Improvements to Onshape, May 15, 2026

mlaflecheCAD

This release introduces new user interface enhancements and workflows across the board to help make your daily work more efficient, plus an illuminating new explicit Light experience for Render Studio Advanced users.

CAD

MATE CONNECTORS REFERENCING A MATE CONNECTOR

Onshape has introduced the ability for Mate Connectors to directly reference other Mate Connectors, enhancing design intelligence and robustness. This capability works in both Part Studios and Assemblies. This can make it easier to access deeply nested Mate Connectors at the assembly level and provide more convenient references for mates.

https://onshape.wistia.com/medias/1w425ny9ep

TYPE FILTER FOR MODEL-BASED DEFINITION INSPECTION TABLE

The MBD inspection table now includes a type filter, making it easier to sort and review inspection data by annotation type.

https://onshape.wistia.com/medias/dvpux9hocd

AI ADVISOR MARKDOWN RENDERING

AI Advisor now properly renders markdown code blocks, improving readability of code snippets and technical responses.

https://onshape.wistia.com/medias/sribx9gg5o

DRAWINGS

HATCH HALOS FOR ANNOTATIONS

Halos now appear around the border of annotations that cross over, or reside overtop of hatched areas on a drawing, so they are not obscured by the hatch pattern. This makes drawings with complex hatch patterns easier to detail, and more readable.

https://onshape.wistia.com/medias/fu5mxt2lhg

PCB STUDIO

HOLE FILTERING SUPPORT

PCB Studio now supports hole filtering, allowing you to more precisely control which holes are included in your board layout.

https://onshape.wistia.com/medias/op2ke9qdr0

CAM STUDIO

SETUP DIALOG REDESIGN

The CAM Setup operation has been converted to a native Onshape-style feature dialog, improving consistency and usability across the platform.

https://onshape.wistia.com/medias/zd1sqyosmt

RENDER STUDIO

EXPLICIT LIGHTS

Render Studio Advanced now supports explicit lights, giving you direct control over light placement, type, and intensity for more precise and creative scene illumination.

https://onshape.wistia.com/medias/jk9qhud322

IMPORT / EXPORT

URDF IMPROVEMENTS

URDF export has been expanded with frames, tool center points (TCPs), cleaner joint definitions, and more consistent naming. Mesh exports now support adjustable tessellation quality for STL and GLTF, making it easier to move from CAD to simulation and control with simulator‑ready geometry.

https://onshape.wistia.com/medias/7uclbkkq8g

ENTERPRISE

ENTERPRISE ANALYTICS

Enterprise Analytics introduces a new dashboard experience.  Changes include UI improvements, particularly in filtering and navigation.  

https://onshape.wistia.com/medias/o9jh7gomyu

Please take a moment to try out these new features and improvements and leave your comments below. 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 occur via the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and happen in the days following the update.

S1mon

Creating a mate connector from another is one of those things I've wanted to do for a long time. There have been a few custom features for it, but first party support is much appreciated.

Improvements to hatched sections/annotations in drawings are nice.

Lighting in Render Studio is a big step towards making it competitive.

ry_gb

Natively referencing mate connectors is going to be huge! It's gonna make the Publish Geometry workflow just that much more efficient.

nick_papageorge_dayjob

THANK YOU for the MC-MC reference!!!

gareth_farrington

Hmm, maybe this mate connector feature will help with some of the "mid plane" like things I've wanted to do but cant.

christopher_dziuba

Oh boy! Boss is gonna like the annotation haloing let me tell you!

CADNurd

As a relative newcomer to Onshape, I have never been in a situation where I thought to myself, "Boy, I really wish I could make this Mate Connector reference another Mate Connector" and so, I didn't even know that this was a problem. I had to watch the 60 second video above at least 4 times, and then another 2 times with the video speed knocked down to 0.5x before finally getting some level of understanding.

Also, in general, why are all the videos so short? And why are they directed only at people who are familiar with these particular problems?

A better job needs to be made IMHO in selling these improvements, by giving clear demonstrations of how things were before, how they are now going to be, and how this saves time and/or improves things. At the very least, there should be a link below each video to a longer 'deep dive' video, for the majority of people who probably need/want more than just a snazzy 60 second snippet.

Derek_Van_Allen_BD

Smaller batch of tea leaves to read in this month's update, but there is another mention of the FGS solver in the errorstringenum file.

Seems to be more work being done on generative design for Onshape. I can't wait to see it in action in a future update.