What’s New Summary

Sheet Metal Process Group: aP Pro 2026 R1 and the latest Sheet Metal process model (CMV 340) finalize the alignment of existing Sheet Metal advice rules with the Critical, Major, and Minor severity classification system first introduced in the previous release. Updated rule categories include hole-, bend-, and hem-related rules, as well as blank and wall checks.

In addition, unclear or non-design-related advice has been removed to ensure that Sheet Metal guidance remains actionable, relevant, and design-focused.

Machining Process Groups: In this release of aP Pro, the Machining, 2-Model Machining, and Stock Machining process groups now provide severity-based manufacturability design guidance for most processes. When you use the latest manufacturing process model versions, design issues are now classified as Critical, Major, or Minor, enabling you to easily identify the most important issues to address. You can also tailor guidance to your own design standards by adjusting any issue type's severity classifications or associated thresholds.

This enhancement extends the Critical, Major, and Minor severity framework introduced in aP Pro 2025 R1 SP3, bringing the number of process groups that provide prioritized guidance to six. For more information, see the aP Pro 2025 R1 SP3 Release Notes. Upcoming releases will provide this enhanced guidance in additional process groups.

Design Guidance Spreadsheet Report: This release introduces the Design Guidance spreadsheet report, which provides a prioritized summary of the manufacturability and cost driving issues identified for the active part scenario. The new report is also available in aP Design (see the aP Design Release Notes). For details, see Design Guidance Spreadsheet Report in the aP Pro User Guide.

Updated Carbon Emissions Factors: aPriori 2026 R1 makes available updated carbon emissions data from the latest release of ecoinvent (v3.12). To use the new sustainability data, you must upgrade to the 2026-03 Regional Data Libraries and either upgrade to the latest process model versions for certain process groups or (if you do not wish to upgrade the process models) update the data in the relevant lookup tables.

See also Sustainability Updates in the 2026-03 Regional Data Libraries.

Assembly Performance Improvements: This release provides a range of geometry extraction performance enhancements for aP Pro and CAD file handling improvements for Pro in the cloud, resulting in faster costing, more efficient file handling, and a smoother experience for users working with complex assemblies.

CAD Connection STEP File Bulk Costing Improvement: Previously, the child scenarios of a single-file assembly became CAD disassociated if the user performed deep costing on the assembly in an on-premise installation. Now, CAD associations are preserved as expected.

Improved Secondary Machining Determination: The latest casting process models better determine when cast parts require secondary machining. Previously, aPriori assigned machining operations to create holes with countersinks or rounded edges even when casting alone would be sufficient.

Design Guidance: In this release of aP Pro, the Machining, 2-Model Machining, and Stock Machining process groups now provide severity-based manufacturability design guidance for most processes. When you use the latest manufacturing process model versions, design issues are now classified as Critical, Major, or Minor, enabling you to easily identify the most important issues to address. You can also tailor guidance to your own design standards by adjusting any issue type's severity classifications or associated thresholds.

This enhancement extends the Critical, Major, and Minor severity framework introduced in aP Pro 2025 R1 SP3, bringing to six the number process groups that provide prioritized guidance. For more information, see the aP Pro 2025 R1 SP3 Release Notes. Upcoming releases will provide this enhanced guidance in additional process groups.

Design Guidance: aP Pro 2026 R1 and the latest Sheet Metal process model (CMV 340) finalize the alignment of existing Sheet Metal advice rules with the Critical, Major, and Minor severity classification system first introduced in the previous release. Updated rule categories include hole-, bend-, and hem-related rules, as well as wall and blank checks.

In addition, unclear or non-design-related advice has been removed to ensure that Sheet Metal DFM guidance remains actionable, relevant, and design-focused.

Copying Recently Used Settings: This release resolves an issue that prevented users from copying recently used settings from a virtual part to another part (virtual or CAD based).

The 2026-03 Regional Data Libraries (RDLs) contain updates to labor rates, overhead rates, and material rates. They also contain updated data on electricity and material carbon emissions factors. aPriori leverages this data from version 3.12 of ecoinvent, a comprehensive global database for Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) data.

Note that updated carbon factors for materials used by Surface Treatment processes, as well as carbon factors for consumables, are included in lookup tables in the latest aP Pro release. See Sustainability Insights Enhancements.

De-Support of MySQL 8.0: aPriori 2025 R1 SP3 was the last release of aPriori to support use of the MySQL 8.0 database version. This release of aPriori requires MySQL 8.4 instead.