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September Converge Newsletter

Newsletter / September 14, 2026

The Converge Brief — September 2026
CONVERGE Issue No. 09 · September 2026

The Converge Brief

CAD· Cloud· AI for Manufacturing
00

From the Team

Last month we introduced you to the AI — Aura and Leo, the virtual companions now living inside 3DEXPERIENCE. This month the question turns inward: is your business actually ready for it?

That's not rhetorical. AI only pays off when the data underneath it is organized, governed, and reachable. So our September centerpiece is a candid, practitioner-led webinar on how we actually use 3DEXPERIENCE day to day — the real workflows, and the honest lessons — paired with a straight-talk look at what "AI-ready" really means for an engineering business.

It's also last call on Q3 pricing. The EpiGrid H2 offer — first month free, MCAS Lite included — steps up to heavier Q4 savings on October 1, so if hosted, governed data is anywhere on your roadmap, this is the cheapest month to start. Dig in — and as always, hit reply if any of it sparks a conversation.

Chad Garrish, Converge

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This Month's Promotion

EpiGrid H2 Offer — First Month Free + MCAS Lite included
Last call on Q3 pricing · the only certified SOLIDWORKS hosting · offer ends Sept 30
SOLIDWORKS PDM Hosted
50% Off Config

Completely hosted, completely managed PDM Standard or Professional. Take 50% off the implementation of that vault. Clean, governed data that's also a head start on AI readiness.

Q3 pricing · Ends Sept 30, 2026
SOLIDWORKS Cloud Services Uplift
$324

Want to take advantage of Aura and Leo, the AI virtual companions in SOLIDWORKS? You need a license with Cloud Services. Upgrade your license today for only $324.

Q3 pricing · Ends Sept 30, 2026

On SOLIDWORKS subscription? Renew 2–3 years for 5–8% off, or move desktop seats to the cloud.

Coming in Q4 · EpiGrid
Privately Hosted AI and LLM Infrastructure

If you're concerned about data privacy and security using public frontier models like ChatGPT and Claude, consider hosting your choice of LLM in our private hosted environment. 100% data security and all the horsepower of your chosen LLM.

02

Webinars & Events

Upcoming · September 16, 10:30 AM EST

3DEXPERIENCE in the Real World: Honest Lessons from the Field

No sales pitch — a candid, practitioner-led look at how Converge actually uses the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, and how your team might too. Real workflows, data management in practice, collaboration, and the honest lessons learned along the way. Live demo with Q&A.

Presenters: [Confirm presenter], Converge
Register for the Webinar
Last month · Looking back

August 19 — Meet Aura & Leo: A Deep Dive into the Virtual Companions Inside 3DEXPERIENCE

What each virtual companion does, how they work under the hood, and how engineering teams can put them to work for smarter, faster design workflows — with a live demo of Aura and Leo inside 3DEXPERIENCE.

Watch the replay
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On the Blog

Recently on the blog — August

W1

SOLIDWORKS 2026 SP3 Is Live. Here's Why It's the One We Recommend.

SOLIDWORKS 2026 · SP3 · Release Guidance
W2

Is SOLIDWORKS PDM Even Worth It in 2026?

PDM · 3DEXPERIENCE / ENOVIA · Data Governance
AI Leadership

Solve the AI jigsaw — start with the edges.

Everyone's asking whether their business is AI-ready. The honest answer starts with your data. New models and platforms — Aura and Leo included — arrive faster than teams can absorb them, so we treat AI like a jigsaw puzzle: begin with the edges. Control your systems, your data, and your processes, and the center falls into place. We build systems, not gimmicks.

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Organize

A single, governed view of the information that matters — systems, CAD/PDM data, and the people who own them.

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Distill

Turn raw documents, models, and history into a searchable, context-aware knowledge engine.

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Integrate

Connect that knowledge into the tools engineers already use — automating handoffs and unlocking measurable time savings.

"Not sure where your business stands? Start with an AI Readiness Assessment — we'll map the puzzle and find you ROI with these new and scary tools."

Book a Free 30-Minute AI Workshop
05

Welcome Aboard

Welcome, NASA Ames Research Center

We're thrilled to welcome NASA Ames Research Center to the Converge family. When NASA Ames needed secure, scalable CAD infrastructure for mission-critical design work, they turned to Converge — and we stood up SOLIDWORKS Cloud so their engineering teams get anywhere-access to their design tools without the overhead of on-prem hardware. Proof that even NASA trusts Converge to keep innovation moving at the speed of space.

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Quote of the Month

The question isn't whether AI can help your business. The question is whether your business is ready to let it.
Kathleen Wilson · AI Readiness
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Employee Spotlight

Brad Hassell

Brad Hassell

Director of Operations and Systems · Converge

Brad keeps the machinery of Converge running — refining our quoting systems, workflows, and product SKU architecture so the backend scales as cleanly as the software we sell. He's also our SOLIDWORKS Electrical expert, the person who gets the call when a wiring schematic or circuit question comes up. Off the clock, he applies the same precision to customizing and rewiring motorcycles.

"Working on bikes is like troubleshooting a business system — except I get to wear more grease."