08:07
Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division has introduced two significant software releases that together address the full span of the manufacturing workflow — from complex 3D design through to verified, production-ready CNC programs.
Geomagic Freeform 2026.1 — Organic Design Made Accessible
The first release of Geomagic Freeform makes advanced 3D design tools for complex, organic and sculptural forms more accessible than ever, with the introduction of subscription pricing reducing the entry cost by 66% compared to a perpetual licence.
Widely used across medical devices, orthotics and prosthetics, and mould and die design, Geomagic Freeform empowers designers to create intricate handcrafted-style forms that conventional CAD systems struggle to accommodate. The 2026.1 release builds on this with several productivity-focused enhancements.
The new Deform Selection tool allows designers to move, rotate or scale a selected region of a model while surrounding areas deform smoothly — reducing tasks that previously took 10 to 20 minutes to a matter of seconds. Python scripting, built on the existing Dynabot automation, further accelerates repetitive workflows. As one example, a fully automated Python workflow can reduce mould design time.
Hardware options have also expanded, with Geomagic Freeform now supporting the Haply Robotics Inverse3 and ultra-portable MinVerse haptic devices. Healthcare users benefit from extended DICOM support, including the RTSTRUCT format.
EDGECAM 2026 — Faster, Smarter Collaboration
Where Geomagic Freeform accelerates the design stage, the latest EDGECAM release targets the programming and production interface — addressing the growing pressure on CNC programmers to verify complex toolpaths quickly and communicate machining strategies clearly to shop-floor operators.
The headline improvement is simulation performance. EDGECAM now stores snapshots at each tool change during simulation, enabling rewind times to drop from around 30 seconds to close to one second on complex jobs — a 30-fold improvement that allows programmers to review long sequences without interrupting their workflow.
Communication between programming and production teams is also significantly enhanced. Full 3D machine simulations can now be recorded and embedded directly into Live Job Reports, allowing operators to review machining processes interactively in a browser — without requiring an EDGECAM licence. They can zoom, rotate, adjust playback speed and scrub through the timeline before pressing cycle start, providing valuable clarity on multi-axis setups, large fixtures and safety-critical operations.
Machining performance improvements accompany these verification advances, including lens tool support in the Parallel Lace cycle, smoother roll-in movements in Face Milling, improved holder-aware collision avoidance in Rest Roughing and expanded Race Line controls for selective finishing — all contributing to better surface quality and fewer manual adjustments at setup.
The release also introduces Hexagon Copilot for EDGECAM, bringing natural-language assistance into the CAM environment to help programmers locate functions, ask questions and access guidance without leaving the workflow.
Zoltan Tomoga, Product Manager at Hexagon’s Production Software Division, said: “For most shops, the value comes when technology helps them work faster without changing how they already operate. Copilot is designed to help programmers get more out of EDGECAM by making the system easier to navigate and easier to learn.”
Together, Geomagic Freeform 2026.1 and the latest EDGECAM release represent a coherent step forward across the manufacturing process — from the earliest stages of organic design through to production-ready NC code delivered with greater speed, confidence and shop-floor visibility.
