Sychronous Techology Webinar NX-6

[hudson888]

http://www.plm.automation.siemens.com/en_us/campaigns/breakthrough/index.shtml

I just had a look at this. It seems impressive and bears out a few of the items that were leaked here earlier.

In some ways some of us have been doing these things already from time to time using direct modeling tools. How this functionally differs it is difficult to say, some interfaces will obviously be different expanded or whatever.

As one who is occasionally criticized for cheating by using a short cut or two. I think I'm gonna love it .

Best Regards

Hudson

 

[ewh]

Thanks for the link, Hudson. Mine wasn't working.
It looks like direct modeling on steroids.

Believe it if you need it or leave it if you dare. - [small]Robert Hunter[/small]

 

[JohnRBaker]

"Direct Modeling on Steroids" is a good start, but it goes much deeper than that since this also offers an alternative to history-based modeling, not just a set of tools to get around situations where either the history is not able to provide the flexibility you need or the other extreme, where there is nothing, no history and no features. BTW, just so you understand, when we say non-history based modeling, we do NOT mean non-parametric or even without features, just that the order in which something was created will not be an issue when it comes time to edit or modify the model.

Also, so that you understand, the technology that this is based on is and will remain proprietary to Siemens PLM Software. That is, it's not based on enhancements or tools that have been added to Parasolid or any of our other commercial toolkits that we sell to other software companies, including many of our competitors. NO, this time, we're keeping the good stuff for ourselves ;-)

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
NX Design
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Cypress, CA

http://www.siemens.com/plm

http://www.plmworld.org/museum/

 

[phillpd]

And the million dollar question, the cost to the user for "Direct Modeling on Steroids" ?

Specialty Engineered Automation (SEA)

http://www.sea4ug.com

a UGS Foundation Partner

 

[hudson888]

John,

Can you reveal whether this will be an extra cost module or just part of NX-6?

Best Regards

Hudson

 

[JohnRBaker]

I have not yet been authorized to discuss in any details that aspect of our policies regarding this new technology. However, I expect clarification soon as well as authority to respond to your questions in this regard.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
NX Design
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Cypress, CA

http://www.siemens.com/plm

http://www.plmworld.org/museum/

 

[hudson888]

John,

No pressure. I'm sure it'll be worth the wait...

Regards

Hudson

 

[ewh]

John,
The presentation gave us an exciting preview of working with "blocks and cylinders". Will working with irregular, lofted features also be enhanced?

Believe it if you need it or leave it if you dare. - [small]Robert Hunter[/small]

 

[JohnRBaker]

While there is some support of surface models and to some extent, more 'free-form' shapes in NX 6, we are making further investments for future releases that will focus on the types of edits and modifications that one could apply to complex free-form surfaces. The problem is not in the editing of the math, we can do that today with any unparameterized b-surfaces and/or b-curves, it's the mechanism that knows how to maintain the relationships, which with complex shapes can be more varied than with simple geometry, between the faces being editing and the ones that adjoin and match-up to it.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
NX Design
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Cypress, CA

http://www.siemens.com/plm

http://www.plmworld.org/museum/

 

[JohnRBaker]

And the million dollar question, the cost to the user for "Direct Modeling on Steroids"?

At least it's not a million dollar answer ;-)

I know this will come as a shock to many of you, but all that you have to do to benefit from this new technology when NX 6 is delivered, is to own a Solid Modeling license which you've paid your maintenance on.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
NX Design
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Cypress, CA

http://www.siemens.com/plm

http://www.plmworld.org/museum/

 

[hudson888]

You absolute beauty!

We had the whole office stopped with the video yesterday. . Then I had a tinge of trepidation, and this is very cool news for somebody who is more a paid enthusiast than an indentured slave to the job.

