Configurations | What's New in Onshape - January 2, 2018

In Onshape, you can now quickly build multiple variations of your parts using parameter-driven configurations. Other CAD systems require all configuration options to be represented in a single table with entries for each conceivable permutation, which in some cases can lead to hundreds or thousands of rows in that single table.
As configurations get more complex with more options, that table grows exponentially – making it virtually impossible to understand, troubleshoot or manage.

Onshape’s approach focuses on making it manageable for users to build and use the sophisticated configurations that modern designers often need. To do this, Onshape lets you build complex families of parts by creating separate small tables for each set of independent configuration options. This dramatically reduces the number of required table rows and cells. No more monster tables. For example, in file-based CAD, a simple bracket with 5 lengths, 5 heights and 5 hole patterns would result in an enormous 375-cell table to manage in a clumsily embedded Excel spreadsheet. In Onshape, this same configuration results in 3 tables of only 5 cells each and is edited with a native intuitive user experience.