Solid Edge unveiled their improvements in the upcoming ST7 software release as well as initiatives that the company has been working towards. They have continued to show clear focus on their customer’s needs and included 1300 user requests that spanned the entire scope of the Solid Edge product.

Solid Edge ST7 Microsoft Surface Pro

The power of Solid Edge ST7 modeling and drafting can be experienced on Microsoft Surface Pro devices.

The Solid Edge team’s presentation of ST7 was themed in four parts:

Accelerate your 3D modeling

Part to Sheet Metal:

Wrap sheet metal parts around solid part faces with corner treatments (this has some really good potential)

Blank Body:

Amazing analysis and flat patterning tool to deal with difficult stamped features. This performs a meshed surface body analysis along with the material properties of the shape to accurately deconstruct the component into a flat sheet model.

3D Measure:

  • Multiple measurements from single command
  • Easy to read graphical measurements
  • Built-in automatic note-pad

Standards based holes:

  • Specify bolt size and fit for correct size of hole
  • Widespread international standards support

Solid Edge University 2014 Presentation Hole Enhancements

Draft:

  • Drafting had some really nice improvements.
  • Dynamic drawing view display for all view types
  • Associative Annotations (this is great)
  • Parts List component highlights and thumbnail views
  • Streamlined individual part or sub-assembly view creation
  • Automatic coordinate dimensioning and jogging

Solid Edge University 2014 Presentation Draft

Solid Edge University 2014 Draft Tool-tips in Parts List

Duplicate Component:

New patterning method that allows automatic intelligent orientation based on existing similar locations in model.

Solid Edge University 2014 Presentation Duplicate Component

Peer Locate:

  • Design in-context at any level
  • Inter-part links without write access to upper level assembly

3D Sketch:

  • Available in Part, Assembly, and Sheet Metal environments
  • Faster Design of 3D-swept components

Photo-realistic rendering:

Solid Edge ST7 Keyshot Engine Rendering(via embedded Keyshot functionality; license required)

All Solid Edge face styles and view transferred

Solid Edge University 2014 Presentation Keyshot

Additional enhancements include:

  • New Start-up screen with easy access to common tasks
  • Enhanced tooltips with embedded videos
  • Parts catalog
  • Fixed length curve holds length of swept components while they remain flexible (doesn’t sound like much but delivers a really cool functionality for standardized tubes and the like)
  • Enhanced frame design with up 2X faster workflows
  • An Insert component button (Good)
  • Pattern of a Pattern recognition
  • Materials table was completely overhauled and rebuilt
  • Quick Shape Primitives
  • One-button update in assemblies
  • Improved sketch feedback
  • Pattern components along a curve
  • Enhanced Face relate
  • Simplified Assemblies honored
  • Simulation enhancements

And more….

Streamline Your Design Management

Streamlined design management in Solid Edge SP (Microsoft Sharepoint  management)

Solid Edge University 2014 Presentation Solid Edge SP

More on this to come in the near future.

Power Up With New Apps

Enjoy Amazing User Experience

My Thoughts

These enhancements were all requested by users to meet the needs that they experience in production. This was the second time I was involved in the discussions relating to what features people desired and how they were being implemented in the software. We literally sat down and said, “this is what we want”. Solid Edge’s lead developer asked how they wanted that to work, took notes, and we all voted on the top items. It’s really cool to see the developments happen as quickly as they do at Solid Edge.

Solid Edge University 2014 Wish List Voting

Microsoft Surface & Keyshot Engine Rendering Images courtesy of Siemens PLM Software

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