Photo credits: Laser cutting at our client Ferrier (39), a specialist in fine sheet metal work, Stéphane Couchet ©

Shorter lead times, smaller production runs, more complex geometries, and a shortage of technical talent: mechanical workshops are facing an unprecedented accumulation of pressures. In this context, CAD and CAM software are no longer merely design or programming tools. They have become central to the operational performance of industrial companies.

But the sheer number of digital innovations makes it difficult to prioritize. AI, digital twins, additive manufacturing, integrated ERP—where to start… and why? To help clarify things, we spoke with the experts at TOPSOLID. Benoît Lallier, a specialist in CAD/CAM environments, and Alexis Jacquillard, an ERP integration expert, share their take on the major trends for 2026—all without beating around the bush, using concrete examples.

Automation: Say Goodbye to Manual Programming

The first major trend is the automation of repetitive tasks, both in design and machining. AI in the strict sense isn’t yet being used for CAM (with the timeline for the most advanced machining functions being around 2027–2028), but structured and pragmatic automation, available today.

On the CAD front: building on what we’ve already achieved

How much time do we waste redesigning components that we’ve modeled dozens of times? Benoît Lallier identifies this as one of the first levers to activate: the libraries of parameterized components. “If I have a catalog of cylinders from a supplier like Festo and, as a design firm, I need to use them regularly, rather than redesigning the cylinder each time, I add it to my library. Or I import the 3D file directly from the supplier’s website.”

>>>> See also – From the Design Office to the Workshop: How Can We Break Down Silos to Improve Production?

TopSolid also includes smart components that automate the CAD operations related to their placement. “When you place a screw to assemble two parts, it automatically creates the drill hole in the first part and the tapped hole in the second. On a full project, this saves dozens of minutes.”

To take things a step further, you can save generic workflows and operational scripts that can be reapplied to new geometry with just a few clicks, or develop custom automations using TopSolid’s APIs—for companies willing to invest a little time in development.

CAM: From the Tool Library to Boost Milling

The same principle of capitalization applies to machining. The cutting tool libraries centralize the parameters for each tool, whether you build your own database or import them directly from suppliers (Kennametal, Sandvik, Fraisa, etc.) via the ISO 13399 standard. “Some customers assign a dedicated person to create these libraries. The effort is made up front, and then the entire shop benefits from it.”

Once these foundations are in place, the benefits accelerate. A CNC program can be automatically reapplied to new geometry: If the part changes, the machining path is recalculated without starting from scratch, using associative mode. You can also duplicate an entire machining sequence from one part to another that is very similar. “It’s really just copy and paste. All you have to do is copy the relevant faces.”

Among the still underutilized strategies, Benoît Lallier cites Boost Milling (trochoidal machining). “It’s like going from a BMW to a Formula 1 car. You can save up to 70% of roughing time compared to a standard strategy. The main obstacle is often a lack of knowledge: customers who aren’t familiar with the technology don’t buy the right cutting tools. Those who give it a try never go back.”

Automated Manufacturing Files round out the picture. Instead of relying on verbal communication between the programmer and the operator, TopSolid automatically generates a structured document that includes processing times per operation, tool references, tolerances, and 2D drawings. “The operator arrives with a detailed list. Every time he turns a page, he knows exactly what to do. It’s very instructive.”

An Often-Overlooked Issue: The Transfer of Know-How

When an FAO expert retires, their years of experience go with them—unless they have been documented in libraries and recorded procedures.

That’s exactly what TopSolid makes possible. “New employees can reuse what their colleagues have developed, without having to become super-experts themselves.”

>>>>See also – Training Tomorrow’s Technicians Using Today’s Tools

From Silo to Digital Thread: CAD/CAM/ERP Integration as a Competitive Advantage

This is the most transformative trend of 2026—and one of the most underrated. In many workshops, CAD, CAM, and ERP still operate as three parallel systems that don’t really communicate with one another. The consequences are well known, but are often accepted as inevitable.

The Pain of Compartmentalization

Alexis Jacquillard sums it up clearly: “The ERP is the nerve center of a company. That’s where everything flows through. When you have independent databases that don’t use the same reference framework, you don’t know if a reference in one system corresponds to the same reference in the other. We may all be talking, but we’re not speaking the same language.”

Visible costs (re-entry, file conversions, duplicates) are just the tip of the iceberg. Silent errors are often more serious: a discrepancy between the design department’s model and what is actually manufactured, material requirements calculated based on an obsolete bill of materials, or information lost when transferring data from one system to another.

