Zea Knowledge Base

April 15, 2025

Features:

Parts

Auto-Generated BOM for STEP File: Added the ability to generate a BOM for a STEP file from a simple Master Parts List.

Added setting to modify the header text highlight color in themes.

Improved search results in the BOM.

Improved Regex tools.

3D Models

Measurements: It is now possible to measure distance, center distance, and angle between surfaces or edges, and the radius of a surface or edge. Measurements are not saved and will be lost once the browser tab is closed or refreshed.

Cutting Planes: Added the ability to apply a cutting plane to geometry and translate it to reveal underlying parts and subassemblies. Cutting Planes are not saved and will be lost once the browser tab is closed or refreshed.

Model Tree Naming: The model tree now shows both Reference Name and Instance Name when they differ, with both names displayed separately in the side panel. This also applies to Illustrations.

Removed support for DXF file format.

Some parts in the model tree would incorrectly display a ‘remove’ button despite those parts not being removable.

Desktop

Configuration Metadata : If a configuration has metadata different from the base, it will now be displayed correctly. This fix also helps mapping service Information for parts linked to Model Configurations.

Bug Fixes:

3D Models

Fixed an error that occurred when undoing ‘Reset Changes’.

Parts

Some assemblies would fail to display an SBOM if is was generated from a Parts List.

Fixed an issue where very long numbers were displaying in scientific notation when importing spreadsheets.

Fixed an issue where a page would not update after adding a new part link without a refresh.

Fixed an error that occurred when trying to add the same part link twice on the same page.

In some cases, SBOM nodes would not be shown if they did not contain sellable children, but this caused cases where a user would not see a node that they were looking for. Now all SBOM nodes are shown, and we ask manufacturers to remove nodes from the SBOM if they do not wish their customers to see them.

The text in Parts for non-sellable/servicable parts has been changed from “Not for sale” to “Not Sold Separately", as these parts are part of the inital product purchase.

Desktop

Fixed crash that occurred when processing certain parts with edge materials.

March 18, 2025

New Features/Enhancements:

Parts

Non-discoverable parts: Added a new ‘non-discoverable’ field to SBOM and Master Parts List imports, allowing parts to be hidden from search results.

⁠

Bidirectional SBOM imports: SBOM imports are now bidirectional, meaning that child service parts can be added and removed from parent assemblies during import.

Illustrations

Organization-level activation: Illustrations are now activated at the organization level instead of per-seat subscriptions. Contact

sales@zea.live⁠

for activation.

Removed the limited Editor (Trial) role.

View interpolation: Added a view interpolation option to toggle between incremental and non-incremental illustrations.

Incremental is for story-driven illustrations where each view builds on the previous one.

Non-incremental is for technical illustrations where views are independent, such as wiring diagrams.

Added a settings option in the File menu for view interpolation and publishing preferences.

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Desktop

Files no longer deleted: Files deleted from local storage are no longer removed from Zea when syncing. Instead, missing files are flagged with a red ‘Not found’ label.

⁠

Hidden parts are now processed and remain hidden rather than being skipped.

The internal SDK used to process CAD data has been migrated to the Datakit SDK.

This now provides support for additional file formats, including smg, smgGeom, vda and qif.

Bug Fixes:

Parts

Fixed a layout issue where the search bar was hidden when scrolling in a BOM.

Illustrations

Fixed a theming issue where published illustrations did not apply themes.

Fixed an issue where parts would rotate 360 degrees when animating between views.

Fixed a minor issue where the loading spinner in version history was incorrectly scaled.

Fixed a bug where illustrations with multiple copies of the same model could become corrupt and display the Path Mapper upon loading.

Improved edge rendering over part surfaces. Previously, edges could have small gaps along their length.

⁠

3D Models

Fixed an issue where the 3D viewport appeared empty until the camera was moved.

Desktop

Fixed a login/logout issue preventing users from switching accounts in Zea Sync.

