Nearly a year after its introduction, Siemens PLM Software hasreleased a sequel to its SolidEdge software with Synchronous Technology, extending the history-free,feature-based modeling capability deeper into the product with improved partand assembly modeling in addition to intelligent sheet metal design.

Part of Siemens' VelocitySeries of software aimed at SMB companies, Solid Edge with SynchronousTechnology 2 also includes a new, built-in finite element analysis (FEA) tool alongwith enhancements to the embedded Insight design data management platform.Synchronous Technology, a hybridmodeling technique also featured in Siemens' NX 3-D CAD platform, combinesthe speed and flexibility of a direct modeling approach with the precisecontrol and automation of traditional parametric or dimension-driven designplatforms.

This new release illustrates Siemens' commitment to applySynchronous Technology to all components in its MCAD series over time. "We're now in the process of building out andincorporating Synchronous Technology to the point that this is becoming amature version for parts and assemblies," says Bruce Boes, vice presidentfor Siemens Velocity Series. "As a result, many more customers will move toSynchronous Technology as a primary means of operation." Siemens plans toincorporate Synchronous Technology as a mode of operation in all the other modulesof Solid Edge over time in subsequent releases, he adds.

The application of Synchronous Technology to sheet metaldesign will have a wide impact on the Solid Edge customer base, Boes says.Nearly 60 percent of Solid Edge users employ sheet metal as part of their productdevelopment process, and with Synchronous Technology they can create modelswith less pre-planning, make changes more readily and reuse and edit supplierdata more effectively, Boes says. Synchronous Technology delivers theflexibility of working with a feature collection, not a history tree, inaddition to live rules and the ability to import sheet metal parts from otherCAD systems with some intelligence - not just as dumb geometry. "With SynchronousTechnology, if you import a sheet metal design, the system understands it assheet metal parts," Boes says. "We go a lot further in incorporating elementspeople have built in without having to bring in the overhead of a historytree."

As applied to parts and assemblies, Solid Edge with SynchronousTechnology 2 extends the modeling architecture for complex feature creation andadvanced sketch editing tools, the goal being to reduce overall design time.The software improves 2-D to 3-D data migration and also supports LiveSections, which let users edit 2-D cross sections cut through any part of a 3-Dmodel, updating the 3-D model in real time.

Solid Edge Simulation is a new optional FEA tool embedded inthe main CAD system that is based on theFemapfinite element modeling and NXNastran solver technology. This module enables engineers to perform simulationsfor stress and buckling on assemblies whereas the earlier versions could onlybe used for simulating individual parts. The last main feature of the newrelease is enhancements to the built-in Insight data management tool, includingleveraging the latest Microsoft SharePoint platform for improved collaboration,faster release workflows and enhanced security capabilities.

Solid Edge with Synchronous Technology 2 is slated to shipthis summer.

Siemens Showcases Solid Edge With Synchronous Technology 2 A