Solid Edge

Solid Edge - central module of a packet of Velocity Series - the most full-function CAD for hybrid 2D/3D modeling using synchronous technology for acceleration of design process and making changes and also simplification of reuse of the imported geometry. Solid Edge easily copes with the growing complexity of projects of products at the expense of excellent simulars of parts and assemblies, instruments of creation of drawings, a transparent data management system and also the built-in functions of the konechnoelementny analysis.

Trial version of Solid Edge contains all basic functions of a CAD system: modeling of parts, surfaces, sheet bodies, creation of assemblies and drawings, reverse engineering, creation of photorealistic images, design of the shtampovy equipment, means for web publications and converters of data. Certainly, Solid Edge provides full access to revolutionary synchronous technology.

Solid Edge ST4

Expanded design tools of products for mechanical engineering

Solid Edge ST4 helps to reduce terms of design of products of mechanical engineering thanks to an exception of preliminary planning, fall forward of making changes without the need for updating of model and also to improvement of reuse imported 2D and 3D - data. Solid Edge ST4 integrates possibilities of synchronous and traditional modeling within the single integrated system. It allows new users to master 3D - modeling in shorter terms while experienced specialists will be able to find all necessary means for the solution of any problems of design of products for mechanical engineering.

The improved possibilities of joint work

Solid Edge ST4 is the first widespread 3D CAD in which the compact format of data of JT is applied to design of assemblies. It allows to expand possibilities of joint work in the environment of a different CAD. Use of format 3D PDF and advanced translators from third parties allows designers to interact with clients and suppliers more effectively.

Modeling of parts from sheet metal

Possibilities of modeling in the environment of Solid Edge ST4 allow to make easily the analysis and to optimize construction of products, including parts from sheet metal and also thin-walled elements. New simulars use 2D - calculation of grids of the elements created on the basis of median surfaces of parts from sheet metal and allow designers to carry out the analysis of difficult constructions to shorter terms. It allows to reduce costs for materials and production of physical prototypes.

World-class drawing environment

Drawings are the main result of work of most the companies therefore we continue to conduct work on solutions which promote reduction of time of their development. New opportunities as, for example, the improved lists of parts, control of display of the sizes, text boxes with markers and numbering, allow to reduce time of creation of drawings and to lower design costs.

Vladimir Kolar, chief designer of Linet spol company. S.r.o., Czech Republic. 'We use all opportunities of Solid Edge and came to a conclusion that our business cannot just exist without it. Many of the plastic parts created by us differ in irregular shape therefore it is effectively possible to project them only using means 3D - modeling. The parts developed through Solid Edge always ideally gather that almost completely excludes possibility of errors at a production phase. I am  the long-term user of Solid Edge and would like to note that the Siemens PLM Software company listens to opinion of customers and improves the products. It is sure, innovations in Solid Edge ST4 will render very noticeable effect on our business'.

Solid Edge ST5

In this version possibilities of synchronous technology, basic functionality of modeling and creation of drawings are expanded that allows to project more high-quality products quicker. Over 1300 improvements offered by users are implemented.

New mobile application — the browser of the Solid Edge Mobile Viewer files for iPad — expands access to design information.

Faster and flexible methods of application of synchronous technology

Solid Edge is still based on synchronous technology — revolutionary achievement of Siemens PLM Software company in the field of step-by-step modeling without creation tree. This technology — convenient means for designers and engineers who create and is edited by models, reducing designing time thanks to reuse of the imported geometry. Solid Edge ST5 uses synchronous technology for expanded support of modeling of the components consisting of several bodies that allows to import geometry of parts and assemblies practically from any CAD system. Depending on technology reasons the received imported geometry can be integrated in a uniform part or several parts.

Further simplification of processes of creation of drawing documentation

In many project and production organizations drawings are the most important end result of work. Improvements in Solid Edge continue to increase labor productivity during creation of drawings that reduces number of the errors revealed in workshop. Among innovations in Solid Edge ST5 — display of assembly in several provisions on one drawing type, automatic placement of specifications on sheets of drawings, tables of connectors and conductors for creation of a complete set of technology documentation and also simple means for alignment of dimensional lines. New extremely useful tool allows to create flat representations of bundles of an electrical wiring, drawing types of connectors and also the tables of contacts of connectors and conductors forming a complete set of technology documentation.

