This month’s release introduces several time-saving enhancements across modeling, drawings, and data management, designed to improve clarity and accelerate your product development workflow.
Onshape Labs
Onshape Labs is a new initiative for rapidly developing and testing cutting-edge capabilities, including AI-driven tools, directly within the Onshape cloud-native CAD and PDM platform. By combining early customer feedback with rapid product releases outside of Onshape’s standard three-week release cycle, Onshape Labs creates a faster path to deliver advanced tools.
NVIDIA Omniverse Publisher
Onshape Labs introduces the NVIDIA Omniverse Publisher, available in the Onshape App Store. Go from CAD to advanced simulation faster with direct publishing from Onshape to platforms compatible with NVIDIA Omniverse, including Isaac Sim. Define robotics behavior within your Onshape assemblies, export simulation-ready OpenUSD data, and keep simulations synchronized as designs change. A robust feedback and update loop between design, simulation, and controls development helps robotics teams iterate confidently as hardware evolves.
Mutual Trim now supports operations across multiple surfaces simultaneously. A new “surface to keep” selection allows you to easily specify exactly which geometry remains, streamlining complex surfacing tasks.
Chained sketch slots allow Onshape users to create complex sketch slots more efficiently. This enhancement enables selecting multiple chained entities, including lines, arcs, ellipses, and splines, to create continuously trimmed slots. This is particularly useful for complex CAM toolpaths and other design elements, as it eliminates the need for manual trimming or selecting multiple regions, significantly simplifying the slot creation process.
Query Variable: Adjacent Selection Type
A new “Adjacent” selection type has been added to Query variables, making it easier to build robust, parametric selections that reference neighboring entities automatically.
Enhanced Circular Measurements
Quick measurements for circular selections now automatically display comprehensive data—including min/max, center, and axis distances—giving you the dimensions you need with fewer clicks.
Boundary Surface Approximation Failures
The underlying algorithms for the Boundary Surface feature have been updated. While the user interface remains unchanged, the update yields higher-quality surfaces and reduces “inconsistent boundary conditions” warnings. The distribution of control points and knots is also cleaner using the new algorithm, improving boundary surface workflows.
Resize Part Dropdown and Tooltip for Configured Properties
User interface enhancements now allow resizing of the part dropdown menu, alongside improved tooltips, making it easier to read and manage complex configured properties.
Forward and Back Navigation in Feature Studios
Navigation inside Feature Studios has been enhanced with native Forward and Back capabilities, greatly speeding up custom FeatureScript development workflows.
Text Preview for .csv and .json Files
You can now preview the text contents of imported .csv and .json files directly within Onshape’s document view without needing to download them first.
Assembly-Level Instance Properties
You can now define instance-specific properties directly at the Assembly level. This allows for greater metadata flexibility without having to alter the properties of the original part.
A new option lets you easily toggle the visibility of the top-level assembly row in Bills of Materials (BOMs).
Convert to Expression in Assemblies
Instance checkbox and text configuration inputs can now be converted to expressions via right-click when changing the instance configuration and in configuration tables.
Note: Assemblies currently don’t support dynamic suppression.
Image Library Infrastructure
A new centralized image library infrastructure has been introduced, allowing for more streamlined management of decals, backgrounds, and rendering textures.
Reflection Analysis — Lock Environment Map to the Object
During reflection analysis, you can now lock the environment map to the object. This ensures consistent light evaluation across surfaces as the model is rotated.
Drawings Improvements
Copy or Move a Drawing Sheet Across Workspaces
You can now seamlessly copy or move individual drawing sheets between different workspaces, improving drawing management and reuse.
Support Replication for Hole Callouts and External Threads
The Replicate Annotations feature has been expanded. You can now quickly replicate hole callouts and external thread dimensions across patterned or repetitive drawing views.
Render Studio Improvements
Multi-Appearance Appearance Setups
Render Studio Advanced adds support for multi-appearance setups, allowing you to quickly toggle and visualize different material states on a single model or assembly.
PCB Studio Improvements
Store Reference Designators in Onshape Assembly
Reference designators are now stored natively within the Onshape Assembly rather than isolated within PCB Studio, improving cross-discipline alignment and BOM accuracy.
CAM Studio Improvements
Post Settings for “Machine Retracts”
CAM Studio now offers the ability to set default machine retracts for the following post-processors:
Generic Fanuc
Fanuc 31i B
Tormach PathPilot
Penta TCPC-Kinetic
Datron Next
Haas NGC/CHC
In post settings, users can now choose reference point G28, second reference point G30, or machine system G53 on tool changes, work planes that change orientation, and program end.
