Want to Influence the Next Release of NX?

Siemens PLM Software relies on beta testers to ensure that each release of NX helps users perform more productively. Beta testers give the software developers valuable feedback by answering questions like:

• How does the software perform?
• How does it look?
• Is it ready for the rigors of your production environment?
• Is your migration experience smooth and effortless? Read full article »

RELATED RESOURCE

Reference Architecture for NX

Wish your old hardware could keep up with you? Are you in the market for a new workstation? Use this guide to maximize your NX performance with the right hardware configuration.

What Happens at PLM Connection Shouldn’t Stay at PLM Connection

NX users, you’re in luck, because soon you’ll have a chance to hone your CAD/CAM skills and get a healthy dose of real user inspiration at Siemens PLM Connection 2012, set for May 7–10 at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

The three-year-old conference, which is produced by the official Siemens PLM user group, PLM World, will give you access to nearly 2,000 other attendees to share ideas with, more than 70 hours of free training, over 350 technical breakout sessions, a vendor trade fair, and key executives and development folks from Siemens.

If you need to convince your manager about the value of sending you, Siemens offers some stats:

• Individual attendees can experience up to a 10 percent increase in productivity which translates to an annual average cost savings of $16,000
• Attendees help their departments achieve an additional 10–15 percent gain in knowledge and productivity

And, if that’s not enough, you can save nearly $300 if you register before April 13. Even deeper discounts are available for groups of at least nine people from the same company.

I’m a firm believer that events like PLM Connection can help you develop into one of the most talented and productive people in the office. It’s also a good way to retain your employees. When you come back from an industry event like PLM Connection, be sure to share everything you’ve learned. And the more opportunities you take to showcase your knowledge—in team meetings, company newsletters, etc.—you’ll reinforce your own education, gain the appreciation of your coworkers and attract the attention of management. Read full article »

RELATED RESOURCE

Reference Architecture for NX

Wish your old hardware could keep up with you? Are you in the market for a new workstation? Use this guide to maximize your NX performance with the right hardware configuration.

Industry Trend Line: What’s Going on with CAD These Days?

Late last year, Jon Peddie Research (JPR) released its 2012 market study on the CAD industry. (I know it’s already March, but I’m a busy guy!) The Worldwide CAD Market Report 2012  reveals the trends that are shaping the CAD industry today, along with some interesting market forecasts through 2016. Here are some of the highlights:

• New opportunities opened up by cloud computing, apps and tablets give CAD companies an opening to “have it all”—high volume, low cost consumer-ish apps, along with new ways to offer boutique services to valued subscription customers. Analyst Kathleen Maher notes that “Today, the CAD industry is more dynamic than ever … Increasingly, CAD is becoming part of a visually connected world that can be understood and better managed. There are opportunities in new platforms, new technologies, and new customers in emerging economies. It’s a very good time for the industry.”
• The CAD market was worth approximately $7 billion in 2011, up from $6.4 billion in 2010 and $5 billion in 2009. CAD revenues are split 38 percent for EMEA, 37 percent for the Americas, 21 percent for Asia and 4 percent for ROW. CAD follows worldwide economic trends.
• The total number of CAD users in 2011 is 19 million. CAD is growing faster in Asia and emerging markets than it is in Western markets. Growth in the Americas will be driven by Latin America, especially Brazil, but also Chile, Peru, Columbia and others. The return to growth in the CAD software market is likely to be slow through 2013, as problems in the U.S. and European economies hold back growth.
• The ISVs featured here on CAD/CAM Performance—Autodesk, Dassault Systèmes, PTC and Siemens PLM—have a disproportionate percentage of market share compared to their smaller competitors. The long recession has hit the smaller players and there is more shake-out on the way. Read full article »

If it Ain’t Broke, Don’t Fix It: Boeing Renews NX Contract for 10 More Years

The big news in the CAD world recently was the late-February announcement that Boeing signed a new 10-year agreement to extend the use of Siemens PLM Software’s NX and Teamcenter technologies at both Boeing Commercial Airplanes and Defense, Space & Security.

Citing “proven performance,” innovation, scalability and open architecture as key advantages, Nancy Bailey, Boeing’s vice president of IT product systems, expects the renewed relationship to “support, and help us improve, the solutions we use throughout Boeing, creating additional business value for our company.”

Jamie J. Gooch from Desktop Engineering makes a good point by saying that the extension “speaks volumes about [Boeing’s] confidence in the technology’s ability to evolve to meet its future needs.” And what’s good for Boeing is good for the rest of us. Gooch points out that having a major customer like Boeing will help Siemens learn what a global manufacturer needs and enable them to incorporate what they’ve learned into software development.

The contract extension will support a number of projects on the military side, such as the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. On the commercial side, it will impact the 737 MAX, the new KC-46A USAF Aerial Tanker, and others.

Read full article »

RELATED RESOURCE

Implementation Case Study: NX Performance Gains on Different Hardware Configurations

NX users can realize significant performance gains with the right hardware configuration. Other factors, such as monitor size, resolution, memory, operating system, and video drivers can also be manipulated to enhance your NX experience.

NX Weekly Blog Round-Up

NX8 Help Videos – Create a Path Thru Complex Curves
Originally Posted by Jerry Sarfati, Siemens NX
This is my second post on the new NX8 help video tutorials. As I mentioned last time, these videos are available to all NX users when they install NX8. This week, let’s look at a more complex scenario. We create a path through complex curves.
Read Full Post

Siemens PLM Connection 2012
Originally Posted by Siemens PLM World
It’s time to start getting excited about Siemens PLM Connection 2012! This page will give you the opportunity to check out our full agenda built around 7 major connections, we have transformed the agenda into an assortment of 70 categories, making it easy for you to find tons of sessions that are specific to your needs.
Read Full Post

NX Simulation: One Model to Rule Them All
Originally Posted by Chad Jackson, Engineering Matters
When you start looking at simulation software tools, you quickly realize that there is a lot there. There are tools for preprocessing. Tools to interrogate simulation results. There are many solvers. But one of the software tools that seems to do a lot is NX from Siemens PLM.
Read Full Post