What’s New: Asynchronous Simulation, Render Studio Camera Gaze Direction Indicator, GLB Format Translation for AR, XR, VR

This release brings Asynchronous Simulation; submit studies and keep modeling without waiting for results to complete. It also includes improvements to CAD features, rendering tools, manufacturing, and administration.

CAD Improvements

Asynchronous Simulation

A new Results and history table displays all simulation jobs: queued, in-progress, and complete. Submit studies while modeling. Jobs run independently without blocking your work. Results are stored permanently in version control history with full logging of conditions and outcomes for traceability. See the new Asynchronous Simulation topic in the Onshape Help for more information.

Derived Properties

Onshape has updated the behavior of the derived geometry feature’s properties checkbox. Previously, this setting was always enabled when creating derived features, automatically including all properties like part numbers and manufacturing processes from the original source. Now, the setting has become sticky. When disabled, it remains unchecked for future derived features until manually re-enabled. This improvement helps users avoid accidentally reusing part numbers or copying incorrect property values, such as manufacturing processes.

Active Command Highlighting

Toolbar buttons now appear active while a feature is in use.

Drawings Improvements

Parts Only Default View Styles

Previously, templates would automatically insert annotations like centermarks and centerlines for both parts and assemblies. The update makes these settings exclusive to parts, where they are more useful. This improvement to Drawings allows users to keep annotations enabled for parts, where they're beneficial, while creating cleaner assembly drawings.

Render Studio Advanced Improvements

Camera Gaze Direction Indicator

Render Studio now includes a camera gaze direction indicator in the environment lighting editor, making it easier to orient environment lighting relative to the camera for more accurate and predictable rendering setups. Also, physical lights and volumes can be duplicated.

CAM Studio Improvements

'Create Machine' Dialog Modernization

This update announces improvements to Onshape’s CAM (computer-aided manufacturing) user interface, specifically focusing on machine creation functionality. Building on previous UI updates that enhanced job creation, setup creation, and work plane creation dialog, the latest release extends these improvements to machine creation. The goal is to create a more consistent and familiar user experience by aligning the CAM interface more closely with the broader Onshape UI design language.

Generic Datron Post Processor

A new generic Datron post-processor is now available out of the box. Shops running Datron machines can get started without creating a custom post-processor from scratch.

Import/Export Improvements

GLB Format Translation

GLB format translation is now integrated into Onshape, expanding interoperability for visualization, XR, AR, and VR pipelines.

Enterprise Improvements

Improvements to the company user list for all Enterprise-level accounts (Onshape Enterprise, Onshape Government, Education Enterprise) help admins more efficiently manage large user bases and cohort rosters.

Please take a moment to try out these new features and improvements, and leave your comments in the Onshape 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. Mobile app interface updates are available via the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and are released in the days following the update.