Best Regards

Hudson

 

[KLineDesign]

I watched the video last week, and I can't wait. I don't necessarily agree with how the video talks of certain aspects, but there isn't much arguing with these three things:
-Eliminating time wasted remodeling due to incooperative models (words other than "incooperative" are often used here)is a huge plus. As this time is never good, often expensive, and often debatable due to designers not being flexible enough in his or her ways of accomplishing changes. (Designers tend to like overtime for some crazy reason too.)
-Reducing the number of insignificant changes that experienced designers must perform, in my eyes, is the number 1 time saver and what I would keep talking of if I was selling the software. Much like Engineers becoming famililar with using VisMockup to cut their own sections and measure their own clearances...they could now change that hole size and propagate the revs up without having to wait for design.
-Reducing Filesize is always helpful. I imagine this to be much like putting .pdfs up for drawings (for sharing and controlling document) but without having to maintain the .prt file. Now one could design in, as well as Vendors could quote in, WHATEVER SYSTEM they want! and put up a file (parasolid?) that can be modified later in NX if need be.

So quick questions (that I apparently can't wait for): How do parameters (i.e. material thickness) get captured? How do any sync'd changes feed back into the drawing or up/down through links (like tabulated parts, castings to machined part .etc)? How do other contraints that may or may not be part of design intent go along for the ride (i.e. blank size of a sheet metal part, or how flanges that coincide in the flat should error)...?

Other Stuff: Seems like the intent of all this is to better position NX as a CAD Software for everyone in the supply chain except those at the bottom (status quo for the bottom suppliers/vendors). Meanwhile making it possible for those at the bottom (that have customers who use NX) to just design in whatever is the cheapest Modeling package available. (Hence keeping the good stuff this time...they have to!)

Aspects I didn't like: Many Designers on NX will not be 100 times faster. Those that love parameters and a clean tree that are good at it and have developed a good technique at attacking all types of parts (telling the story, I call it) will just continue on perhaps abandoning some of their thoroughness. And those that have no organization and perhaps what many consider messy unchangeable parts, but somehow they always deliver fast will also just continue on (just without record!).

Just needed to put this out there to hopefully hear more opinions on the matter,
KLINE

 

[KLineDesign]

So? What does everyone think of the Synchronous Modeling so far?

KLINE

 

[JohnRBaker]

Just so that everyone understands, leveraging Synchronous Technology in NX 6 does NOT mean that you have to abandon traditional feature based modeling in order to take advantage of much of what you saw in the video. To customers who are already using NX and have utilized the functions available under what we previously called 'Direct Modeling', will first see NX 6 as perhaps having been 'put on steroids' since 'Synchronous Technology' is first a replacement for the old Direct Modeling but yet with many new functions and capabilities never possible before.

But there is also another, and very NEW aspect of modeling flexibility that 'Synchronous Technology' supports and that is the concept of taking a 'History-Free' (which is NOT to be confused with NON-feature based or 'dumb' modeling) approach to the creation of models which will, by use of the new and improved topology editing tools (AKA 'Direct Modeling') which are the heart of the 'Synchronous Technology' tool set, be much easier to edit and change later in the design cycle even if the changes that need to be made were not taken into account when the model was first created (note that this is where the 100X claims are being made, the idea of making direct local topology changes to a model versus having to have to re-engineer it to support the desired modifications).

Anyway, please give it a shot when you get the chance and remember, much of what you saw and heard about is purely OPTIONAL behavior and will not interfere with ANY existing work-flows or modeling philosophies currently being utilized by your organization.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
NX Design
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Cypress, CA

http://www.siemens.com/plm

http://www.plmworld.org/museum/

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

 

[WH74]

Well I have not played wiht it that much, but compared to another other cad package that i have seen, it's hands down the easiest to change a "dumb" model. And what is really surprising is, is how quick and responsive it is. I have actually used NX to open and work with solidworks assemblies since it quicker opening and editing then SW.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

whagen1974,

Does NX open native SolidWorks part and assembly files?

 

[ewh]

NX6 opens Solidworks parts and assemblies quirte easily. Now if we could get drawings added to that list.

When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty. - [small]Thomas Jefferson [/small]

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Does it open them with the feature structure intact, or as a dumb file?

 

[ewh]

I haven't explored too far yet, but when I open a Solidworks assy, the ANT does show the individual components, but they are dumb.

When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty. - [small]Thomas Jefferson [/small]

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

ewh,
Thanks for the info.
What is ANT?


whagen1974,
If the imported files are dumb, that would explain why NX would open them faster; Any system would. The ability to edit a dumb solid is another matter though. SW has only a limited ability for that ... unless the Feature Recognition module is used.