In large organizations, the role of “data manager” is emerging to ensure the consistency of databases. This is a real problem, and it comes at a cost.

What Integration Actually Changes

When the supply chain is based on a single data model, the benefits are measurable within the first few weeks. “Take the case of a manufacturer of specialized machinery. The sales representative takes an order, and the draftsman designs the machine. The production planning department doesn’t have to re-enter everything—it benefits directly from the draftsman’s work. From the design department to the production planning department, we easily save 50% of the time. And there are no data entry errors.”

The connection between FAO and ERP opens up a particularly powerful angle of analysis: the comparison between theoretical time and actual time. The machining time calculated by the CAM system serves as the baseline. Once production begins, the ERP system records the actual time logged by the operator. “If the CAM system consistently estimates three minutes but we’re systematically taking four, we need to figure out why. That shows us where there’s waste in the production process that we could address.”

The integration now covers the entire TOPSOLID ecosystem: CAD, TopSolid’Cam (machining), TopSolid’Cut (sheet metal fabrication), ShopFloor (shop floor management), PartCosting, and Inspection. These modules are natively connected to the ERP system: ShopFloor transmits purchase requirements to the ERP system, which then issues purchase orders and reports the quantities received.

Next step: a stronger integration with Inspection, allowing users to open TopSolid’Inspection directly from the ERP system and scan their drawings; the dimensions to be measured will then be automatically imported into the ERP system.

The “best-of-breed” argument: a direct response

Some industry leaders argue that putting together the best specialized components on the market is superior to an integrated suite. Alexis Jacquillard responds bluntly: “Sure, they can choose the best tools on the market. But they won’t be as well integrated as what we’re doing today. The integration is robust because it’s an internal standard, not a custom development. When customers request updates, we incorporate them, and everyone benefits. With a best-of-breed approach, it’s often a costly custom solution that will need to be refinanced with every new request.”

Added to this is a fundamental argument that current hiring challenges make more relevant than ever: “In the past, executives would say to themselves, ‘It’s no big deal—I’ll just hire someone to re-enter the data.’ Today, hiring at every level is difficult. These interconnections are simply tools that make the process easier. We’ve reached the point where it’s hard to understand why a system isn’t automated.”

Change management: the real obstacle

The main barrier to adopting an integrated system is not technical. It is human. “Changing ERP systems is like changing the way a company is managed. It’s natural to be afraid of that. But an ERP system has a lifespan of between 7 and 10 years. The real question is what we stand to lose by sticking with an outdated system.”

TOPSOLID supports this transition with training, workshops, and skills transfer, with timeframes ranging from three months for a direct production launch to six months for full migrations. These periods also often provide an opportunity to revamping data and processes: “We’re taking advantage of this change to get everything in order. Clients are realizing that their database needed a major cleanup.”

>>>See also See also – Producing Quickly and Well: Industrial SMEs Face the Challenge of Customer Deadlines

Digital Twins and Simulation: From Buzzword to On-the-Shop-Floor Reality

The term “digital twin” has become so overused that it deserves to be grounded in reality. In a machine shop, a digital twin is, above all, a faithful 3D representation of the machine tool, its immediate surroundings, and the parts being machined on it, with sufficient accuracy to ensure that the remote simulation is reliable.

Benoît Lallier explains: “The goal is to have a virtual 3D model of your machine tool so you can perform the most realistic simulation possible. That way, when I’m programming from my desk—without being at the machine—I can already know what the machine is going to do.”

Integrated simulation makes it possible to verify in advance that there are no collisions, to determine the precise cycle times used for costing and sales, to analyze material flows for a given production run, and to balance workloads across machines before the parts go into production. “At some point, the customer thinks to himself: ‘Hey, instead of running this part through the small machine, it would be better to use the one next to it.’ It seems obvious, but in a just-in-time system, it’s not always that simple.”

There are two concrete benefits. In the workshop, the focus time plummets: The operator arrives with a manufacturing specification that lists exactly which tools are to be assembled, along with their dimensions and settings. Outside the workshop, the machine can continue to produce while the programmer prepares the next program—background programming.

Simulation also protects equipment. We’re talking about machines worth hundreds of thousands of euros, cutting tools whose breakage results in immediate costs, and parts made of expensive materials that would end up as scrap in the event of an error. “The goal is to avoid breaking anything. We can quickly detect whether a path will cause a collision before the actual machine is even touched.”

