CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive
18 April 2005
Product News
UGS Launches Update of Solid Edge "Evolve to 3D" Program
UGS announced a major update to its simple four-step program for manufacturers using 2D design systems to evolve to 3D design and its inherently higher levels of productivity. The Evolve to 3D program leverages new functionality built into Version 17 of Solid Edge® software, UGS' value-based 3D computer-aided design (CAD) system for the mainstream PLM market. UGS expects the new release to begin shipping this month.
"With the continuous demand for broader and deeper product lines, many companies have seen an expansion in product complexity that they can no longer deal with in 2D alone," said Bruce Boes vice president of business strategy and marketing for Solid Edge. "Couple this with the competitive issues created by the global economy and the emergence of both China and Eastern Europe onto the world stage and 2D simply is no longer sufficient to get the job done in a timely cost effective manner. At the same time advances in Solid Edge now allow users to mix and match 2D and 3D techniques in a hybrid 2D/3D design environment, continuing to use their efficient 2D layout processes, while making the move to 3D for complete digital mockup. The results based on customer case studies are clear; engineering change orders slashed by 50 percent or more, productivity increases of up to 50 percent and time to market shortened by months or even years."
Evolve to 3D is Solid Edge's simple four-step process for moving from 2D design to complete 3D digital mock-up with a minimum of disruption, allowing users to get their job done today while moving to 3D at their own pace.
Step 1-Protect investment in 2D designs by converting them to Solid Edge with efficient translation wizards and use the exceptional Solid Edge 2D drafting capabilities to get your job done today while learning new techniques.
Step 2 - Quickly turn simple 2D geometry into intelligent, real 3D parts by using the Solid Edge 2D to 3D migration wizard.
Step 3-Apply the power of the Solid Edge hybrid 2D/3D design workflow. Establish product structure before committing to geometry. Create assembly layouts for new designs, using familiar 2D concepts, adding 3D as you progress. Harness Solid Edge's associative power, by driving 3D part configurations directly from 2D layouts. Solid Edge provides a true hybrid 2D/3D workflow that puts users firmly in control of the process that makes the most sense for their business.
Step 4 - Move to full 3D digital mock-up when ready and make use of the workflows learned and the data created to move to the productive world of solid modeling.
Solid Edge Version 17, announced last month, enhanced the Evolve to 3D strategy with many new feature additions at virtually every step.
Just a few of the enhancements to Solid Edge designed to help 2D users transition to 3D include:
• Improved translation of 2D imported data to now included details such as tiling, layers, line types, colors and weights.
• A new AutoDesk Inventor® direct translator and an ability to edit Inventor (or any other imported 3D) files directly in Solid Edge without the need for features or constraints.
• A new "Apprentice Mode" to help familiarize new users with Solid Edge by explaining commands and key concepts in detail while helping them to navigate the system with ease.
• A new command finder to cross reference commands from other systems with Solid Edge commands helping trained CAD users to transition to Solid Edge quickly.
• Building on Solid Edge's existing hybrid 2D/3D design capability Version 17 now allows the representation of existing 3D model for use in 2D machine layout while retaining associativity to the original model for publishing to 3D when layout is complete.
• New Simplified Assemblies allow the creation of even larger assemblies by optimizing display and drawing performance without limiting access to detail design data.
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