Siemens release new PLM software enabled by synchronous technology

Siemens PLM Software, a business unit of the Siemens Industry Automation Division, announced today Solid Edge ST3, the new version of their PLM software. The new functionality in this release is enabled by synchronous technology. This, Siemens say, “significantly accelerates product design, streamlines revisions, and makes importing and reusing third-party CAD data easier”. The new release also includes a variety of enhancements related to simulation, design data management, and more than a thousand customer-driven improvements.

Dr. Ken Versprille, PLM Research Director, CPDA, explained, “Synchronous technology has the capacity to perform a wide variety of design tasks in a fraction of the time it takes with a traditional approach. This could provide engineers with more time for creativity and innovation, resulting in better product designs produced faster.”

Karsten Newbury, senior vice president and general manager of the Velocity Series and Solid Edge business, Siemens PLM Software reported, “With the levels of productivity improvement reported by customers all over the world, we are seeing real proof of the revolutionary breakthrough of synchronous technology. The time savings are significant, but even more importantly is the fact that Solid Edge with synchronous technology allows users to shift their focus to the actual design task versus thinking about how to use software.”

So what exactly do they mean by synchronous software? This means that you can do multiple things at the same time. Thus computer resources can be better utilised to give quicker results. Siemens PLM Software has made the availability of synchronous technology pervasive throughout the product. An example of its use that Siemens gave was of support for part modelling and sheet metal design delivered in earlier versions, synchronous-based models can now be used directly with all assembly applications—such as piping, frames, wiring, and assembly features. Also delivered is a first-ever synchronous-based part-to-part associativity that lets users establish and alter design intent before, during or after the assembly design process.

Solid Edge ST3 includes new torque and bearing loads, user defined constraints and new ways to connect assemblies such as bolt and sheet metal edge connectors. Solid Edge allows design validation of parts and assemblies earlier in the product development process for quicker time to market and reduced physical prototyping costs.

Solid Edge ST3 with Insight™ data management solution takes advantage of Microsoft SharePoint 2010.  This extends collaboration to a wider range of CAD and non-CAD users by expanding project management, business analytics and social media capabilities. In addition, a standalone bill-of-materials (BOM) editor delivered with the embedded client in Solid Edge lets CAD and non-CAD users create product structures that can be opened in Solid Edge, Teamcenter software or Teamcenter Express software. This results in an accelerated design process as initial BOMs can be established and refined before the product design begins.

Bill McClure, vice president of product development for Velocity Series, Siemens PLM Software, “We take great pride in our business philosophy of putting the customer first, and Solid Edge ST3 embraces this philosophy throughout all areas of the product. With several new capabilities and thousands of customer-driven enhancements, Solid Edge ST3 incorporates the voice of the customer and demonstrates our ability to quickly respond to their product development needs.”

This is a major release which is moving PLM support to be able to handle the collaborative multi-organisation of product design in today’s manufacturing world.