Cadalyst - September 2007 - (Page 28)

cadlabsreview UGS Solid Edge v20 Collaboration is key for the latest 2D/3D CAD software. By Mike Hudspeth, IDSA D esigners have so many choices when it comes to solid modeling. How do you know which ones to consider? It comes down to a simple question: What are your needs? Do you work in an office with 5 to 50 engineers? Do you want a low total cost of ownership? Do you want a lot of bang for your buck? Then you need to check out UGS Solid Edge v20 by Siemens UGS PLM Software. Solid Edge v20 is part of the UGS Velocity series, which also includes UGS Teamcenter Express v2 to manage data and processes for design through manufacturing, UGS Femap v9.3 for engineering analysis, and UGS NX CAM Express v2. Solid Edge v20 includes 2D and 3D systems. So Velocity covers PLM, 3D solid modeling, engineering analysis, drafting, and CAM — all in one package! No wonder Solid Edge has seen a solid 19% annual license growth each year from 2005 to 2007. Collaboration is a big theme for Solid Edge v20. You can rest assured that whatever you model, someone’s going to want to do something with it. Nowadays, we have offices all around the world. Solid Edge v20 is up to the task of sharing information. It provides efficient access for remote connections. Say you have an Asian office that needs to reference your geometry. All you need to do is set your Figure 1. The Relationship Assistant helps users assign constraints to their assemblies — no matter where they came from. server so everyone can access it via the Internet, and they’re up and running. In a service-oriented architecture (SOA), you can have all of your important data controlled by that one server, which is accessible to everyone who has permission. Digging Deeper Let’s delve a little deeper into what Solid Edge v20 can do. Many industries create entire families of products that are virtually identical except for a few minor differences. Take the automobile industry. There are automatic and manual transmissions; four-, six-, and eight-cylinder engines; twodoor coupes and four-door sedans; and convertibles — the list goes on forever. But they all are cars. It’s the same in consumer goods. It used to be that VCRs throughout the world were produced by only four or five manufacturers. All they did was slap on a different front plate and that particular device was sold under the brand you knew. To further facilitate this trend, Solid Edge v20 lets you reuse geometry — so creating variations on a theme is easy. The Structure Editor is like a bill of materials (BOM) that allows you to build products from the assembled parts on hand just by selecting them. If you have a library of parts that you’ve modeled, you can create assemblies with as much variation as you have parts. Of course, not all of the parts you have available are Solid Edge parts. In spite of the diligent efforts of the nice people at UGS PLM Software, other modelers still exist. You can import files and assemblies from other modelers and use them inside Solid Edge v20 even though they come in with- Siemens UGS PLM Software A 2D/3D CAD Software Pros: Free 2D drafting product; powerful modeling and assembly capability. Cons: None. Price: $4,995 Siemens UGS PLM Software 800.498.5351 www.ugs.com This version: . . . . . . . . . . A Ease of use: . . . . . . . . . . . A Feature: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A Installation: . . . . . . . . . . . C Customization: . . . . . . . . A Interoperability: . . . . . . . A Third-party add-ons: . . . . B Help: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C Innovation: . . . . . . . . . . . A Value: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A 28 September 2007 | cadalyst | www.cadalyst.com http://www.ugs.com http://www.cadalyst.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Cadalyst - September 2007

Contents Editor's Window Techtrends: Resurrecting an Unforgettable Second Living Large UGS Solid Edge v20 Adobe Acrobat 3D v8 Adobe Photoshop CS3 Extended CAD Manager: Managing 2D and 3D in the Same Office MCAD Modeling: Where is MCAD Going? AEC in Focus: Automated Estimating and Scheduling Using BIM CAD Cartoon Issue Indexes CADfidential

Cadalyst - September 2007

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