Editor’s Pick: Initial 2D sketching without constraints 

Siemens Digital Industries Software announced a new solution for capturing design concepts in 2D. A significant update to NX Sketch uses artificial intelligence to eliminate the need for defining parameters and constraints before sketching. 

Siemens says changing the underlying technology of 2D sketching allows users to sketch without pre-defining parameters, design intent and relationships. The AI technology infers relationships on the fly, offering significant flexibility in concept design sketching. 

Siemens says this new technology makes it easier to work with imported data, and allows rapid design iteration even if there are thousands of curves in the imported sketch. 

“The ability to make intelligence changes to 2D entities that one imports into the new sketcher is astounding,” says Steve Samuel, CEO of Design Visionaries, an engineering services bureau. 

Research cited by Siemens says that on an average day, 10% of a typical CAD user’s day is spent sketching. Much of this sketching now occurs outside the company’s primary 3D CAD product, due to the level of rules and relationships that must be decided on and built into the sketch upfront. Siemens notes that many concept stage designers do not know what the final product may be, which is one more reason for a flexible sketching tool.

“Sketching hasn’t changed much in 40 years,” says Bob Haubrock, senior vice president of product engineering software at Siemens Digital Industries Software. “Using technologies and innovations from multiple past acquisitions, Siemens is able to take a fresh look at this crucial design step and modernize it in a way that will help our customers achieve significant gains in productivity and innovation.” 

The new NX Sketch tool is now shipping with the current version of NX. 

For more information on the NX Sketch tool click here.

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website. 

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