Analysis of stationary heat exchange

Engineers need often to analyze products in which parts work in conditions of both thermal, and mechanical loading.

And when there is an issue of quality improvement of the project solution the easy and fast way of making changes is required. In Solid Edge ST5 there was an execution unit of thermal calculations in the set (stationary) mode. Together with functionality of synchronous technology users have an opportunity for smaller time to analyze bigger number of options of construction that reduces need for production and testing of prototypes.

Mobile application of Solid Edge Mobile Viewer for iPad

Users in all divisions of the company will have now an opportunity to browse 3D models of parts and assemblies created in Solid Edge, using new free mobile application of Solid Edge Mobile Viewer for iPad. The application allows to turn, move, change the scale of models, to include and turn off display of separate parts, to create images of model and to send them by e-mail. The Solid Edge Mobile Viewer application allows the employees who are not working in design-technology service to browse design data that provides faster and convenient process of control of project solutions and also to create the presentations for customers and to carry out the general control of models.

Solid Edge ST6

The new version of the Solid Edge ST6 system is announced by Siemens PLM Software company on July 2, 2013 and contains a number of innovations and improvements in functions of the automated designing, computational modeling and ensuring joint work. Thanks to these innovations the speed of accomplishment of many tasks, in comparison with the previous version, increases up to six times. Besides, new features of Solid Edge ST6 help with studying of a system, support interaction and data exchange between users.

The improvements entered into versions of Solid Edge ST6 are directed to increase in overall performance of product development processes.

Integration with Semantic MDM

The SDI Solution company made in the fall of 2013 the report on conferences of the Siemens PLM Software company devoted the presentation of the new version of the Solid Edge ST6 CAD system. Developments on integration of the Management system of the normative reference information Semantic MDM and a CAD of technology processes of Timeline into the Solid Edge and Teamcenter Engineering (TCE) systems were presented in the report.

Data integration of software products is no other than exchange of design-technology information on a product where Solid Edge and TCE act as the supplier of design data, and the CAD of TP Timeline is a source of technology information.

The general information accumulated in TCE about a product provides interrelation of the different applied systems, raises extent of their integration and finally provides to a production management system complete data about a product and process of its production.

New tools, opportunities

In Solid Edge ST6 new features of creation of surfaces and also new opportunities of modeling of sheet bodies appeared. New instruments of computational modeling in Solid Edge automatically optimize constructions up to six times faster that allows to reduce cost value of products without decline in quality. Improvements in synchronous technology help designers to import files up to six times faster that optimizes processes of partner interaction. Besides, import of files in the SolidWorks format is executed more simply now, than earlier.

"New features in the version of Solid Edge ST6 are aimed at the solution of an essential task of our customers — reduction of terms of an output of the innovation products to the market. They allow designers to create new projects several times quicker when preserving the high quality standards — Karsten Newbury, the senior vice president and the general managing director of a Mainstream Engineering segment (the CAD systems of general purpose) of Siemens PLM Software company noted. - The Solid Edge system solves all problems of product development — 3D - modeling, engineering calculations, technology preparation of production, design process management, joint work support — therefore the companies will be able effectively to make smart project decisions and to receive excellent results".

Training and interaction

The version of Solid Edge ST6 helps with studying of a system, supports interaction and data exchange between users. The new floating toolbar of YouTube to Solid Edge allows to write, send to the website and to directly exchange videos of sessions of modeling on the website of YouTube, to look for on YouTube videos on Solid Edge.

The community of users of Solid Edge Community new online provides access to discussions, training materials and a professional advice. Together with expansion of number of the platforms supported by the Solid Edge Mobile Viewer application — the free browser 3D - files on mobile devices which already works on iPad — all these innovations expand access to project information and give huge opportunities for joint work of staff of the enterprises.

