New Cloud Capabilities Revealed in Siemens PLM Software’s Solid Edge ST9

Announced at Siemens PLM Connection in Orlando May 17, the latest release of Siemens’ Solid Edge software (Solid Edge ST9) for computer-aided design (CAD) is scheduled to ship this summer.

It will provide flexible access to Solid Edge with cloud-based licensing, user preferences and collaboration tools. In addition, the company says the new built-in data management capabilities will enable users to easily index their CAD models, while the new migration tools will enable rapid conversion of legacy design data from virtually any CAD system. For more comprehensive data management capabilities, Solid Edge ST9 is designed to facilitate an upgrade path to Siemens’ Teamcenter portfolio digital lifecycle management software. Solid Edge ST9 will also offer enhanced integration with Teamcenter to help simplify completion of critical data management tasks.

Because licenses and user preferences can be stored on the cloud, users can access their personal environment anytime and anywhere. Solid Edge ST9 also adds data storage options via cloud-enabled vaulting so users can store and share design data in a controlled manner with external suppliers and customers, using software like Dropbox, OneDrive software, Google Drive online storage service and Box. The option to work locally, i.e. offline, is always available.

“Solid Edge stays up when your internet is down,” said Dan Staples, VP, Mainstream Engineering at Siemens PLM Software during a press event. “Your files remain local.”

New built-in data management capabilities enable users to take control of ever increasing volumes of CAD data, with instant searches for files and properties, as well as impact analysis, according to the company. There is no database software to install or database tables to maintain. The new design manager utility provides for fast and simple revision and release management, significantly improved data organization and consistency, and faster completion of everyday data management tasks.

“The big nut we cracked here is that no IT is required,” said Staples regarding Solid Edge ST 9’s built-in data management capabilities.

The enhanced Teamcenter integration includes a new ribbon bar for consolidated access to data management tasks and a new embedded window for Active Workspace. The ribbon bar helps designers quickly perform where-used searches and initiate Teamcenter workflows; view and edit properties information; and see how the data is synchronized. Siemens says this will help speed up the learning curve for new users and help existing users complete these tasks faster and more consistently. Active Workspace, a visual and personalized environment for accessing information, will provide designers with the ability to perform simple text based “filter” type searches to find the data they need, and then drag parts into Solid Edge for editing, or place them into an assembly.

New migration tools build on the existing toolset for importing CAD data. For example, the associativity between SOLIDWORKS software models and drawings can now be migrated to Solid Edge, according to the company. With this feature, Siemens PLM Software has made it easier for potential customers to migrate from SOLIDWORKS to Solid Edge. Additionally, a Solid Edge 2D to AutoCAD software export tool ensures seamless mapping of Solid Edge drafting elements to AutoCAD. Solid Edge ST9 also provides access to the 2D designs created in Siemens’ newly announced Catchbook software, to create 3D models and professional engineering drawings from sketches.

“It is amazing, Catchbook’s ability to take a squiggly line and make it accurate,” said Staples, “then take it into Solid Edge to make it 3D.”

Solid Edge ST9 also provides a Solid Print preview that allows users to visualize a 3D printed part and place it on a virtual print bed to produce it, or send it out to a 3D printer service provider.

For more information please visit the Solid Edge ST9 site.

Sources: Press briefing at Siemens PLM World and materials received from the company.