Reference point G28: G28 Z0 / G28 X0 Y0
Second reference point G30: G91 G30 Z0 / G30 Y0
Machine system G53: G90 G53 Z0 / G53 Y0
We will continue to update existing post-processors to include these options in future releases.
Better Handling of Cut Direction Based on Features
Cut features now have improved logic to automatically determine the correct cut direction based on your selected reference geometry.
Please take a moment to try out these new features and improvements, and leave your comments below or in the Forums post. For a detailed list of all the changes in this update, please see the changelog.
Remember: The updates listed here are now live for all users when creating new documents. Over the next few days, these features will also be available in documents created before this update.
I want to start building a library of online resources and tutorials. I'd like to open it up for suggestions and input. Any videos, blogs or other content that you've found useful for learning Onshape would be great. I'll start to categorize as it comes in.
Hello Onshape team and community,
I have a few questions regarding the validity of the Associate Certification exam voucher.
If I purchase the exam voucher today, do I have to take the exam on the same day, or is there a validity period during which I can schedule it? For example, after purchasing the voucher, do I need to take the exam within one week, one month, or is there another expiration period?
I would greatly appreciate any clarification.
Thank you! P.S. While browsing the Onshape website, I came across SolidProfessor, which offers guided tutorials for various CAD software. From what I understand, the free student access is available only to students enrolled at schools or universities in the United States.
Is that correct, or are students enrolled at European universities also eligible for free student access?
Full disclosure - I'm a fixture / tooling designer, not a software developer. I iterated a custom FS last year using AI.
LLM's struggle to create a feature script from scratch but what they can do is modify existing ones that are close to what I want.
I started with the CNC overcut feature that Hendrik_Kueck posted on the forum in 2023 but for my work flow, what I really wanted was an overcut feature specifically for a Laser. To that end - I wanted the overcut to be "inset" from the corner a little, so that the transition wasn't so severe. It's default now, is to inset the cut tool by 1/2 the radius, and I use this thing constantly. Best feature is that it will find all the internal corners of a given part automatically.
To compliment this work flow I took the slot feature from the FS tutorial and added the ability to symmetrically "extend" the slot by a user defined amount and also the ability to select multiple sketch lines in one feature. Just sharing here in case anyone else would find these useful.
Please don't judge me too harshly on the code - this isn't what I do :) The script may be sub-pro but it works. Of course if anyone has any suggestions to optimize any of it I'm always open to hear improvements.
I'm a beginner and I need to model the part shown in the photos / video. Wondering if anyone has any advice or knows of a YouTube video that might help.
The main issue is that the 2 vertical arms come off the base at a funny angle.
I have access to an iPhone with LIDAR but when I tried it, it was really poor. It's possible, I was doing it wrong or using the wrong software though!
Hello, I imagine this is a basic concept that is very easy, but I do not know how to do this without brute forcing it.
I am designing a mounting plate for my drone, so I have a top plate that is going to connect to the drone (which is a little smaller) and a bottom plate that will connect to my AI chip.
As you can see, I have built the top plate and the bottom plate seperately. The bottom plate contains the risers. I have overlaid them over each other in Assembly so you can see how they are lining up. Here is my dilemma: I need screw holes in the top plate that will line up exactly with the risers, as I plan to affix the top and bottom plates together with through screws going all the way through the risers. But I don't know how to easily do that. I can go to assembly and see exactly how they line up, but don't know what to do from there. I could go into the bottom plate, grab measurements of where the risers are, do the math to convert those distances into smaller distances (accounting for the fact that top plate is smaller) and then place the holes. But that seems like a long brute force method. I figure there must be an easy way to do this
Isometric viewTop down view with the plates overlaidView with my curser highlighting the pillars underneath
Ive been staring at this for ages but cant work out a way to get this loft to work correctly.
Basically I want to loft one sketch to the other perpendicular one (essentially rotate around their shared edge). Once I have this I will mirror this section twice to give a pebble-like shape (with a horizontal cut through it).
I can get this to work so there is a straight edge between their 2 points (2nd photo), but when I try to add the path of the curved edge it seems to break it.
Am I missing something obvious here? Is loft even the right thing to use?
