Romans CAD 2026 – V16: Redefining Digital Excellence in Footwear and Leather Goods.
An interview with the Stratégies team
What was the main industry challenge Stratégies wanted to address with Romans CAD 2026 - V16?
Development cycles are becoming shorter while expectations for quality, consistency and data management continue to rise, particularly with the emergence of AI. Brands need to create more product variations, faster and at lower cost, while ensuring reliable data flows between systems and maintaining control over proprietary information.
With RCS 2026-V16, our aim was to help teams increase speed without compromising technical accuracy, while providing a secure, proprietary database that AI can use safely and compliantly.
Which new feature in 2026-V16 will have the biggest impact for footwear developers and pattern engineers?
The developments in 2026-V16 come directly from challenges identified by our clients. Key improvements include:
- A new parametric menu to accelerate CAD revisions and automation, particularly in 2D pattern-making;
- Direct modification of components, tools and press knife distribution;
- A simplified Parts/Materials tab for faster material and colour assignment;
- Improved tracking of CAD entity dependencies;
- Native Adobe Illustrator import;
- A faster, more precise 3D Last module;
- Enhanced management of padding and dependent style lines in 3D;
- A new UI/UX system for identifying quality zones.
The release also establishes the foundation for future developments, including AI integration and PostgreSQL compatibility.
What role does data management play in reducing errors and shortening time-to-market?
Our Product Data Management (PDM) system is the backbone of the process. As it is natively integrated with CAD, technical data follows every revision automatically. Bills of materials, parts lists and technical reports are generated and updated without manual intervention.
This eliminates repeated data entry across different software platforms, applications and Excel files, improving accuracy and reducing errors.
Through our API, the client’s PDM can also connect directly with PLM and ERP systems, automatically updating specifications and creating a more reliable workflow across the entire product development process.
Because the PDM contains each client’s proprietary data, it also provides a secure and compliant foundation for AI applications while protecting intellectual property.
What advantages does the new RCS Bag 3D–2D module offer leather goods manufacturers?
Leather goods require specialised construction capabilities that general CAD systems often lack. Many existing solutions require a finished 2D pattern before creating a 3D volume, meaning time can be wasted if a design is rejected.
RCS Bag 3D-2D reverses this process by allowing designers to create and validate a bag’s 3D volume before generating the pattern. Once approved, the flattening process is created automatically.
This enables teams to focus pattern-making resources only on validated designs, improving efficiency in leather goods development.
How will digital product development evolve in footwear and leather goods?
Four key trends will shape the future of digital product development.
First, AI depends on data quality. Generative tools require structured, reliable and traceable product data, meaning PDM is evolving from simple file management into the foundation for AI-driven development.
Second, regulation is becoming a product requirement. Technologies such as the Digital Product Passport require software capable of tracing material provenance and generating documentation natively.
Third, IP protection is becoming increasingly important. As brands face growing risks from unauthorised use and high-quality replicas, embedding provenance and traceability into 3D assets will become a key differentiator. We have been working with the French Research Institute (CNRS) for several years to develop advanced encryption models.
Finally, interoperability will be essential. The greatest value from digital product development will come from seamless communication between CAD, PLM, ERP and other business systems, connecting design, production and commercial processes.
