New in Designcenter Solid Edge 2026: Value-Based Licensing Enhancements
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With the launch of Designcenter Solid Edge 2026, we’re publishing a series of blogs to spotlight the release’s most exciting new features and enhancements. In this post, we’ll explore the latest updates with Value-Based Licensing.
Unlock the tools you need, exactly when you need them: Solid Edge Value-Based Licensing
Value-Based Licensing (VBL) is a flexible, token-based way to access Solid Edge add-ons on demand. Instead of buying every module up front, your team uses tokens to “turn on” the capabilities you need, when you need them—and turn them off when you’re done. It’s simple, scalable, and designed to match the way modern engineering teams actually work.
Why users love VBL
Fixed licenses can leave powerful tools sitting on the shelf. VBL flips that equation. Tokens flow to the highest-value work in the moment, so you can route a system today, validate a design tomorrow, and explore new ideas next week—without new purchase cycles. The result: less waste, faster decisions, and a bigger impact from the software you already own.
How tokens power your day-to-day workflows
Think of tokens as a shared pool for your team. When someone opens an add-on, the required tokens are checked out; when they’re done, tokens go back to the pool for the next task. This shared model keeps your organization agile—no juggling seat counts, no bottlenecks, and no waiting for IT to reshuffle licenses.
Designed for real workflows
VBL meets you where the work happens. A manufacturing engineer can make late-stage geometry tweaks to improve machinability. A designer can run early simulations to de-risk a concept before handoff. An electrical engineer can validate harness routes inside the mechanical assembly. A field team can reference point clouds during an on-site review. With VBL, the right tool is always within reach.
Faster reviews, fewer reworks
When stakeholders can see, measure, and validate designs in the tools they use every day, feedback loops shrink. VBL helps teams move from “we’ll check that later” to “let’s verify it now,” smoothing handoffs across disciplines and reducing costly revisions downstream.
Budget clarity without compromise
VBL aligns spend with usage. You unlock premium capabilities when they deliver value—and you aren’t locked into paying for them when they don’t. That means cleaner budgets, better adoption, and more freedom to try advanced tools that previously felt out of reach.
Exciting new add-ons for VBL in Designcenter Solid Edge 2026
Within Value-Based Licensing (VBL), these Designcenter Solid Edge 2026 add-ons expand design automation, documentation and manufacturing efficiency across the product lifecycle. Design Configurator Standard accelerates custom product creation by capturing engineering rules and parameters, automatically generating 3D models, drawings and bills of materials to streamline quoting and ensure consistent and accurate designs.
Model-Based Definition (MBD) replaces traditional 2D drawings with annotated 3D models that embed dimensions and manufacturing data directly into the design, simplifying communication and reducing errors.
Designcenter Solid Edge Inspector automates quality control documentation by identifying key dimensions and tolerances, generating ballooned drawings and inspection reports. The advanced version offers CMM data integration and enhanced reporting for complex workflows.
DSTV Export ensures seamless fabrication by outputting steel and frame parts in the industry-standard DSTV format for compatibility with CNC machines such as saws, drills and cutters while batch export options further boost efficiency.
Automatic Drawings minimizes manual work by generating 2D drawings from component files through a guided and customizable workflow, allowing engineers to create accurate drawings in less time and with fewer errors. Together, these add-ons empower users to automate repetitive tasks, improve design accuracy and connect engineering to manufacturing within a flexible usage-based licensing model.
These and many other new features in Designcenter Solid Edge 2026 were unveiled during our live premiere on October 22.
For a deeper look at what’s new in Designcenter Solid Edge 2026, click here.
Join the conversation
There are a lot of ways to hear what others are saying about the upcoming release and to connect with other Solid Edge enthusiasts online.
Here are a few ways to join the conversation right now:
- Watch the Designcenter Solid Edge 2026 launch event, streamed live on October 22.
- Keep up with #SolidEdge on Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn
- Join our online Solid Edge Community to connect with other Solid Edge users