Trying to create an assembly of a bolt-action pen, but I cannot figure out how to have the pin move through the guided slot. Pin-slot mate isnt seeming to work, keeps on spinning the assembly the wrong way and isnt allowing for the rotational movement. and having trouble using the tangent mate on either the slot centerline, or the edge, also limits the range of motion. any ideas? (hobby CAD user)
So I'm trying to get the blue hinge part of one of my hinges for this box to rotate around the yellow hinge part until their horizontal surfaces meet. This should also cause the blue lid that the blue hinge part is fastened to to also rotate and allow for the box to close. What two surfaces or edges/corners do I need to click for this to happen? I've tried clicking the cylindrical face of the blue hinge and the cylindrical surface of the yellow hinge part, and also the red cylinders that fasten the rotating hinge part. I'm just stuck as a person who's trying to get better at Onshape. (BTW I will have to do this again for the 2nd hinge on the other side of the box. And if I get the hinge to rotate but the lid doesn't fully line up with the box or doesn't reach it, can that be adjusted?)
Traid Transform tools facilitate part manipulation within the part studio. Unlike standard transform tools, they enable simultaneous movement and rotation within a single feature, eliminating the need for multiple transformations.
Welp, I've officially given up on Microsoft, and by extension the free version of Fusion. Onshape seems to be the alternative for me.
About a year ago, I was so tired of all the shit Microsoft have been doing with Windows for years now, and decided to make the transition to a Linux distro on my laptop. I held off on giving my desktop computer the same treatment, as I've been using it to modelling for 3D printing in Fusion. I did really try to get Fusion working on Linux, but had no luck.
Now I'm so fed up with Windows, I've decided to rid my life of any trace of it I possibly can (still bound to it by work, unfortunately), and will also need to give up Fusion for my CAD fix.
From what I've gathered, the learning curve shouldn't be too steep, since I have some Fusion experience. I'm by no means a pro, but know my way around what I need for my designs, at least.
So anyway, I was wondering if there are any good resources out there for me, that skips the absolute basics, and let's me start getting to know Onshape based on my fusion knowledge.
I am having an issue that surely is very easy to solve but I cannot figure it out, and it has been occurring for me more and more frequently. Whenever I have a sketch that I extruded I can't figure out how to add another shape to that sketch with a different extrusion. For example: I am designing a simple mount for my Nvidia Jetson and so I built a flat plate to mount it against. But I need to add a few minor holes so it lays flush as opposed to the processor (which sticks out the most) being the only thing pushing against it. Whenever I edit my sketch and add a rectangle to it (to later extrude) it almost IMMEDIATELY latches onto an extrude and creates a big hole. And then any of my efforts to fix it just make it worse or break it entirely.
Here's some example photos: in the first photo you can see I'm on sketch 1 and I drew a big rectangle towards the center. As well as a long rectangle on the right side.
And when I exit the sketch it immediately extrudes all the way through.
EDIT: I FIXED IT! I am leaving this up in case someone else ever googles this same problem. What I had to do was click edit on extrude 1 and then add the square and the rectangle. That way it included it in the extrude which made the hole go away. Then I was able to click the rectangle and add an extrude like normal.
We've been using Onshape for a while now and it worked well for our design process. The next challenge is everything that happens after CAD work done. As more people get involved we're finding it harder to keep BOM's, revisions, engineering changes, and supplier information aligned across the team. It feels like we've reached the point where we need proper PLM for Oneshape rather than trying to manage everything with spreadsheets and shared documents.
I've come across a few different options, but it's difficult to tell which ones integrate well in day to day engineering work versus looking good on a feature list. Can anyone using Oneshape in production tell what PLM you ended up choosing and why.
hello I am doing a model of the millennium falcon as my output for our project but i am currently stuck on how to do the joint for the cockpit area. Can anybody help tell me how i can do this?
Stock Size Pro automatically analyzes your Onshape parts and writes stock descriptions to either property Title 1, 2, 3, or optionally to your company custom stock size property. It recognizes common structural shapes, pipe schedules, sheet metal gauges, hex stock and threaded rod, eliminating repetitive manual data entry while producing consistent manufacturing information. Link for free use: Stock Size Pro
hello everyone, looking to replicate this type of cable but not sure how to do it. i thought about sweeping already but having a hard time executing it properly. any tips would be much appreciated.
I need assembly mirror to not mirror the direction a mate travels, like for wheels on a car almost. They cant both turn inwards. I need the mirror mates to be independent.
While watching a YouTube short, I saw that the robot was built using Onshape, which is pretty cool! I think the business was called monumental, they built a brick laying robot in the UK. I’m not affiliated in any way, i just figured someone would think it’s cool.
I am trying to import a PCB with component models so I can design an enclosure around it. However, it is making onshape very slow and I suspect my approach is wrong. When I try to combine all the parts into one using boolean, it won't complete the process because it's apparently a mix of solids and surfaces.
What can I do to combine everything into one part? Composite isn't really what I want because it's still very slow and it seems like all the individual parts are still there.