AI & CAD: What SOLIDWORKS and CATIA Are Changing for Designers.
Artificial intelligence is no longer a “plus” in CAD: it's a new standard for productivity and quality. On the Dassault Systèmes side, SOLIDWORKS and CATIA are being enhanced with generative assistants and features that are revolutionizing design, drafting, assembly, and collaboration. Here’s a practical overview, guided by our core belief: for small and medium-sized businesses, mid-sized companies, and startups, SOLIDWORKS + 3DEXPERIENCE and CATIA currently offer the best balance of speed, accuracy, and product governance.
SOLIDWORKS Aura: The AI assistant that predicts your intentions.
At the workstation level, AI reduces friction: timely command suggestions, automatic generation of 2D sketches and drawings from 3D, and assembly assistance that limits constraint and orientation errors. These are not gimmicks: they are minutes saved with every action, which become hours on a project, then weeks on a product portfolio. At the last 3DEXPERIENCE World, SOLIDWORKS presented AI capabilities of this type, and an assistant named SOLIDWORKS AURA(in beta) aimed at predicting user intent and automating repetitive tasks.
Why industrial startups need to adopt AI-assisted CAD.
Specifically, the AI news announced and demonstrated around SOLIDWORKS concern:
- Suggested commands (prediction of the «next action»)
- Automatic drawing generation based on the model, with entity and constraint detection
- Accelerated assembly (reduction of manual selections and pairings). Objective: Less searching, more designing. For engineering firms under pressure, this cumulative effect is decisive. And in the ecosystem 3DEXPERIENCE Works, these assistances align with data management, simulation, and manufacturing to avoid “configuration debt.”.
CATIA & 3DEXPERIENCE: AI in Service of Generative Design… and Governance
On complex products (aerospace, mobility, special machinery), AI with software CATIA expresses itself mainly through the Generative design and the virtualization of the digital twin
- Generation/topology guided by performance to explore thousands of alternatives early on, integrating materials, processes, and sustainability constraints ;
- Visual Scripting (no‑code) to “program” complex geometries and patterns, accelerate iterations, and standardize in-house expertise;
- Governance 3DEXPERIENCE A digital thread where AI serves as an accelerator (e.g., research, classification, recommendations) while respecting IP and traceability.
In the vision“ 3D UNIVERSES” highlighted by Dassault Systèmes, AI relies on virtual twins and aims to create generative experiences “for everyone, on everything.” Method-side translation: we are not just automating CAD gestures, we are increase product architecture choices, module reuse, and expanded collaboration with the supply chain.
CATIA leverages AI for Generative design, the optimized topology and the PLM governance.Consult https://hub.ohmycad.com/en/liste-de-prix-officielle-catia to anticipate your investments.
What this changes for designers
- Fewer clicks, more intent anti-friction AI (suggestions, contextual search, synthesized commands) reduces the navigation time in the tool.
- Best “first pass” drawings, assemblies, and variants generated quickly, which the engineer then refines with their expertise.
- Documentary quality Automated drawings, with better constraints, reduce discrepancies and accelerate production and inspection.
...and for industrial startups
Young shoots must Go fast without compromising quality or IP. SOLIDWORKS AI assistants bring a time-to-prototype shorter, while CATIA allows for the exploration of architectures lightweight(topology, multi-materials) compatible with targeted manufacturing processes.
The real game changers for industrial startups are reduction of a technical debt and of considerable time for prototyping.
With 3DEXPERIENCE, we keep the spine PLM from day 1 (traceability, versions, requirements), to avoid “paying” later for data debt.
For startups, PLM integration via 3DEXPERIENCE is key. If you're having trouble connecting, here are our guides:
Impossible toto connect
Yes, the competition is on the move, and that's good news
- Autodesk advance a banner“ Autodesk AI ” cross-products and multiplies use cases around creativity, automation, and predictive analysis (with dedicated Fusion sessions for AI). It's stimulating for the market... but coherence CAD ↔ PDM/PLM ↔ MFG The knot remains to be solved on a large scale.
- PTC/Creo Capitalize on the generative design (GTO/GDX) and now communicates an “embedded in workflows” GenAI strategy. Relevant for accelerating certain studies, but the’end-to-end integration with advanced simulation and multi-business governance remains the main arena.