The Post-Processor as the Cornerstone

It is this feature that converts the simulated paths into machine code recognized by the CNC system, without the need for manual corrections. “This is a capability TOPSOLID has honed over more than 40 years. The idea is to deliver a turnkey solution: the customer clicks ‘Send Code’ and doesn’t have to do anything else.”

Additive Manufacturing, 5-Axis Machining, and Hybrid Processes

5-axis machining is becoming more widespread, and with it, the complexity of production runs and strategies. Hybrid machines, capable of alternating between additive and subtractive manufacturing, open up possibilities for geometries that were previously unattainable, while reducing the number of workpiece setups.

These developments do not call into question the previous principles: having a CAD/CAM solution capable of managing these advanced processes without any breaks in the digital chain remain essential for effective implementation. A 5-axis route generated in a tool that is not integrated with the ERP system does not allow you to leverage actual data or fine-tune the associated costs.

TOPSOLID has also integrated robotics in its environment, treating the robot like a conventional machine tool. “We didn’t want to make a distinction,” explains Benoît Lallier. “A customer who programs parts on their machining centers should be able to switch to the robot without having to relearn anything. Aside from the specific configuration settings related to the rotational axes, the logic is the same.”

Collaboration and Skill Development: People Remain at the Center

All of the trends mentioned above have one thing in common: they only achieve their full potential if the teams using them are trained, supported, and able to collectively build on their practices.

So the issue isn’t just about choosing the right tools, but about choosing a software provider capable of providing long-term support: during initial deployment, when upgrading to new versions, and whenever a new business need arises. Furthermore, the new generations of technicians trained on TopSolid represent a tangible asset for companies looking to hire. “The same logic applies everywhere. When they join a company, there’s no learning curve.”

How can we turn these trends into a competitive advantage?

The point isn’t to chase after every innovation at once. It’s to clarify its own challenges (timelines, quality, flexibility, cost control) and map out its current digital chain. Where are the gaps? Where are we losing time, information, and profit margins?

The levers often become apparent on their own: CAD/CAM integration if programming is a bottleneck; connection to the ERP system if re-entering data and variances between theoretical and actual costs are costly; and simulation if fine-tuning on the shop floor takes a long time and scrap is frequent. In each of these cases, The effectiveness of these tools depends directly on the consistency of the digital chain that connects them.

That is precisely where the strength of an integrated suite like TOPSOLID lies: not in being the best component in each segment, but in having all the components work together seamlessly within a common reference framework.

Would you like to assess which automation or integration solutions are best suited for your workshop? Contact our teams for a detailed discussion about your specific situation.

Photo credit: MSK (51), a metalwork specialist that designs and manufactures custom staircases, gates, and glass canopies, Stéphane Couchet ©

Excel remains the preferred management tool in many industrial SMEs. Versatile and familiar to everyone, it seems to meet all needs. However, behind this apparent simplicity lie major risks to competitiveness and compliance. Between data entry errors, multiple versions, and a lack of real-time traceability, spreadsheets are showing their limitations when it comes to meeting today’s market demands. It’s time to explore alternatives tailored to the realities of SMEs.

Excel: The Indispensable Swiss Army Knife for Industrial SMEs

Used in most industrial small and medium-sized enterprises, Excel is mastered by all generations of shop floor supervisors and operators. It is recognized for its remarkable versatility, as it allows users to manage quotes, calculate costs, plan machine utilization, track production orders (POs), analyze overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), and even create dashboards. All of this can be done without any additional investment, since the tool is included in the Office suite, which is often purchased for all administrative and sales tasks.

When Flexibility Becomes a Trap

However, despite its widespread use at all levels of the workshop (from operators to managers), Excel also has its limitations. Among the challenges frequently encountered are broken formulas, broken links between files, and data accidentally overwritten—and this list is by no means exhaustive. Add to this the proliferation of versions, which can cause conflicts in document management and, by extension, in the production chain.

The consequences are numerous and costly:

• time spent on manual consolidation and cross-checks,
• decisions based on outdated data,
• the growing complexity of the process for welcoming newcomers, who struggle to navigate the multitude of files and data recorded in an increasingly fragile system.

Audits and Traceability: When Excel Puts Your Certifications at Risk

While Excel has been widely adopted and has proven its worth on the shop floor, it also appears to have reached the end of its useful life and is no longer suited to the industry’s requirements. Traceability standards are indeed becoming increasingly stringent, yet it remains impossible to guarantee data integrity with Excel.