February 10, 2025

Bug Fixes:

Parts

Fixed layout bug when an assembly BOM loaded causing an empty gap in the page until a resize occurred.

Illustrations

Fixed regression causing rectangular selection to not work in illustrations.

Fixed bug causing hidden objects to not unhide when activating views after re-loading the scene.

January 24, 2025

New Features/Enhancements:

Zea Parts

Custom Pages: Design custom catalog pages with text, images, links, and CSS styling via the theme editor.

Automatically Generated Part Pages: Part-specific pages with interactive 3D models, BOMs, and attachments are generated automatically when syncing parts via Zea Sync.

Improved Catalog Navigation: Easily find parts through a dedicated search page, links in custom pages, or by navigating BOMs.

Where Used: "Where used" links on part pages are auto-generated for parts synced via SBOM spreadsheets.

Bug Fixes:

Platform

Improved overall stability and performance.

Improved layout and navigation

Security was tightened around access to some parts of the platform.

December 20, 2024

Notes:

The Zea Platform API was experiencing heavy traffic from some unknown sources causing outages. To block portentially unwanted access to the API, we changed a single endpoint. This change was intended to break scheduled processing that was running on machines that needed maintenance. The solution is to update those machines with the latest version of Zea Sync.

New Features/Enhancements:

Zea Parts

Attachments Display: Attachments are temporarily disabled untill the next release.

Desktop

Scheduled Processing: Scheduled processing is temporarily disabled.

Breaking Change: A minor bug breaking change was made to the API to force users to upgrade older versions of Zea Sync.

November 24, 2024

New Features/Enhancements:

Zea Parts

Improved SBOM Flexibility: You can now sync SBOMs with custom structures, including Kits, without having to follow the CAD hierarchy.

Kit Display: SBOMs for Kits now display the kit parts automatically.

Desktop

Windows Shortcuts: Zea Sync now scans local folders with shortcuts to other folders on Windows.

Networked Paths: Syncing from networked paths (e.g., //other-pc/shared-folders/folder) has also been added.

Illustrations

Enhanced Viewer Interactions: Viewers can now select parts in the Illustrations Editor to view metadata and temporarily transform, hide, or show parts. Changes revert after refreshing the browser. Published illustrations maintain the previous functionality where parts cannot be selected.

Real-Time Collaboration (Beta) Removed: This feature has been removed to better focus on future improvements.

Bug Fixes:

Parts

Peformance and Freedback: Improved performance and feedback when syncing spreadsheets in older workspaces.

Illustrations

Group pivot: Enable picking the Group pivot in the TreeView. Previously this was only possible in the viewport and often the preferred pivot is not directly visible.

Admin Editors: Enable Admin users to edit illustrations, even if they don't have 'editor' right.

Framing on a Group: The Viewport can now be framed on a selected Group.

Group Edits: fixed bug causing incorrect translation after moving an item within a kinematic group.

3D Models

Reference Resolution: Fixed bug where assemblies would not be able to load sub-parts or assemblies if the relative path started with a “../”

July 24, 2024

New Features/Enhancements:

Desktop

Junction Support: Zea Sync can now scan local folders with directory junctions on Windows, allowing it to pick up files from linked directories.

Platform

Enhanced Deletion Process: Users must delete all Organizations before deleting their account. Likewise, users must delete all Workspaces and cancel all subscriptions before deleting an Organization.

June 27, 2024

New Features/Enhancements:

Zea Parts

Streamlined Public/Private Field Workflow: Public fields in Zea Sync are now displayed in the catalog, while private fields are not. The extra step of choosing visible fields in the Zea Parts settings is removed.

⁠

Changing quantity to 0 now removes an item from the shopping cart.

Added the number of ‘Sellable’ parts to the Workspace dashboard.

Zea Illustrations

Incremental Views Animation out of Beta: Incremental views animation is now the default system for new Zea Illustration projects. This traditional animation system allows view changes to accumulate, affecting all subsequent views until another change is introduced.