Solid Edge Mobile Viewer

Solid Edge Mobile Viewer — the free browser 3D - files on mobile devices also received the updated functionality. Access to project information is expanded and great opportunities for joint work of staff of the enterprises including thanks to increase in number of the platforms supported by the application are given.

Solid Edge ST7

In Solid Edge ST7 - the set of new features which accelerate processes of designing of products is implemented. Improvements in the 3D area - modeling and photorealistic visualization provide reduction of terms of accomplishment of a number of tasks to five times (in comparison with the previous version). Performance and efficiency increase thanks to improvements in management tools by design processes and the user interface of the Solid Edge system. Along with release of the version of Solid Edge ST7 the division of Siemens company developing product lifecycle management systems increases a set of additional applications of own and third-party development which expand possibilities of Solid Edge even more. These applications are the solutions integrated with Solid Edge. Among them — library of standard parts, means of computational modeling, technology preparation of production and support of mobile devices.

In the version of Solid Edge ST7 the built-in possibilities of creation of photorealistic images on the basis of the technology developed by Luxion company, are implemented by KeyShot®. It allows to create easily and quickly an illustration and animation directly in the environment of modeling. These innovations considerably increase quality of a graphic output, and the speed of creation of photorealistic images of 3D models created in a system increases up to five times (based on internal testing).

Besides, the new opportunities of the tool for creation which appeared in the version of Solid Edge ST7 3D - sketches increase efficiency of different types of modeling: now designers can work more flexibly, and runtime of projects is cut by half. Noticeable improvements in the user interface do the version of Solid Edge ST7 by the intuitive environment of modeling. The new start page, specialized self-instruction manuals, expanded visual hints simplify system learning by new users and help to increase labor productivity of experienced designers.

The management tools design processes provided in Solid Edge ST7 on the basis of Microsoft SharePoint expand visual approach to data management at the expense of the new directory of workflows — uniform a handshaking with the user. It facilitates creation of difficult design projects and work with them, allows to make quicker changes in construction and increases the overall performance of work.

The version of Solid Edge ST7 includes an expanded set of new additional applications. These applications for Solid Edge improve systems capabilities in the field of design-technology design and support of joint work that accelerates all process of preparation of production. There are already over 500 applications for Solid Edge increasing performance of users.

2015: The version of Solid Edge ST8 prepares

On May 18, 2015 the Siemens PLM Software company announced the forthcoming release of the version of the Solid Edge system (Solid Edge ST8)^[1].

Its use, according to the statement of developers, allows to reduce design terms, expands scopes of synchronous technology, increases flexibility when choosing hardware platforms and options of acquisition of the software.

Screenshot of application window 2015

The full-function version of Solid Edge ST8 is capable to work on tablets running OS Microsoft Windows 8.1 that ensures mobile functioning of designers — in any place and at any time.

A system helps to accelerate processes of modeling by means of improvements in synchronous management tools by the designer's intention, the possibility of recognition of difficult sketches and 3D - elements helps users to concentrate on a solvable task. Flexible opportunities of modeling by means of synchronous technology give the chance in an intuitive way quickly to create realistic and exact models that reduces terms of an entry of new products into the market. The synchronous technology integrates the speed and flexibility of direct modeling with the accuracy of constructions on given sizes.

In the version of Solid Edge ST8 work with big and difficult assemblies is simplified, exact computational modeling and forecasting of kinematics of mechanisms significantly reduce terms of design of assemblies and the need for production of prototypes. In Solid Edge ST8 opportunities for work with the built-in training materials are expanded, access to network community of users and also to new on-line app store of Solid Edge App Marketplace is provided. These tools and functions are intended for performance improvement and acceleration of design processes. A wide choice of options of acquisition, including a monthly subscription, meets the most different business needs and helps to plan financial resources.

In the version of Solid Edge ST8 intuitive design processes, including a full support of the sign Windows 8.1 interface and recognition of work with the touch screen both fingers, and the stylus are implemented. Full access to modeling tools allows to work on mobile devices in any place and even more expands possibilities of joint work of specialists in creation of innovations.

Deliveries of the version of Solid Edge ST8 are planned for summer of 2015.

Notes