I've played around with it a little bit at home, but have not used it in a production environment. I've also read quite a bit of feedback from other users who have migrated already.
Probaby the two biggest complaints I've heard has been dealing with the new plotting software & the re-vamped icons. I've yet to mess around with the plotting, but I can go along with the new icon colors being a little confusing at first.
The new customer defaults layout is really nice...no more editing of metric.def or english.def files.
Probably one of the largest modeling enhancements I've seen so far is the support for the wireframe creation of True Type fonts. Basically, you choose a font, & font characteristics (size, bold, etc.) and UG creates the curves for you & allows for placement of the curves in a planar manner. The curves aren't associative, so that's the only let down there. I believe this new function is supposed to mature into 3D modeled text that is recognized as some sort of feature.
Associative curves look interesting at a glance. Something different that will make UG even more flexible than it already is.
I don't know what too early would mean to you....are you asking in terms of the number of bugs in NX3 or what? What are you migrating from?
I realize this isn't an overwhelming amount of info, but if you want an overview, check out UGS' website in the GTAC support area & take a look at the What's New guides.
We are using NX. We have NX2, but will probably skip it in favor of NX3. I was asking in terms of bugs or problems found. I have reviewed most of the "Whats New in NX3" on the UGS website. Can you put me in touch with others that have migrated already.
Go to UGS' bbsnotes & read through the newsgroups to see some of the more popular complaints so far. You can find it on GTAC's website.
I would give users some time to adapt to some of the new methods (especially in drafting) because there were some significant changes from NX 1 to NX 2 that may affect productivity.
Some examples are:
1. You don't use Edit View anymore, you use Style for view scale, etc.
2. Leader placement
3. Annotation editor changes
4. Use of Style for dimension types
5. Plotting has had some very negative feedback (mainly for PDF creation).
My company has migrated to NX3 from NX2. We haven't really run into any bugs per se, but it will take you a little while to get used to the new GUI (icons and such).
As Tim mentioned in a post above, the customer defaults menu is great. They have lumped together a lot of customizable features into one menu, so you don't have to go in and modify text files.
The plotting software! We have yet to figure that out completely. While the previous plotting methods was a bit cumbersom, it appears that the developers haven't really made it any better in NX3, they've just made it different...
The NX folks have definitely put a lot of time into this one. You will have to poke around a bit, as there are a lot of features that have been moved.
Overall, I would recommend the upgrade, as long as the powers that be don't expect you to be 100% efficient (which I KNOW you are anyway...) when you switch over.
We are using NX1 and are surely looking at skipping NX" and go directly to NX3 after one or more maintenance of the NX3, that is wait for NX 3.0.2.
I will though get a NX3 licence up and running soon, to check out the software and prepare some "what's new" workshops for our users.
Regarding modelling functionality NX3 is no big deal. But the user interface changed a lot.
New Icons
Better Expression editor
Selection intent on objects everywhere outside menus.
Enhanced Model Navigator
New "radial-8 icons" thing when MB2 clicking (depends on objects selected)
Modelling has got a new Shape Studie Spline (also implemented in NX2.0.4) which is much better than the previous associative spline. This spline don't require Shape Studie licence as it names suggest.
I recommend waiting... For the work we do, I am using NX3 only for concept and testing situations, not production work. The associative curves are fantastic, albeit buggy still. I've run into many memory allocation errors while editing these associative curves.
The interface is becoming more and more like windows, so it will be very easy to customize soon. (Hint: you can now drag icons into the "menu bar - file, edit, etc)
They did a lot of moving of commands for seemingly no reason. For example Assemblies --> Delay Interpart Updates is now on Tools --> Update... ???
Drafting is really slick now, with tons of new features. Definately "try before you buy", and wait till the QRM is out...
Those are good points, Derek. I've run into some memory allocation errors too, but not with the associative curves features. I've run into them with large assemblies, and parts themselves.
To this point, there has not been any glitches that would cause a loss of data or work.
If there is any question at all, give it a few months, and see how quick they come out with fixes.
We are still struggling with the new plotting software, and if there is any major complaint that I have, that would be it.
I long for the day when you can hit plot, select a paper size, and create a .pdf file. I'm not sure why it has to be as convoluted as it is. If anyone has any pointers, I'm all ears!
Do you read UGS' bbsnotes page? If not, I would suggest you look there for the cures to your PDF ills, as several people seemed to have figured out a few different ways to at least get a PDF file.
However, I'm with you as far as UG needing built-in PDF creation capability. What really ticks me off is that SDI (the plotting software folks for UG & IDEAS) does have software that can create PDF files...why it's not included with the plotting software is beyond me (other than they're going to make their money too).
UGS' bbsnotes page is valuable resource.
Not only do you get feedback from other users, but you also get the attention of the folks that are responsible for why UG works as it does. For answers to my questions, I generally go here (Eng-Tips) first, and if I still can't find a solution, I go to the bbs with them.
I have switched to NX3 and have found the change to be relatively easy. The new icons take some getting used to, but the radial 8 menu is very handy. The customer defaults is excellent, not to mention the fact that you can now extrude text. Overall a very good step forward for Unigraphics.
One thing new users to NX3 may wish to take note of is that when using the new Customer Defaults interface, this will ONLY set defaults for the units you initially select (metric OR English) and NOT both. So if you wish to set Customer Default for both metric and English, you will have to go through the interface twice (based on what John Baker from UGS states).
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