands of fastener files, allowing the SOLIDWORKS AI to determine if a part is a fastener as soon as it is dragged in to your current project. This recognition will allow the system to offer better mate conditions and groupings, for instance pairing a new nut to your existing bolt.

Additionally, features like AI Drawing Creation and AI Assembly Creation take processes out of the engineers hands and begin these processes in the system background before bringing the engineer in for confirmation. From laying out standard views and annotations, to organizing folder structures in assemblies, SOLIDWORKS continues to assist in simplifying and standardizing these initial steps in creation and documentation.

With the use of SOLIDWORKS AI Drawing Creation, a simple conversation with LEO about the desired settings and defaults leads to a drawing created faster than ever before!

Addition of AI assistants in SOLIDWORKS

The most recent additions of artificial intelligence to SOLIDWORKS include the three all new AI assistants; AURA, LEO, and MARIE. Each serves a unique role throughout the CAD Design process, as described below.

AURA is the starting point of any great project, even before you draw your first sketch. AURA holds the ability to leverage knowledge from both web and enterprise sources, making it your one stop shop for rapid confirmation. For questions regarding basic design rules and suggestions, or even searching your company’s knowledge base, AURA can answer it all.

After the first steps with AURA are completed, LEO takes the reins. LEO can help users effectively solve many complications through the design process, helping validate your design and optimize your processes. Throughout both mechanical design, as well as simulation, LEO can take your prompts to generate assembly structures, as parametric features, run studies, and even help resolve design errors. For both answering questions, and offering solutions, LEO can solve many engineering headaches.

The last assistant in the lineup is MARIE, your scientific research specialist. With expertise in materials science, chemistry and more, your thorough scientific research can be simplified. With this third member of the SOLIDWORKS AI trifecta, you have an assistant in your corner for every part of the engineering design process.

Competitors attempts at replication

Outside of SOLIDWORKS, many competitors have tried their hand in implementing AI for the benefit of users. While many companies have had good feature additions in recent years, it is hard to compare them to the decades of experience and additions seen in SOLIDWORKS. The following sections detail some of these features within the competing software, and shows how SOLIDWORKS has taken the lead in all things AI.

For starters, Autodesk has invested in AI in Fusion 360. However, you will find no such features in Inventor. Looking into these, features like CAM hole recognition have existed in SOLIDWORKS for some time. The drawing AI tool seems to be in the early stages, having very little interaction or flexibility. Fusion can add relationships and dimensions automatically, much like Fully Define Sketch (something that has existed in SOLIDWORKS for nearly 20 years). The main hurdle that Autodesk will have to overcome is that their files don’t talk to each other, unlike the fully associative files found in SOLIDWORKS, making their AI feature development harder.

Other competitors like Siemens have three main enhancements, Magnetic Snap, Automated Drawings, and a design copilot, all things that have existed or do now exist in SOLIDWORKS. Lastly, Onshape has a lot of potential due to their cloud-based nature, however the content released as of now is just in the infancy stage.

The Bottom Line: SOLIDWORKS AI is Changing the Game

After looking at the history of feature development, as well as a brief look at the competition, you can see that SOLIDWORKS continues to be designed with the engineer in mind. From features that increase productivity by decreasing repetition, to tools that give you a head start in the design process, SOLIDWORKS is a lifesaver. Many competitors’ Artificial Intelligence ambitions are just beginning, so SOLIDWORKS is working hard to maintain the lead they already have, while pushing engineering design technology to the next level. Our SOLIDWORKS Technical Team has been ahead of the pack when it comes to learning and using AI, so please contact us with any questions, and find out what makes us the Solidxperts.

As a result, this is a question we are regularly asked: “Why are part names not the same in eDrawings as in the SOLIDWORKS assembly?”

So, if you use eDrawings as a viewer for shop floor personnel, this article is for you. Let’s take a few minutes to understand why this happens and more importantly, how to fix it in a sustainable way.

The Typical Context: eDrawings as a Workshop Support Tool

In many manufacturing companies, eDrawings is used to:

• View assemblies without a SOLIDWORKS license;

• Visualize complete machines on the shop floor;

• Quickly identify parts to manufacture or assemble;

• Reduce paper drawings.

It is an excellent tool as long as the displayed information is clear and consistent.

However, in some cases, workshop users are faced with:

• Cryptic file names;

• Internal references that are not meaningful;

• Part names different from those used by engineering.

