\nTL;DR:<\/strong><\/p>\n
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- FD04 is a routine update, not a modeling update: the improvements relate to documentation, sheet metal, validation, and STEP\/IGES imports.<\/li>\n
- LEO works within the model based on a written request. AURA, its counterpart on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, answers questions in conversations.<\/li>\n
- FD04 corresponds to Service Pack 4 (SP4) for SOLIDWORKS Design 2026. LEO is available starting with Service Pack 3.0 on a workstation connected to the 3DEXPERIENCE platform.<\/li>\n
- The 2,100 free tokens are enough for testing, but not for production. Generating a drawing or performing a parametric conversion costs hundreds to thousands of tokens.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\nThe FD04 update for SOLIDWORKS 2026, released by Dassault Syst\u00e8mes on September 12, 2026, focuses almost entirely on AI. LEO, the assistant built into SOLIDWORKS Design, now generates batch drawings, nests sheet metal flat patterns, checks models before release, and assesses the impact of a modification. Each action consumes Blue Tokens: 2,100 are provided once per license; additional tokens are purchased in packs of 25,000.<\/p>\n
Table of Contents<\/h2>\n
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- FD04 in a nutshell: AI steps out of the chat window<\/a><\/li>\n
- 1. Batch-generated drawings<\/a><\/li>\n
- 2. The Interlocking of Integrated Sheet Metal<\/a><\/li>\n
- 3. Pre-broadcast review<\/a><\/li>\n
- 4. The impact of a change, before you save it<\/a><\/li>\n
- 5. Improved reconstruction of STEP and IGES imports<\/a><\/li>\n
- 6. Demand-Driven Assemblies<\/a><\/li>\n
- 7. Non-AI: The Variability Table<\/a><\/li>\n
- Other LEO aids from FD04<\/a><\/li>\n
- How Much Does SOLIDWORKS AI Cost: Blue Tokens<\/a><\/li>\n
- New Features in FD04 (Excluding SOLIDWORKS Design)<\/a><\/li>\n
- Should we switch to FD04 right away?<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
FD04 in a nutshell: AI steps out of the chat window<\/h2>\n
Until now, AI in SOLIDWORKS was mainly used to answer questions such as: \u201cHow much does the part weigh?\u201d or \u201cWhere is a particular command located?\u201d With FD04, LEO takes action. Ask it to generate a set of drawings, an exploded view, or aligned holes in five parts, and the result appears in the model, editable just as if it had been done by hand.<\/p>\n
Dassault Syst\u00e8mes organizes these capabilities into the following categories: manufacturing documentation, design validation, assembly optimization, and engineering support. We reviewed the complete list and selected the features that save design offices hours of work. The rest are listed below.<\/p>\n
To help users get started, a query library (\u00abExplore SOLIDWORKS AI\u00bb) is available through the interface, featuring example queries, FAQs, training resources, and information on data privacy.<\/p>\n
1. Batch-generated drawings<\/h2>\n
This new feature will appeal to the widest audience. LEO generates drawings using an enhanced PropertyManager: sheet format, dimensioning style, and tolerancing. You can let LEO choose the settings on a per-part basis within a batch, or apply a rule to all selected parts\u2014such as ordered dimensioning. If dimensions aren\u2019t needed (e.g., layout drawings or visualizations), an option generates only the views.<\/p>\n
You can switch to \u00abAsk LEO\u00bb at any time to refine your request using natural language, either before or after the text is generated.<\/p>\n
Our take: A completed storyboard still needs to be reviewed. But switching from \u00abI\u2019m creating 30 storyboards\u00bb to \u00abI\u2019m reviewing 30 storyboards\u00bb changes an animator\u2019s day.<\/p>\n
2. The Interlocking of Integrated Sheet Metal<\/h2>\n
LEO automatically places the unfolded parts on standard or custom sheet metal sizes, in the desired quantities. Spacing, cut width, rotation, flipping, starting point, and nesting direction can be finely adjusted or modified by describing the changes in natural language. The final layout is exported as a DXF file to the cutting process.<\/p>\n
For metalworking and sheet metal fabrication shops, this is a quick way to plan a layout and estimate scrap without leaving SOLIDWORKS. Before using it as a production tool, test it on your typical parts.<\/p>\n
3. Pre-broadcast review<\/h2>\n
LEO checks parts, assemblies, and drawings against a release checklist, the company\u2019s checklist, or an industry standard, and flags noncompliant components before they go into production. This process replaces manual review, which is time-consuming and prone to oversights.<\/p>\n
The same logic applies at the sketch level: you ask what\u2019s wrong, and LEO lists the under-constrained or over-constrained entities, open contours, and intersecting geometries, then suggests adjustments (adjust, add a relationship or a dimension).<\/p>\n