‘Viewer’ role can now view read-only illustrations.

3D Models

Shortened URLs.

Desktop

Improved handling of CAD files with large amounts of metadata.

Bug Fixes:

Platform

Fixed an issue where settings became unresponsive after clicking the Upgrade button.

Fixed an issue that caused resending an invite to an organization to change a user’s role from Admin to Standard.

Addressed inconsistencies in UI resizing when the browser window is adjusted.

Enhanced the visibility of loading bars in 3D viewports.

Zea Parts

Fixed an issue where clearing and reimporting serial numbers created duplicates.

Fixed an issue where results remained in the part lists search after clearing service parts.

Resolved an issue where unpublished catalogs could be accessed via URL.

Desktop

Fixed a display issue where files appeared as ‘modified’ in Zea Sync after correctly syncing metadata filter changes.

May 29, 2024

New Features/Enhancements:

Zea Parts

Try Zea Parts for Free: Zea Parts is now available for everyone to try in every workspace. Users can explore all features to create an interactive 3D parts catalog, preview results, and request quotes. The only restriction is that catalog publishing is disabled until you purchase.

⁠

Read the documentation⁠

to learn how to set up your first parts catalog.

Preview a catalog from the ‘Publish’ tab in the Zea Parts Settings.

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Thumbnails: Thumbnails are now displayed in the shopping cart and quote emails. To set this up, go to Zea Parts Settings and generate views on the Views tab.

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Number fields: Fields containing numbers with currency symbols and commas are now correctly imported as numerical values, with the extra symbols automatically removed.

Zea Illustrations

Dope Sheet: Enhanced pasting functionality, allowing users to paste copied keyframes into multiple cells, and cut and paste single keyframes.

Desktop

Template Excel Files: Download template spreadsheets in Zea Sync for Master Parts List, Service Bill of Material (SBOM), and Serial Numbers. They can also be found in the

Zea Parts documentation⁠

⁠

ZIP files now include the version number for easier reference.

Bug Fixes:

Platform

Minor UI and usability improvements.

Zea Parts

Resolved an issue where users had to manually select a language in Admin view if the only processed language was not English.

Desktop

Resolved a problem that could cause Zea Sync to fail when processing files with many metadata fields.

Fixed the "Windows protected your PC" and "Do you want to allow this app from an unknown publisher to make changes to your device?" warnings when installing Zea Sync MSI or running Zea Sync ZIP. We've signed the files with a verified certificate to prevent these security alerts.

Fixed an issue where changing metadata filters in Zea Sync would not mark the files as ‘ready to process again’.

Minor UI and usability improvements.

May 10, 2024

Bug Fixes:

Parts

Resolved an issue causing the BOM to sometimes display duplicate parts multiple times.

3D Models

Corrected an issue that led to improper positioning of parts in certain SolidEdge assemblies.

May 7, 2024

Issue Fixed: Blank Page After Logging into Zea Sync

The issue where some users encountered a blank page after logging into Zea Sync v1.7.1 has been resolved. If you still see this issue, please download the latest version from

https://app.zea.live/download⁠

New Features/Enhancements:

Zea Parts

Numerical Fields: Users can now choose between numerical and string types for fields when syncing SBOMs and Master Parts Lists in Zea Sync. This feature allows for pricing to be displayed in published catalogs.

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Numerical fields will automatically total when items are added to the shopping cart.

Improved Navigation: Users can now frame both selected parts and the root assembly from the toolbar and the right-click context menu in published catalogs.

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Excluding Duplicate Parts: When importing a BOM as a Master Parts List, any duplicate parts are automatically excluded.

Desktop

Metadata Filter: A new filter is available in the 3D Settings of Zea Sync, allowing users to exclude certain metadata fields during CAD processing.

