Modelling software provides speed boost

Designers can devote more time to innovation with new techniques that provide the efficiency of parametric dimension-driven modelling without the computational overhead of pre-planned dependencies.

Siemens PLM Software has released the PLM industry's first history-free, feature-based modelling technology, which allows users to perform design jobs up to 100 times faster.

The technology combines the best of constraint-driven techniques with direct modelling, and is being integrated into the company's next versions of NXTM and Solid Edge software.

"Siemens recognised the huge potential of synchronous technology during the due diligence process of acquiring UGS", said Anton Huber, CEO, Siemens Industry Automation Division.

"Knowing that the digital model is at the heart of our shared vision to unify the product and production lifecycles, we have worked together to accelerate this in CAD technology".

"The digital model impacts every phase of the PLM process and is key to delivering innovation faster than ever before".

"This technology will fundamentally change the way manufacturers design products and enable them to accelerate their innovation process, ultimately driving increases in top line revenue".

The technology synchronises geometry and rules through a new decision-making inference engine.

Designers can devote more time to innovation with new techniques that provide the efficiency of parametric dimension-driven modelling without the computational overhead of pre-planned dependencies.

The technology defines optionally persistent dimensions, parameters and design rules at time of creation or edit, without the overhead of an ordered history.

The technology automates the implementation of planned or unplanned design changes to seconds versus hours thorough easy editing, regardless of design origination, with or without the presence of a history tree.

The system allows users to re-use data from other CAD systems without remodelling.

Users can succeed in a multiCAD environment with a fast, flexible system that enables them to edit other CAD system data faster than they can in the original system, regardless of the design methodology.

A technique called "suggestive selection" automatically infers the function of various design elements without the need for feature or constraint definitions.

This increases design re-use and OEM/supplier efficiency.

The technology provides a new user interaction experience that simplifies CAD and makes 3D as easy to use as 2D.

The interaction paradigm merges historically independent 2D and 3D environments, providing the robustness of a mature 3D modeller with the ease of 2D.

"While there have been important advances in 3D design technology over the years, designers have not been able to create persistent features without the computational overhead needed to re-compute models from the construction history", said Chuck Grindstaff, Executive Vice President of Products, Siemens PLM Software.

"Traditional parametric modelling serially applies rules to geometry, helping to automate planned change but not addressing unanticipated engineering changes".

"History-less modelling concentrates on geometry in an unconstrained manner, but sacrifices intelligence and intent".

"Direct editing minimises the need to understand a complex history but does not address features".

"Our new synchronous technology incorporates the best of constrained and unconstrained techniques to deal with change in an extremely powerful and efficient manner".

"Applying the right technique to the job at hand, enables dimension-driven modelling to reach its full potential, generating tremendous productivity gains over traditional methods".

The technology was jointly developed by Siemens PLM Software's NX and Solid Edge organisations.

Siemens PLM Software's synchronous technology will be implemented in the next versions of both Solid Edge and NX as a proprietary application layer built on its D-Cubed and Parasolid software.

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