Siemens Digital Industries Software today announced updates to its well-known Solid Edge CAD (computer-aided design) software, giving it a new name, Designcenter Solid Edge, and including new AI (artificial intelligence) capabilities and improvements in productivity, documentation, and user experience. The company says that these updates will help design and engineering teams work faster, smarter, and more collaboratively across “on-premise” and cloud environments.

“With Designcenter Solid Edge 2026 and Designcenter X Solid Edge, we’re delivering a smarter, more connected design experience that meets the evolving needs of modern engineering teams,” said John Miller, Senior Vice President, Mainstream Engineering, Siemens Digital Industries Software. “The combination of powerful AI automation with flexible cloud workflows will help our customers accelerate innovation, reduce complexity, and stay competitive in a fast-moving market.”

What’s behind the updates? One of the trends Siemens Digital Industries Software pointed to is the digital transformation of SMB (small- and medium-sized business) manufacturers as an inspiration for the update. It cited data from a recent IDC global survey of 415 decision makers that show that 92% of SMBs are budgeting for digital transformation, with 76% dedicating staff for that purpose.

SMB manufacturers’ product development plans for the next 3 years call for improved internal collaboration, increased product/service analytics, increased cloud-based platform usage, and improved external collaboration. Their technology priorities over the next 12 months include a greater focus on cloud computing/software-as-a-service, big data/analytics, and social business/collaboration tools.

 

One unified ecosystem

The name change and inclusion in the Designcenter suite bring together NX and Solid Edge under one unified ecosystem. This suite is built on a Parasolid kernel and is designed to deliver performance, flexibility, and intelligent automation across the entire design process.

“This year’s release is all about adapting to how engineers work today,” said Dan Staples, Vice President of R&D, Mainstream Engineering, Siemens Digital Industries Software. “Whether they’re on the desktop, in the cloud, or somewhere in between, Designcenter Solid Edge 2026 supports hybrid workflows that are fast, secure, and collaborative.”

Staples summarized the major themes in the release.

From Magnetic Snap Assembly to automatic drawing generation and the new AI Copilot, artificial intelligence is now embedded directly into the application’s tools. With cloud-enabled flexibility, teams can work from anywhere, access designs in real time, and collaborate across locations. New features in part modeling and sheet metal design reduce manual steps and improve manufacturability. For immersive design exploration, the new Walkthrough command lets engineers step inside their assemblies for more intuitive reviews and presentations. From Dark Theme to cloud-synced preferences and flexible licensing, engineers have more control over their workspace and tools.

Siemens’ Designcenter Solid Edge 2026 and Designcenter X Solid Edge are available now as part of the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio. For those unfamiliar, that includes Designcenter for design and engineering from browser to desktop; Simcenter simulation and test solutions; Teamcenter to plan, develop, and deliver innovative products; Opcenter for manufacturing operations management; and Tecnomatix for digital manufacturing planning and optimization.

 

Partner launch

Designcenter Solid Edge is already in use at the Siltomac Group, the Brazilian launch partner using it to design and build equipment to automate animal nutrition and strengthen livestock farming through technological innovations in equipment for mechanization and automation that can be used by small, medium, and large producers.

“Designcenter X Solid Edge in the cloud allows our team to access the latest designs anytime, anywhere, and cloud storage keeps our data organized and safe,” said Mariana Rodrigues, COO, Siltomac. “This release represents a significant leap forward, poised to really enhance our productivity and help us be more innovative.”

For example, the new Walkthrough command transforms how the company presents designs.

“With immersive visual tours, we can help our clients and other teams understand the design in a more visual, more engaging way,” said Rodrigues. “Given the complexity of our equipment, which has thousands of parts, the time savings in assembly design are monumental. The new AI-driven Magnetic Snap feature can speed up assembly design severalfold. It means our engineers can finish design faster and start testing earlier, responding to customer needs faster to stay ahead of the competition.”

 

Update details

The 2026 AI-powered update introduces intelligent automation intended to transform design workflows. The new Magnetic Snap Assembly capability accelerates component placement by using AI technology to apply constraints automatically. A new automatic drawing capability uses AI to generate up to 80% of 2D drawing views (including orthogonal, broken, and isometric views with dimensions) with minimal input. The update also introduces Design Copilot, a conversational AI chatbot that delivers real-time, context-aware support directly within the design environment.

New assembly and sheet metal productivity tools simplify complex assemblies and improve manufacturing readiness. New Part Display Configurations and enhanced Visual Explode functionality support documentation and reuse. Integrated tab and slot creation, multi-edge flange trimming, and wall thickness support reduce rework and improve manufacturability.

With the update, Designcenter Solid Edge now offers stronger drafting and model-based definition capabilities. Native revision tables, automatic hole tolerancing, and support for PMI section views in 3D PDF exports improve accuracy and compliance. User-defined symbols and shaded decals in drawing views enhance visual communication across teams and downstream processes.

The update delivers a more modern, personalized design experience. A new dark theme, scalable SVG icons, and redesigned command bars improve usability and reduce visual fatigue. Cloud-based setting synchronization helps to ensure consistent configuration across devices. Value-based licensing provides flexible, token-based access to advanced tools aligned with actual usage.

Designcenter X Solid Edge software complements the desktop capabilities of Designcenter Solid Edge by introducing hybrid SaaS functionality for cloud-first and mobile workflows. Users will be able to sync preferences, access tools across devices, and collaborate more flexibly using named user licensing.

 

To learn more, watch today’s 10 a.m. ET YouTube premiere at https://youtu.be/6BJqzcQ3mqE.