New Versions of NX, Solid Edge, and Velocity Products Launched at Siemens PLM Software Analyst Event

By DE Editors

Siemens PLM Software (Plano, TX) made a number of announcements at its annual analyst event in Boston earlier this week. Chief among them is the latest version of its digital product development software, NX 6.   Version 6, says the company, takes advantage of the company’s recently announced synchronous technology.

The big benefit for NX users comes with new flexibility termed “Design Freedom” that is powered by synchronous technology to leverage the ease of direct editing in the model creation process. As described by Siemens PLM, Design Freedom combines the best of constraint-driven techniques with direct modeling in a technology that provides users with up to a 100 times faster design experience than ever before.

Other benefits include the ability of NX 6 to handle extremely complex problems through comprehensive CAD/CAM/CAE,  providing a 30 percent reduction in physical prototypes; a unified process that enables collaboration for 20 percent faster cycle times through process efficiency improvements such as feature-based machining; and greater productivity via re-use enhancements that can improve cycle times by 40 percent.

NX 6 is said to expand the capabilities of Design Freedom with the new synchronous technology application layer. As an example, there are new approaches to creating and editing geometry. A new “active selection” technique adds intelligence to designs when needed. These advanced selection methods automatically recognize logical and feature relationships even on non-native data.

In addition to Design Freedom, NX 6 includes enhancements to its role-based user interface introduced in NX 5. The NX 6 user interface adds full-screen mode for maximum graphics and customizable on-screen pop ups to speed interaction. The result is a system that casual users can leverage along with the most experienced CAD users. Users can place favorite commands right under the mouse and can use all available screen space for graphics to help simplify complex design work.

In addition to enabling direct modeling and better collaboration, NX 6 includes a complete suite of robust multi-disciplinary simulation solutions, provides greater coordination by integrating CAD/CAM/CAE disciplines across a product’s lifecycle, provides new features to increase product re-use for reduced design time, and supports a new workflow called “scrapbook modeling” that allows users to cut, copy,  and paste sections of a model to increase geometry re-use.

Solid Edge

Solid Edge now incorporates synchronous technology as well, lending it history-free,  feature-based design technology. Solid Edge with synchronous technology is a core component of the Velocity Series portfolio and is said to combine the speed and flexibility of direct modeling with the precise control of dimension-driven design, providing a fast, flexible design experience.

Key features of the new version of Solid Edge provide new interaction capabilities that enable users to develop 3D models without any pre-planning with direct “Grab and Go” tools. A history-free, feature-based modeling approach captures features in a collection, avoiding time-consuming ordered regeneration when changes are made. Users can add 3D driving dimensions and relationships to any part of a completed model. Operations that come later in the design cycle can drive the size and position of geometry already created: “Live Rules” automatically recognize and maintain strong geometric conditions;  “Procedural Features” allow parameter-based edits to features such as holes and patterns; and “Synchronous Solve” simultaneously manages all of these concepts, eliminating model regeneration during changes so users can perform engineering change orders (ECOs) in seconds instead of hours.

Multi-CAD data can be edited as native and familiar 2D workflows within the 3D environment enable users to become experts quickly. Users edit parts or assemblies quickly and easily by selecting a model and “stretching”  it into position like they did in 2D. Additionally, the user interface was designed leveraging the power of the new Microsoft Office 2007 platform, where users are only presented with the most common operations during element selection.

Teamcenter

The latest release of Teamcenter Express cPDM, the preconfigured collaborative product data management (cPDM) component of the Velocity Series, was also introduced at the analyst event. Version 4 features improved collaboration and control for project managers, lead engineers, and shop floor users.

Two new modules are designed to help SMBs streamline their engineering resources and widen access to their product data. The first is an embedded project and program management option for project managers. The second is a lower cost web client for shop floor users that delivers the same fast access to product data that industry analysts calculate saves designers and engineers 10 to 12 percent of their time.

“Two-and-a-half years ago we were the first to introduce a complete PLM portfolio for the mid-market,” said Tony Affuso, chairman and CEO, Siemens PLM Software. “We are extremely proud of its track record and market adoption. Today the portfolio provides one of the highest growth rates in our product line. The commitment to a PLM portfolio that provides SMBs faster deployment, efficient distribution, and low total cost of ownership has been critical to our success.”

For more information on these releases, visit Siemens PLM Software.