All the New Features for Sheet Metal Designers and Fabricators coming in SOLIDWORKS 2025

SOLIDWORKS 2025 introduces several improvements specifically targeting sheet metal design and fabrication. Here is our list of the top features and how they can help you to streamline your design process.

#1 – Streamlined Cut List Management

One of the standout features in SOLIDWORKS 2025 is the ability to quickly copy cut list properties across multiple items. Traditionally, managing cut list properties could be a time-consuming task, often requiring manual entry for each component. With the new capability to copy properties from one item to many, we can now create new cut list properties, and copy them to all or specific cut list items. This will significantly reduce data entry time.

#2 – Enhanced Performance for Large Assemblies

SOLIDWORKS 2025 improves performance for fold, unfold and flatten operations in parts with a large amount of sheet metal bodies. Additionally, parts with large quantities of features and cuts within bends will be better optimized to reduce time spent waiting for these operations to complete.

#3 – Introduction of Bend Notches

Another significant addition is the introduction of Bend Notches, a brand new feature. These physical marks can now be applied to sheet metal bodies in the flat pattern, enabling operators to align components accurately in press brakes.

Different notch shapes such as triangular, circular, and rectangular provide the flexibility needed for different manufacturing requirements. Adjusting the size of these notches is also straightforward, ensuring that design changes can be made with ease. By default, this new feature will not be in the sheet metal command tab, so you may want to customise your tab and add it as a button.

#4 – Improved Tab and Slot Workflows

SOLIDWORKS 2025 has revamped the tab and slot functionality, offering new options to centre-align tabs and offset tabs in equal increments. We also now have the ability to skip instances with the tab and slot feature, allowing for greater placement control.

#5 – Multi-Length Edge Flanges

Creating edge flanges of varying lengths has become significantly more straightforward in SOLIDWORKS 2025. Previously, to achieve different lengths in the same edge flange command you were required to edit the flange profile for each edge.

Now, users can check a “multi-length flange” option and adjust lengths directly within the design environment.

There is also an option to automatically fully define the lengths of edge flange sketches created with the command, which will be useful for designers who like to ensure all sketches are fully defined before moving on.

#6 – Introduction of Groove Beads for Welding

For fabricators, the accurate representation of welds is vital. SOLIDWORKS 2025 introduces a new type of weld bead called the Groove Bead, designed specifically for filling gaps between solid bodies.

This feature allows users to define weld symbols on-the-fly, enhancing the precision and clarity of welding details in the design which means, combined with the existing Fillet bead command, we now have greater flexibility for adding weld detail.

#7 – Improvements in Structure Systems and weldments

In the weldment environment, complex weldment profiles will now be permitted to protrude during planar body trim operations.

Structure systems have an improved corner treatment creation process along with a new UI.

Also, users can now mirror patterned structure systems as well as pattern mirrored structure systems. Finally, trimming of members will now be possible with connection elements.

For more information on the new features coming soon in SOLIDWORKS 2025, be sure to check out the What’s New documentation.