CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive
May 20, 2008
Product News
Siemens PLM Software Launches Solid Edge Synchronous Technology
Siemens PLM Software, a business unit of the Siemens Industry Automation Division and a leading global provider of product lifecycle management (PLM) software and services, today announced the introduction of Solid Edge® software with synchronous technology, the first version of Solid Edge to incorporate Siemens PLM Software’s new breakthrough history-free, feature-based design technology for digital product development announced last month.
Siemens PLM Software made the announcement in conjunction with its annual industry analyst event that begins today in Boston.
Solid Edge with synchronous technology is a core component of the Velocity Series™ portfolio and combines the speed and flexibility of direct modeling with the precise control of dimension-driven design, providing a fast, flexible design experience.
“I have not seen anything as exciting and innovative as Solid Edge with synchronous technology since the introduction of parametric modeling in the late 80s. Solid Edge has crafted a dramatic breakthrough by combining direct modeling, parametric modeling and a new user interface,” said Ray Kurland, president, Technicom. “Siemens PLM Software has re-thought how users can more easily model in 3D. Users should love the ease of building and editing models – all without any need to pre-plan how models might be used in the future. Solid Edge's competitors will be scrambling for years to catch up."
“Solid Edge with synchronous technology streamlines communication with our suppliers,” said Cory Goulden, CAD administrator, National Steel Car. “Its new editing tools allow us to edit a supplier’s 3D data directly, which significantly reduces 2D drawing documentation time. Solid Edge with synchronous technology also makes editing parts easy. This eliminates the time and effort previously spent deciphering the feature tree of traditionally created parts. Modifications can be made without having to be concerned over repercussions of pre-existing constraints.”
Fast, flexible design speeds innovation
Solid Edge with synchronous technology includes new key features that speed innovation, including an interactive design paradigm, faster editing tools, native multi-CAD features and 2D/3D workflow integration.
- Create in a new interactive design environment: A new interaction paradigm speeds innovation by enabling users to develop 3D models without any pre-planning. With direct “Grab and Go” tools, users create models with virtually no commands and iterate design scenarios regardless of how the model was constructed. A history-free, feature-based modeling approach captures features in a collection, avoiding time consuming ordered regeneration when changes are made. By eliminating the need to pre-plan designs users can see up to a 100 times faster design experience.
- Edit faster: New tools increase the speed and flexibility of design changes. Users 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, while “Procedural Features” allow parameter-based edits to features such as holes and patterns. A new “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.
- Edit multi-CAD data as native: All tools in Solid Edge can be used on imported CAD data in the same manner as native models, maintaining critical geometric conditions during modification. Users can edit geometry by direct selection or use automatic element selection, where functional features such as bosses, ribs or cutouts are automatically recognized. For parameterized control, 3D driving dimensions can be added to imported models and even linked to spreadsheets to better leverage engineering knowledge. By editing supplier data as easily as native models, users can make changes faster than their supplier.
- Leverage 3D power with 2D simplicity: Familiar 2D workflows within the 3D user interaction paradigm 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.
“I’ve been in the CAD industry for over 20 years and I’ve seen the birth of 2D CAD, 3D wireframe and parametric systems; not since Solid Edge V1 has a technology grabbed my attention like this synchronous technology,” said Allan Blackwell, managing director, Cutting Edge Solutions Ltd. (www.CuttingEdge.co.uk).
“The new synchronous technology now embedded in Solid Edge is the biggest technology to hit the CAD industry in the last 20 years,” said Bill McClure, vice president of Velocity Series product development, Siemens PLM Software. “It makes Solid Edge the most complete feature-based 2D/3D CAD tool, combining the speed and flexibility of explicit modeling with parameterized design.”
Availability
Solid Edge with synchronous technology is scheduled to ship this summer. For more information, visit www.siemens.com/solidedge. For additional updates on the Velocity Series portfolio, see related release issued today.
About Siemens PLM Software
Siemens PLM Software, a business unit of the Siemens Industry Automation Division, is a leading global provider of product lifecycle management (PLM) software and services with 5.5 million licensed seats and 51,000 customers worldwide. Headquartered in Plano, Texas, Siemens PLM Software’s open enterprise solutions enable a world where organizations and their partners collaborate through Global Innovation Networks to deliver world-class products and services. For more information on Siemens PLM Software products and services, visit www.siemens.com/plm.
About the Siemens Industry Automation Division
The Siemens Industry Automation Division (Nuremberg), a division of the Siemens Industry Sector, is a worldwide leader in the fields of automation systems, low-voltage switchgear and industrial software. Its portfolio ranges from standard products for the manufacturing and process industry to solutions for whole industries and systems that encompass the automation of entire automobile production facilities and chemical plants. As a leading software supplier, Industry Automation optimizes the entire value added chain of manufacturers–from product design and development to production, sales and a wide range of maintenance services.
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