One thing leading to another, customer relations are also compromised due to longer response times when complaints are filed.

The result: companies risk losing their certifications, being excluded from bids, and facing contractual penalties. It’s a tricky combination with serious financial repercussions.

>>> See also – Industrial Traceability: How Can You Improve the Quality of Your Products and Processes?

Technical and Financial Risks of Excel

Aside from potential data entry errors, the data entered into Excel actually comes from design and manufacturing systems: CAD drawings, bills of materials, and production work orders. This manual re-entry breaks the digital continuity and creates a dangerous gap between design and production.

In this scenario, it is possible that the design department might make a change to dimensions or materials that is not reflected in the workshop’s Excel files. This discrepancy would result in production being launched based on outdated information and lead to nonconformities, whereas TopSolid automatically updates bills of materials and work instructions.

Similarly, specifying a new material requires a manual recalculation of machining times and costs. In Excel, simply omitting a single cell can cause the quote to be truncated. However, with TopSolid, the recalculation is automatic thanks to the material libraries.

Migrating Without Turning Everything Upside Down: A Gradual and Controlled Transition

Given these findings, the temptation to maintain the status quo remains strong. Transitioning to a new system is daunting: it requires a significant investment, faces resistance to change, and carries the risk of disrupting production during the transition… However, a methodical and gradual approach makes it possible to ensure a successful digital transformation without disrupting the workshop’s operations.

The first step is to identify the critical processes that need to be secured as a priority. Work orders, bills of materials, and production schedules are generally the top three priorities. Once these foundational data sets are reliably stored in a centralized system, they eliminate a large portion of the risks mentioned earlier. Rather than undertaking a radical digitization effort, it is therefore better to start with a limited scope (a pilot workshop, a production line) and then expand gradually.

When it comes to choosing a tool, small and medium-sized businesses often assume they need a complex and expensive ERP system to take the plunge. However, digital continuity solutions such as CAD, CAM, PDM, and ERP—like TopSolid—offer a logical alternative: they secure and automate data updates throughout the entire data lifecycle. This eliminates the need to re-enter information from CAD models into Excel.

The benefits become apparent quickly: a drastic reduction in data entry errors, the time spent searching for information cut by two or three, and renewed confidence in shared data.

However, change management remains crucial. Teams need to be trained, involved in setting up the new tools, and see their initial successes recognized in order to better embrace this change.

Finally, such a change is not intended to eliminate Excel from the landscape. Rather, it is about restoring Excel to its proper role: that of a tool for ad hoc analysis and simulation, rather than a mission-critical management system.

>>> See also – CFAO: 3 Reasons Not to Neglect Customer Service and Training When Choosing a Solution

From Theory to Practice: A Successful Transformation in 6 Months

Several success stories illustrate how such a transition can be successfully managed. Generally speaking, the starting point is the same: dozens of Excel files deemed critical, several hours spent each day manually consolidating data, and recurring errors despite procedures that are considered well-designed.

The turning point came during a major client audit, when it proved impossible to quickly retrieve the complete history of a defective batch because the data was scattered across several spreadsheets… whose versions were unclear.

Management then initiates a structured process, which involves mapping information flows, identifying truly sensitive data, and analyzing available solutions. This is where TopSolid stands out, with its ability to natively integrate CAD, CAM, and document management into a unified environment. The strength of this approach lies in restoring digital continuity from design to production.

What about the migration? It’s a gradual process: first the engineering department, then the teams in charge of the processes, and finally the shop floor operators.

Results are visible as early as 6 months after the solution is deployed.

• No more version errors in the drawings, as every change is tracked and approved in the system.
• The traceability of work orders is now comprehensive, from launch to delivery.
• Response times to customer requests are significantly reduced thanks to the centralization and accessibility of information.
• The next audit is streamlined thanks to optimal document management.

Beyond the numerical metrics and the commercial and financial impacts, it is the cultural transformation that stands out. Teams are more open to collaboration thanks to a single, reliable database. In addition, skill development is accelerated and valued through operators’ direct access to 3D models and up-to-date product lines. The challenge is no longer to search for the right information but to leverage the full wealth of available data with just a few clicks to get the most out of it.

As data becomes increasingly strategic in the industry, securing it is no longer an option but a necessity for remaining competitive. The question is no longer whether to move beyond Excel, but when and how to do so intelligently. Industrial SMEs that take the plunge with a tailored solution like TopSolid quickly discover that they do not lose flexibility. On the contrary, they gain in reliability, peace of mind, and competitiveness.