A Key Point to Understand: eDrawings Does Not Interpret, It Displays

First of all, it is important thing to clarify: eDrawings does not “guess” anything. It simply displays the information coming from SOLIDWORKS, based on the assembly structure, the properties defined on each part, and the export options used. Therefore, if the display does not meet your expectations, it is almost never an eDrawings bug, but rather a source data or configuration issue.

The Three Most Common Causes

In practice, three main causes explain this behavior:

1. The displayed name is the file name, not the business designation

By default, eDrawings often displays the part file name (.SLDPRT) instead of:

• The business designation;

• The part number;

• The workshop-oriented description.

Example: PLT_4587_V3.SLDPRT instead of Conveyor support plate – 10 mm steel

For the shop floor, the added value is… very limited.

2. Custom properties are not being leveraged

Additionally, in SOLIDWORKS, you most likely already have:

• Description

• Part Number

• Internal reference

• Customer name

But if these properties are not filled in consistently or eDrawings is not configured to display them, they become useless for the workshop.

3. The eDrawings export process is not standardized

Finally, an export performed quickly, by different users and without a clear procedure often results in:

• inconsistent displays;

• different habits from one project to another.

As a result, the workshop gradually loses confidence in the tool.

Recommended Best Practice: Think “Workshop” Directly in SOLIDWORKS

In reality, the solution is not in eDrawings…it starts in SOLIDWORKS.

Here is a simple and effective approach:

Use a workshop-oriented property

For example:

• Description

• or Workshop_Description

This property should be clear, readable and free of unnecessary CAD jargon.

Standardize how properties are filled in

Apply the same logic to all parts:

• same property name

• same text convention

• same language

Ultimately, this is a small effort on the engineering side…but delivers significant gains on the production side.

Structuring the eDrawings Export for the Workshop

To ensure consistency, the eDrawings export should:

• always come from an up-to-date assembly;

• follow a simple, documented procedure;

• display useful information, not technical noise.

This is exactly why a short internal procedure is often an excellent idea.

eDrawings: An Excellent Tool, When Properly Prepared

eDrawings is neither a design tool nor a PDM system. It is a technical communication tool.

In other words, like any communication, quality depends on what is sent, not only on the tool itself.

As a result, when best practices are in place the workshop gains autonomy, the unnecessary questions decrease, and the interpretation errors are reduced.

From Confusion to Clarity: Making eDrawings Work for the Workshop

If part names displayed in eDrawings do not match what you expect, know that you are not alone, it is not inevitable, and it is almost never a bug. More often than not, it is an opportunity to review how information is prepared and transferred to the workshop.

Very often…a few simple adjustments are enough to turn eDrawings into a true production support tool.

Material is More Than Just a Visual Appearance

In the furniture, cabinetry, and commercial millwork industries, material selection plays a critical role. It impacts not only product aesthetics, but also manufacturability, cost control, quality, and production repeatability. Yet, in many organizations, material management is still treated as a secondary concern, often limited to a visual texture or a late-stage production note.

As a result, this approach frequently leads to well-known issues. Designers and production teams may face inconsistencies between design and the shop floor, incorrect panel selection, edge banding errors, material waste, and costly rework. In addition, standardizing internal processes becomes much more difficult.

At a time when companies are striving to improve operational efficiency and production reliability, these issues can quickly turn into costly bottlenecks.

This is where the combination of SOLIDWORKS and SWOOD makes a real difference. By integrating intelligent material management directly into the design phase, SWOOD transforms materials into structured, manufacturing-ready data. As a result, this information remains consistent throughout the entire digital workflow.

The Limitations of Material Management in SOLIDWORKS

SOLIDWORKS is a powerful and flexible CAD platform, widely recognized for its robustness and parametric capabilities. In addition, it offers advanced material handling for mechanical design, including physical properties, mass calculations, and rendering. However, when applied to wood-based design, certain limitations quickly emerge.

In fact, native SOLIDWORKS materials are primarily intended for mechanical applications. As a result, they do not fully address the realities of wood manufacturing, such as:

• engineered wood panels,

• commercial panel thicknesses,

• wood grain direction,

• supplier-specific decors,

• edge banding compatibility,

• or CNC manufacturing constraints.

As a result, designers often rely on generic materials and manual adjustments. This information remains disconnected from manufacturing processes, forcing production teams to reinterpret design intent. The lack of continuity increases error risks and severely limits automation.

Why Material Management Is Critical in Wood Design?

