Solid Edge?

[dgs]

Since there's no Solid Edge forum, this seemed like as good a place as any.

Any of you have experience with Solid Edge? We have a potential client who uses it and we're considering adding a seat. I'm curious about learning curve for Pro|E/SW users and surfacing capabilities.

Thanks

 

[Metoo]

You'll love it. Solid Edge has a very short learning curve; less than Solidworks. They have walk through menus.


Check out their new Synchronous Technology. If you like surface modeling, wait to you get your hands on the Rapid Blue with Blue Dot technology.


Best to look through their website, then call in your local rep. Before Siemens bought UG, the reps used to give out 30 day licenses to prospective buyers. Once you get aquainted with it, you won't want to go back to Pro-e.

 

[dgs]

Once you get aquainted with it, you won't want to go back to Pro-e.

I'll be surprised if that happens

, but thanks for the feedback. It all comes down to if we get this contract or not. It's pretty cheap, so adding it isn't a big deal.

 

[balaganesan]

i too have once tried solid edge, way back in late 90's

the user interface is a real user friendly.
they had preview of feature while creation, standard polygons for featurs, and lot more

even the drawing creation, is similar to pro-e,

but i only just had an feeler of that software. i had never got into serious working with that, as i am an most ardent user of pro/e.

 

[zpaolo]

I checked Solid Edge a little, neat program, but I'm not sure I really like Synchronous Technology, I mean, it's fast and fun and all, but I'd rather have "dynamic edit" like in Pro|E 5.0 for all features, it's much better IMO...

 

[dgs]

The Syncrnous Technology is non-parametric, like CoCreate or Google Sketchup, right? You directly manipulate the solid. But, you build it to 10" but you have no 10" dim to change it later. If you need to make it 8" later, you have to move a face 2".

That has no appeal to me at all. I love the parametric, feature based modeling of Pro|E & SW. Lots more control.

 

[zpaolo]

I must agree with dgs, I think this is a matter of taste and use, but for example I really like Archicad much more then Sketchup. I mean, sketchup is "simple", but I don't think it's "easy"... When I noticed that you can add quotes, but once you change them the model does not regenerate I was going to scream

 

[Metoo]

dgs wrote:


"The Syncrnous Technology is non-parametric, like CoCreate or Google Sketchup, right? You directly manipulate the solid. But, you build it to 10" but you have no 10" dim to change it later. If you need to make it 8" later, you have to move a face 2"."


No, not exactly. It might be best if you look at the video samples on the Solid Edge page; you do have dimensions, and you can choose to dimension from references of your choice.


You can't compare UG's Synchronous Technology with CoCreate's very limited direct editing, its like comparing a broken down Yugo to a brand new Caddy.


I haven't used the new Solid Edge, but I have used a new version of NX, and you can use parametric or Synchronous. I suspect Solid Edge is same. While UG doesn't advertise their Synchronous Tech as a feature recognition system (as in Solidworks); it is, and its a very advanced one. A good sampling of UG's videos will reveal how far ahead they are in the world of 3-d; the advantages of their system becomes self-evident.


As far as Parametric versus direct editing, the future of 3-d CAD won't be direct editing like CoCreate does it, it will be direct editing like UG's doing it today. I suspect PTC bought CoCreate to figure out how direct editing works. PTC has lagged behind for so many years now its hard to believe they'll be able to catch up.