4. The impact of a change, before you save it<\/h2>\n
Before modifying a part, LEO shows which components in the open assembly are affected, then searches the 3DEXPERIENCE platform for all other assemblies that use that part. This is the \u00abbill of materials\u00bb that PDM users are familiar with, triggered exactly when it\u2019s needed.<\/p>\n
This feature requires data to be managed on the platform. If your files are still stored in shared folders, that\u2019s one more reason to switch to a proper data management system (see our guide PDM: Technical Data Management Explained<\/a>).<\/p>\n
5. Improved reconstruction of STEP and IGES imports<\/h2>\n
The ability to convert an imported solid into a parametric part already existed. FD04 improves upon this: it now recognizes circular repetitions and contextual draft angles, and uses them to reconstruct the model. The resulting creation tree is cleaner and more faithful to the design intent.<\/p>\n
For a subcontractor who receives plain text files from clients every week, this is probably the most profitable new feature. It\u2019s also one of the most expensive in terms of tokens (see below).<\/p>\n
6. Demand-Driven Assemblies<\/h2>\n
Three new products in the same family:<\/p>\n
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- Exploded Views<\/strong> : Specify the direction and spacing, and LEO creates the exploded view steps, all of which can be edited.<\/li>\n
- Aligned holes<\/strong> : Based on an existing hole or a specification, LEO creates the holes for the drilling wizard in all relevant parts.<\/li>\n
- Assembly Instructions<\/strong> : The starting component is selected automatically, the zoom level is adjusted at each step, and the exported PDF is easier to read.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
In addition, the system allows for manual reorganization of an AI-generated assembly structure (drag-and-drop, deletion, multiple selection) and provides an assembly performance analysis that uses constraints, repetitions, references, and reconstruction times to identify the actual bottlenecks.<\/p>\n
7. Non-AI: The Variability Table<\/h2>\n
Not all new features go through LEO. The variability table allows you to define variants, options, and numerical parameters, and then control dimensions, the suppression status of functions and components, and reference configurations from a single source. For a product line with dozens of versions, this spells the end of those configuration tables you\u2019re too afraid to open.<\/p>\n
Two handy new features: The eDrawings installer is now included in the SOLIDWORKS Design installation folder\u2014no download or registration required\u2014and a dedicated tab in the task pane opens Content Explorer or the bookmark editor directly.<\/p>\n
Other LEO aids from FD04<\/h2>\n
Just a few things, for the sake of completeness:<\/p>\n
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- Photorealistic rendering<\/strong> described in natural language (resolution, denoiser, render name), executed by SOLIDWORKS Visualize. The Visualize add-in must be enabled.<\/li>\n
- Guidance<\/strong> step-by-step guidance on the correct function, constraint, or drafting method.<\/li>\n
- Rehearsals<\/strong> created by specifying the desired spacing.<\/li>\n
- Natural Language Selection<\/strong> geometries or information, even with complex criteria.<\/li>\n
- Area Calculation<\/strong> by piece, by side, by color, or by type of function\u2014useful for estimating the cost of painting or flooring.<\/li>\n
- Configuration<\/strong> : equations, relationships, and conditional behaviors created from a written intention.<\/li>\n
- Organizing the Tree of Creation<\/strong> : identifying unnecessary functions, organizing them into folders by type.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
How Much Does SOLIDWORKS AI Cost: Blue Tokens<\/h2>\n
Blue Tokens track LEO and AURA's AI activity. Chatting with the assistant costs nothing: tokens are deducted only when a skill is executed and returns a result.<\/p>\n
What's on offer.<\/strong> Each license receives 2,100 tokens once: 2,000 for SOLIDWORKS Design and 100 for 3DSwymer. This balance is not renewable. It applies to both new and existing customers.<\/p>\n
That comes back to haunt you later.<\/strong> Tokens are purchased in packs of 25,000, valid for 12 months, automatically renewed, and shared among all users within the company (the tenant). They can be purchased online or through your reseller. The pricing for the packs has not yet been announced; we will share it as soon as it is published.<\/p>\n
How much does an application cost?.<\/strong> Dassault Syst\u00e8mes provides estimates, which are subject to change:<\/p>\n
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