Expanded File Format Support: Support has been added for STL, OBJ, WRL, FBX, and GLB file formats. View the

full list⁠

Bug Fixes:

Platform

Users on Safari and iOS devices can now log into the Zea Platform and Zea Sync without issues.

Updating the profile image on Zea accounts created with a Google account now correctly reflects across the platform.

Zea Parts

Enhanced selection logic for non-sellable parts in 3D, preventing unintended parent assembly selection. Previously, if a BOM or Master Parts Lists with many missing part was synced, clicking on those parts would select the parent assembly.

The BOM panel in published catalogs can now be resized on touch devices.

Resolved an issue where resizing the BOM panel in admin view would also affect the published view, and vice versa.

Implemented minor UI improvements in the admin view.

Addressed a display issue where the quantity in the BOM showed incorrect values temporarily.

Illustrations

Fixed minor errors that occurred in the real-time collaboration beta feature when creating views and joining sessions.

Desktop

Zea Sync now prompts users to download new versions when available. The update process is as follows:

Download the new MSI or ZIP from

https://app.zea.live/download⁠

⁠

Completely close Zea Sync, including from the system tray

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Install or run the new version

Workspaces are now ordered the same on the platform and Zea Sync.

April 17, 2024

Bug Fixes:

Engine

New Features/Enhancements:

New Features/Enhancements:

Bug Fixes:

December 20, 2024

Notes:

New Features/Enhancements:

November 24, 2024

New Features/Enhancements:

Bug Fixes:

July 24, 2024

New Features/Enhancements:

June 27, 2024

New Features/Enhancements:

Bug Fixes:

May 29, 2024

New Features/Enhancements:

New Features/Enhancements:

New Features/Enhancements:

Bug Fixes:

March 15, 2024

New Features/Enhancements:

Bug Fixes:

March 14, 2024

New Features/Enhancements:

New Features/Enhancements:

Bug Fixes:

December 22, 2023

New Features/Enhancements:

New Features/Enhancements:

Bug Fixes:

November 16, 2023

New Features/Enhancements:

Bug Fixes:

November 3, 2023

New Features/Enhancements:

Bug Fixes:

October 19, 2023

New Features/Enhancements:

Bug Fixes:

September 28, 2023

New Features/Enhancements:

Bug Fixes:

September 5, 2023

Introducing Real-Time Collaboration (Beta)

Callout and Shape Materials

Want to print your doc?
This is not the way.

Try clicking the ⋯ next to your doc name or using a keyboard shortcut (

CtrlP

) instead.

Release Notes

April 15, 2025

Features:

Parts

3D Models

Desktop

Bug Fixes:

3D Models

Parts

Desktop

March 18, 2025

New Features/Enhancements:

Parts

Illustrations

Desktop

Bug Fixes:

Parts

Illustrations

3D Models

Desktop

February 10, 2025

Bug Fixes:

Parts

Illustrations

January 24, 2025

New Features/Enhancements:

Zea Parts

Bug Fixes:

Platform

December 20, 2024

Notes:

New Features/Enhancements:

Zea Parts

Desktop

November 24, 2024

New Features/Enhancements:

Zea Parts

Desktop

Illustrations

Bug Fixes:

Parts

Illustrations

3D Models

July 24, 2024

New Features/Enhancements:

Desktop

Platform

June 27, 2024

New Features/Enhancements:

Zea Parts

Zea Illustrations

3D Models

Desktop

Bug Fixes:

Platform

Zea Parts

Desktop

May 29, 2024

New Features/Enhancements:

Zea Parts

Zea Illustrations

Desktop

Bug Fixes:

Platform

Zea Parts

Desktop

May 10, 2024

Bug Fixes:

Parts

3D Models

May 7, 2024

Issue Fixed: Blank Page After Logging into Zea Sync

New Features/Enhancements:

Zea Parts

Desktop

Bug Fixes:

Platform

Zea Parts

Illustrations

Desktop