In wood design, materials are never neutral. A panel is not simply a thickness and a color. Instead, it represents a supplier, a finish, compatible edge banding, machining rules, and cost implications.

Without proper material definition, several issues can arise. For example, poor material management can lead to:

• incorrect panel usage in production,

• edge banding mismatches,

• nesting inefficiencies,

• inaccurate material cost estimates,

• and inconsistencies across similar projects.

On the other hand, structured material management allows companies to:

• ensure design-to-production consistency,

• reduce manual data entry,

• improve communication between departments,

• and secure manufacturing outcomes early in the design process.

In this context, materials become a strategic data asset, just as critical as dimensions or tolerances.

How SWOOD Structures Material Management?

Material Libraries Designed for the Wood Industry

SWOOD introduces material libraries specifically developed for cabinetry, furniture, and millwork professionals. Unlike generic CAD materials, these libraries are designed to reflect real manufacturing requirements. As a result, SWOOD materials include production-relevant parameters such as:

• actual panel thickness,

• material type (MDF, melamine, plywood, solid wood, etc.),

• grain direction,

• tolerances,

• and attributes required for bills of materials and cut lists.

These libraries can be standardized company-wide, ensuring consistent practices across all projects and designers.

Direct Link Between Materials and CNC Manufacturing

One of SWOOD’s key strengths is the direct connection between materials and manufacturing processes. Because of this, materials are no longer used only for visualization. Instead, they actively drive CNC machining behavior.

Based on the selected material, SWOOD can:

• adapt machining strategies,

• select appropriate tools,

• control cutting depths,

• and automatically prepare data for production.

This significantly reduces manual adjustments on the shop floor and improves manufacturing reliability, even for highly customized projects.

Edge Banding and Decor Management

Edge banding is a critical aspect of wood manufacturing. SWOOD enables intelligent associations between panels and compatible edge banding materials.

Decors are not used solely for visualization. They are also embedded into:

• bills of materials,

• cut lists,

• nesting data,

• and shop floor documentation.

By automating these relationships, SWOOD minimizes human error and ensures consistent data from design through production.

From Design to Manufacturing: A Controlled Digital Continuity

SWOOD is built around the concept of digital continuity. Data defined during design is the same data used for manufacturing, without re-entry or reinterpretation.

A typical workflow includes:

1. Designing furniture or millwork in SOLIDWORKS with SWOOD Design.

2. Applying structured, manufacturing-ready materials.

3. Transferring data directly to SWOOD CAM and SWOOD Nesting.

4. CNC production driven by consistent and reliable information.

This approach improves traceability, reduces lead times, and increases overall production confidence.

The Impact on Costs and Industrial Performance

Effective material management directly impacts business performance. By integrating materials early in the design phase, companies can:

• improve material cost estimation accuracy,

• reduce waste and scrap,

• optimize panel nesting,

• standardize internal workflows,

• and accelerate onboarding of new employees.

These benefits are especially valuable for growing organizations that need scalable and repeatable processes.

Which Companies Benefit Most from SWOOD Material Management?

SWOOD material management is particularly valuable for:

• furniture manufacturers,

• commercial millwork companies,

• industrial cabinet makers,

• CNC woodworking shops,

• and organizations seeking to structure or automate their design-to-production workflows.

Regardless of company size, this approach increases reliability, productivity, and competitiveness.

Why SWOOD Is the Best Solution for Wood Design in SOLIDWORKS

SWOOD does not replace SOLIDWORKS, it enhances it. It adds a critical industry-specific layer tailored to wood manufacturing requirements. By combining SOLIDWORKS’ parametric power with SWOOD’s manufacturing intelligence, companies gain a coherent, scalable, and production-oriented environment.

This integration unlocks the full potential of the digital manufacturing chain, from design through CNC production.

Material as a Core Element of the Digital Wood Workflow

In modern wood manufacturing, materials can no longer be treated as simple visual properties. Instead, they must be managed as essential design and manufacturing data that supports the entire production process.

When material management is structured properly, companies gain much better control over their operations. With SWOOD, wood manufacturers can reduce errors, better control material costs, and improve overall production reliability.

Ultimately, integrating materials early in the design phase helps create a more consistent and efficient workflow from design to manufacturing.

Looking to improve your material management and secure your digital workflow from design to production? Solidxperts helps wood manufacturing companies implement SWOOD, train their teams, and optimize their design-to-production processes.