Ilan and I are back from Houston, Texas, after an exciting few days at 3DEXPERIENCE World 2025, and there was no shortage of thought-provoking discussions. This year’s theme—“Explore the AI-Powered Generative Economy”—focused on how AI is driving automation, efficiency and smarter decision-making across product development and manufacturing.

Beyond the incredible sessions and keynotes, one of the best parts of the event was reconnecting with our friends, colleagues, and customers. These conversations—whether about AI-driven design, system integration, or the future of business process management—reinforced just how fast the industry is evolving and how critical collaboration is in navigating these changes.

One of the biggest takeaways? AI isn’t just hype—it’s actively changing the way engineers, manufacturers and business leaders work.

AI in SOLIDWORKS: Smarter, Faster Design Workflows

Dassault Systèmes introduced new AI-powered capabilities in SOLIDWORKS 2025 designed to streamline repetitive tasks, enhance automation, and accelerate product development. Among the most exciting updates:

• Aura: SOLIDWORKS’ AI-powered co-pilot, Aura, is expected to be available in July 2025. Unveiled by SOLIDWORKS CEO Manish Kumar during the event, Aura is part of Dassault’s 3D Univ+rses initiatives to embed generative AI technologies into the program. It’s expected to function like a conversational chatbot that will securely deliver personalized responses for users.
• Design Assistant: AI-driven automation tools like Mate Helper, Smart Mate, and Selection Helper anticipate user actions, making assembly creation faster and more intuitive.
• Command Predictor: Based on previous workflows, this tool suggests the next command before you even search for it, improving efficiency.
• AI-Powered Sketching & Model Refinement: SOLIDWORKS can now auto-adjust sketches and optimize dimensions to improve manufacturability.

 

For companies leveraging SOLIDWORKS for product design, these enhancements offer significant time savings and reduce manual work, allowing teams to focus on innovation instead of repetitive tasks.

xLM Solutions: Leading Conversations on System Integration

While AI was a major focus, seamless data integration remains a critical challenge for many businesses. Ilan and I had the opportunity to lead discussions on how companies can connect their design and manufacturing processes more efficiently using the 3DEXPERIENCE platform.

Connecting Design & Manufacturing – 3DEXPERIENCE & EnterpriseIQ ERP System

During my session on Monday, I introduced xLM’s SOLIDWORKS PDM to DELMIAWorks Integration Tool, which helps manufacturers automate Bill of Manufacturing creation and ensure design data flows seamlessly to the shop floor.

• Automate BOM transfers between SOLIDWORKS and DELMIAWorks.
• Push PDFs and eDrawings into ERP systems.
• Eliminate manual data entry and improve visibility.

This tool solves a major pain point for manufacturers by ensuring that engineering and production teams stay aligned without time-consuming manual updates.

Streamlining System Integration for Seamless Data Flow

On Wednesday, Ilan led a deep dive into the Enterprise Integration Framework (EIF) and its role in connecting 3DEXPERIENCE with external enterprise systems like ERP and MES.

• Extract and sync data across multiple platforms.
• Improve cross-functional visibility between engineering and operations teams.
• Automate workflows to reduce manual intervention and errors.

For companies struggling with disconnected systems and inefficient data handoffs, this session reinforced how the right integration strategy can eliminate silos and drive efficiency.

Interested in learning more about this topic? I highly recommend checking out our related blog post.

Business Process Management (BPM) in 3DEXPERIENCE

In addition to hosting two sessions of our own, we sat in on many and appreciated the opportunity to learn from this community of experts. One of our favorite sessions was “Elevating Product Quality with Business Process Management,” led by WW ENOVIA Industry Process Expert, Sr. Manager, Quality & Sustainability from Dassault Systèmes.

This session focused on leveraging Business Process Management (BPM) tools within the 3DEXPERIENCE platform to enhance product quality. Attendees learned how to implement quality processes aligned with industry standards like APQP and PPAP, integrating past quality events to inform continuous improvement.

For xLM Solutions and our clients, understanding and utilizing these BPM capabilities is crucial. They enable the automation of workflows, enhance process visibility, and ensure compliance with quality standards, leading to improved operational efficiency and product excellence. To explore how BPM can transform your business processes, we invite you to read our detailed blog post.

Additionally, you can watch our comprehensive demonstration on designing workflows using the Business Process Designer role.

Final Takeaways: AI & Integration Are Reshaping 3DEXPERIENCE

3DEXPERIENCE World 2025 reinforced that the future of product development isn’t just about AI—it’s about smarter, more connected systems. AI-powered tools in SOLIDWORKS are making design work faster and easier, while enterprise integration solutions are helping companies connect the dots between engineering, production and business systems.

At xLM Solutions, we’re committed to helping businesses harness these advancements to drive efficiency, collaboration, and innovation. Whether it’s automating workflows, integrating systems, or optimizing processes, we continue to deliver tailored solutions that make a real impact. If you’re planning a PLM project

Looking forward to seeing where these innovations take us—and to reconnecting at 3DEXPERIENCE World 2026! In the meantime, if you’re planning a PLM project, xLM Solutions can help you integrate, customize, and optimize your 3DEXPERIENCE platform for maximum efficiency. Get in touch with our team today to discuss your needs and find the right solution for your business.