- Siemens NX long-standing growth of’Adaptive UI (ML) and announced a AI Chat Copilot for NX X Essentials, in addition to joint work with Microsoft on industrial copilot. Here again, the trend confirms: AI is becoming the natural interface for CAD.Our assumed position : for organizations that want Immediate Productivity (SOLIDWORKS) + Controlled complexity increase (CATIA) + 3DEXPERIENCE governance, the ecosystem Dassault Systèmes is now the most comprehensive, ranging from the engineer's workstation to virtual factory twins, including the supply chain.
How to Succeed in Your “Leap into AI” in CAD (4-Step Method)
- Map your high-frequency gestures (planning, assemblies, research, bills of materials) to target early AI gains.
- PLM framework from the beginning : versions, requirements, rights, data security, especially in the context of startups and partners.
- Former scenarios task-oriented micro-workshops (self-drawing, assisted assembly, generative variations) with measurable objectives.
- Continuous improvement loop : choose 3 KPIs (e.g. drawing time, assembly errors, part reuse) and iterate in sprints.
8 Key AI Features in SOLIDWORKS 2026
- Command Predictor Anticipates the tools you will use next, with a dynamic suggestion bar (up to 7 commands).
- AI-Driven Generative Drawings Automatic generation of 2D drawings from 3D models, with customizable options.
- Smart Insert Component recognition of standard components (bolts, screws) and automatic application of constraintsfriends).
- AI-Driven Image to Sketch Image to sketch conversion with automatic constraints and dimensions (ideal for reverse engineering).
- Generative Assembly Automatic creation of complete assemblies after a few parameters.
- Generative 3D Part precise photo to 3D model transformation (virtual twin).
- Generative Stacked Dimensions Automatic addition of dimensions and constraints during sketching.
- Generative NC Machining Optimization of machining paths and CNC parameters to reduce time and waste
source : 8 Key Features That Showcase the Power of AI in SOLIDWORKS 2025 – Engineers Rule
Where Ohmycad can help you: Productivity gains > Fewer repetitive tasks, more creativity.
- Audit IA-CAD express (2 weeks) identification of tasks to automate, prioritization of use cases, tool-based roadmap SOLIDWORKS/3DEXPERIENCE/CATIA.
- Guided drivers : AURA & Co. SOLIDWORKS side; Generative Design and Visual Scripting CATIA side; 3DEXPERIENCE PLM integration for traceability.
- Acculturation and change : Career paths (designers, product managers, methods) and coaching on real data. Our approach is simple: accelerate without sacrificing the quality neither’IP. (Contact us, Ohmycad, for a free 30-minute assessment)
Sources & Useful Links
- Dassault Systèmes, 3DEXPERIENCE World 2025 (official announcement, “generative AI capabilities”, keynote speeches) Newsroom DS
- Demonstrations & analyses of new AI features in SOLIDWORKS (suggestions, drawings, assemblies, assistant AURA) : Digital Engineering 24/7, EngineersRule
- CATIA, AI-Driven Generative Experiences (generative design, performance, reuse) 3ds.com, CATIA & AI ; Vision Virtual Twin And 3D UNIVERSES : Design-Engineering, 3DS Blog CATIA
- Competitive landscape:
- Autodesk, Autodesk AI (platform, Design & Make vision) + Fusion 2025 sessions: Press Release, AU 2025 sessions
- PTC/Creo, generative design (GTO/GDX), and embedded GenAI strategy: PTC (generative tech), PTC Blog (GenAI Strategy)
- Siemens NX, Adaptive UI & AI Chat Copilot : Adaptive UI, NX X Essentials, AI Copilot
FAQ
Frequently asked Questions
What is SOLIDWORKS Aura?
This is the SOLIDWORKS 2026 AI assistant: it anticipates design intentions and automates repetitive tasks, with native integration into the workflow.
What is the purpose of AI in CATIA and 3DEXPERIENCE?
On 3DEXPERIENCE, CATIA uses AI for generative design and product governance: it accelerates the design process while maintaining traceability and data control.
Why Should an Industrial Startup Adopt AI-Powered CAD?
It improves speed and quality without requiring additional resources: fewer repetitive tasks, more creativity. Ohmycad guides you through the process in four steps.