Pick of the Week June 14 2006 - Solid Edge 19

By DE Editors

           

June 14, 2006

Dear DE Reader:Adrian Scholes, director of Solid Edge marketing for UGS, stopped by toshow me some of the enhancements in Solid Edge 19 a couple of weeksago. Although he spoke of “hundreds” of enhancements, I’ve got to saythe thing that really struck me was (at the risk of going metrosexualon you here) the tone or the mood of this upgrade.Solid Edge 19 simply unfolds itself and all its capabilities in such away as to naturally enable designers, your cohorts, and your externalpartners to create, share, and manage design information. And—key forme—while you have to interact with software, it should becollaboration, not a mud-wrestle. You’re an engineer after all, not asoftware slayer, and Solid Edge 19 lets you engineer.I guess it all comes down to this: They are at it again at Solid Edge.Version 19 is another impressive upgrade. From the write-up, you’llfind links to a PDF of upgrade highlights. Or just go to the Solid Edgesite and check out the videos. But check it out, you should. Thanks, Pal.—Lockwood Solid Edge 19 Launches"Hundreds of user-requested enhancements” says spokesperson. Company also unveils NX CAM Express.New relationship types between gears and motors as well as new explodeand motion simulation capabilities are some of the enhancements inSolid Edge version 19 that UGS Corp.(Plano, TX) highlights. In asimultaneous announcement, the company also unveiled NX CAM Express, anew application that adds NC programming to the company’s VelocitySeries of PLM solutions for small and midsize manufacturers. NX CAMtightly integrates with Solid Edge 19, according to UGS. What it meansfor Solid Edge users is that they can now leverage a full range ofscalablemanufacturing solutions—product design, tool design, and NCprogramming—in parallel.Solid Edge v19 “includes hundreds of enhancements requested by oursmall and mid-size customers,” said Adrian Scholes, director of SolidEdge marketing for UGS in a briefing with DE. Further, Mr. Scholespointed out various features and capabilities that enable designers,manufacturers, and global partners to create, share, and manage designinformation.

 Solid Edge v19 offers full-motion simulation capabilities. Here,engineers can now define relationships between different motiondrivers, such as gears, pulleys, hydraulic cylinders, and motors. Next,engineers can send their suppliers and customers motion studies oftheir product/design, showing how that product/design is intended tofunction. Additionally, v19 offers dynamic documentation tools that letengineers capture, modify, and animate how parts are assembled anddisassembled.Other collaboration enhancements in Solid Edge v19 include the JTstandard file format, which enable the sharing of 3D part and assemblydesign across multiple CAD platforms and PMI (Product ManufacturingInformation) functionality. The latter enables v19 to produce3D-annotated designs that are compliant with such standards as ASMEY14.41, mean that Solid Edge models can now serve as single digitalrepresentation containing all product data.   Solid Edge’s sheet-metal design capabilities offer such new features ascorner stiffeners, cross breaks, and hems. Other features in Solid Edge19 include bend tables, enhanced workflow for AutoCAD data, and WYSIWYGimport of DXF/DWG files that includes matching color schemes, fonts,styles, and backgrounds. Also, with the introduction of v19, Solid Edgeis available in a 64-bit edition to speed the creation of massiveassemblies and associated drawings.In its simultaneous announcement of NX CAM Express, UGS explains thatthe software will be available in “CAD-neutral packages” as well as anintegrated component within the company’s NX and Solid Edge designenvironments. The latter includes integration with the company’s CAEofferings, higher-level CAM facilities, and Teamcenter PLM systems. NXCAM Express will be available in five modules, with capabilitiesranging from 2.5-axis machining to mold and die to five-axis machinesOperationally, NX CAM Express, says UGS, can help users maximize theiruse of advanced machines through its built-in guidance on bestpractices and pre-configured programming environments thatautomatically set the system to the user’s machining area of interest.New users can take advantage of tutorials that are provided with thesoftware, walking users through typical tasks and reducing the need foroff-the-job training.Each NX CAM Express package, says UGS, comes with toolpathverification, a post-processor build and edit application, CADtranslators, programming automation tools, and a machining parametersdatabase. The software automatically selects key machining parametersfrom the database according to the machining operation, such asroughing or finishing, and the stock material, the tool dimensions, andthe targeted machine tool. Additionally, the database addresses themajority of materials machined in mold and die work.NX CAM Express will be available for delivery shortly. For more, click here.For more information on Solid Edge V19, click here. To download a UGS-produced PDF of v19 highlights, click here.  Click here to access a variety of online demos on specific Solid Edge functionality.