What’s New in CATIA Composer R2026

Hanen Bdioui

27 August 2025 3 mins to read

Introduction to CATIA Composer

CATIA Composer is a software tool that allows you to create technical content directly from 3D CAD models. You don’t need to be a CAD expert to generate high-quality visuals. Composer is commonly used for:

Technical illustrations – creating clear diagrams for manuals, guides, or instructions.
3D animations – showing how products are assembled, operated, or maintained.
Interactive 3D experiences – allowing users to explore products in 3D by rotating, zooming, or interacting with components.

Composer works directly with CAD data, so you can quickly produce visuals without rebuilding designs. It is widely used in engineering, manufacturing, technical documentation, training, and marketing, helping teams communicate complex product information clearly and efficiently.

What’s New in CATIA Composer R2026

The release of CATIA Composer R2026 introduces a series of enhancements designed to optimize workflows, improve compatibility, and expand functionality for technical documentation, product visualization, and interactive 3D content creation. This version focuses on providing users with tools that simplify complex tasks and ensure smoother integration with CAD data.

Quick Highlights

Updated Kernel: Version 20251.0.0 for better CAD compatibility and stability.
New Filename Templates: %collectionname%, %collectionindex%, and %viewindex% for automatic, organized file naming.
PNG & TIFF Support: Use these formats in textures, imports, and viewport backgrounds.
More Video Options: Animation frames in BMP, PNG, JPEG, and TIFF for faster, high-quality video creation.
Improved Workflow: Automatic numbering and file naming, plus smoother handling of large assemblies.

Updated ACIS and CATIA V5 Kernel

The kernel is upgraded to version 20251.0.0, as shown in the license properties page.

Why it matters:

Works better with the latest CAD files.
Reduces errors when importing complex models.
Provides new features for smoother workflows.

New Filename Templates in Workshops

Two new template options, %collectionname% and %collectionindex%, are now available in the Technical Illustration and High Resolution workshops. The %viewindex% keyword automatically numbers new views.

Why it matters:

Keeps file names organized automatically.
Reduces mistakes and manual renaming.
Makes exporting multiple views or high-resolution images easier.

PNG and TIFF Image Support

Composer now supports PNG and TIFF image files:

In the Texture Workshop
Imported as textures
As viewport backgrounds

Why it matters:

Provides more image options.
Supports higher-quality visuals and transparency (PNG).
Makes it easier to use standard images from other sources.

Workflow Improvements

R2026 also improves daily tasks:

Automatic view numbering and file naming save time.
More image formats improve compatibility with other tools.
Kernel upgrades make handling large or complex assemblies faster and more stable.

Conclusion

CATIA Composer R2026 makes creating technical content faster, easier, and more reliable. From smarter file naming to expanded image and video support, this release helps users save time, reduce errors, and produce high-quality illustrations, animations, and interactive 3D content.

Author
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Hanen Bdioui

Sales Development Representative at ChampionXperience

Hanen Bdioui, founder of ChampionXperience, is a Sales Development Representative skilled in SimLab Soft, SOLIDWORKS, 3DEXPERIENCE, and 3DEXCITE. She helps companies and learners explore VR, AR, and PLM solutions to drive innovation.