Free Solid Edge download now available
If you’re curious about Solid Edge, and would like to check it out, you can now get a free 45 day trial of the software to check out. You can also get a license of Femap, if you’re so inclined. Check out the press release here. You get the latest version, ST4, and the download and install are pretty easy, without drama.
They want to let you get a feel for the software, and try out the freedom of direct edit, and the incredible power when it is combined with ordered features. Make sure to go through the tutorials. If you want to try out the software and discuss your results here, go ahead.
Has anyone managed to download this 45 day trial? I filled out the form a number of times and each time it said my application would be reviewed but I heard nothing after that. Bit of a pain. Would it be because I’m in Ireland or something like that?
Neil
Your opinion sound fair to me and it reflect what we get in general from people.
The feeling you have that the software guide you, is part of the personality of the software. It is that little thing that you cannot put you finger on.
“….Stream/XP is more than just a “look and feel.” It is a user interface based on the well-known fact that humans process information in three stages: perception, decision-making, and response. By reducing perceptual inputs and focusing on decision-making, it helps users devote more processing resources towards their design problems…”
J. Fred White
2003
Here few article from 2005 explaining the Stream concept.
http://www.cadalyst.com/cad/solid-edge/streamxp-usability-9817
http://www.cadalyst.com/cad/solid-edge/on-edge-stream-xp-part-1-3-10440
http://www.cadalyst.com/cad/solid-edge/on-edge-stream-xp-part-2-3-10470
http://www.cadalyst.com/cad/solid-edge/on-edge-stream-xp-part-3-3-10497
Here the list of Russel brook post..
http://www.cadalyst.com/cadalyst-author/russell-brook-9745?page=4
The list from 2003 (Russel Brook)
http://www.cadalyst.com/listing/12/solid-edge?page=7
List from 2002 (Jeff White)
http://www.cadalyst.com/cadalyst-author/j-fred-white-37?page=1
Today I uninstalled SE having determined after some experimentation it wasn’t what I personally needed as a replacement for SW for ID stuff at least in its present state.
I also wanted to use the 3gb HD space on my old PC I use for evaluation for other activities…
I must say the uninstall went better than I anticipated with only a few empty folders remaining and one conspicuous registry entry. No complaints about that aspect considering.
I must say too although the hardware I used was fairly old SE ran quite well on it.
Anyway thanks to Seimens for the opportunity to try it out. Can’t fault them for their friendly marketing.
Although I was slightly disappointed it wasnt more useful for my own purposes I am sure many companies would like what they found in SE.
While I did find a lot of what I needed is available in SE it *is* obviously best suited to machine design.
Unfortunately it lacks some capability for people who want to get immersed in surfacing. I liked conic blends a lot however they could be set up to be more editable after the fact.
Mechanical people want to plonk a weld or a ground edge here or there that does a specific job whereas designers want to mess with stuff until it looks right. They want to reaccess variables directly and stretch forms about.
Perhaps I am overly familiar with SW but I found the SE UI a bit methodical and sometimes obtuse.
Firstly I am not a ribbon fan which always seems to me like something devised by someone with a compulsive/obsessive disorder for their sock drawer and secondly I found it a little…well..mechanical.
I think I wanted it to be a little more intuitive in the same way I would like SW to be a little more analytic.
I often felt as though it was akin to thumbing through Machinery’s Handbook while trying to hum classical music.
While it can be done the emphasis on one using hemisphere was disruptive to using the other.
I think if SE wanted to find more users for ID work aside from enhancing the surfacing tools they should have an alternative arrangement for the UI available which is a little more attuned to the dreamy, iterative nature of ID design in action. Doesnt have to be radically different but just so it flows more.
Just my opinion though. 🙂
I have downloaded the demo. Is it possible to increase the font size of all the fonts in the program? It is very difficult to see the text in general on my monitor. I would really like to use the software, but it is very tough to see the menu fonts on my 21 inch monitor.
ok,.. it is “Part copy”.. using “Ordered” mode,.. (linked) this is what I was looking for!
and,..in Synchronous mode…. (unlinked) “Linked models are not allowed in Synchronous mode.”
Hello Ken,
Thanks!.. I’ll give it a looksee..
Middle-out…(not from the bottom or top) my angle to this is, when you drive other prts/asms from component parts or sub layouts.
The intra-part copy may be able to do this?
Hmm.. after reading it seems that intra-part is top down.. that is, it’s dependent on a top level asm?
Is there a way to directly reference a prt without a asm? (solidworks, insert part)
@Paul Salvador
I believe this may be what your looking for: http://www.solidedge.com/spt/en/ST4/spse01670/book.html
There is also a small Tutorial in the product called “Modelling a Cover Associatively in the Assembly”
Not sure what “middle-out” means…
…does anyone know if there is a SE-ST4 top-down or middle-out modeling tutorial around?
Lots of learning resources are available for Solidworks, but few are available for Solid Edge.
Solidworks references are more popular.
Here’s some data
A fairly popular, but not the most popular, Solidworks reference:
SolidWorks 2011 Parts Bible
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #222,952 in Books
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #109,841 Paid in Kindle Store
The most popular or close to the most popular Solid Edge reference:
Solid Edge ST3 for Designers
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #361,580
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #287,620 Paid in Kindle Store
What’s the interpretation ?
Just more Solidworks Users ?
Solidworks users require more support ?
Solidworks is harder to learn ?
The authors writing solidworks are better authors ?
Solidworks is more aggressively marketed to schools and colleges ?
Solid Edge provides better training resources directly ?
FWIW, These guys are serious about making SE work right and they actualy do listen. ST4 was primarily about refinements to make geometry creation easier based in large part on user feedback.
Once you have tried Solid Edge out a bit, we are interested in your feedback, both in terms of the product, but also in terms of the trial/learning experience. And if you have any questions, check out the trial user forum we have set up for this. It is meant for trial users to ask questions and get immedidate help. When you download the software you get a link to it.
@Bruce Buck
Bruce,
I haven’t had any problems. I even run them at the same time sometimes.
SolidWorks and Solid Edge can coexist on the same machine just fine. No issues I am aware of.
As Matt says, do the tutorials. Also, in the help side bar, there is a link called Solid Edge self paced training that is another 20-30 mini-courses. You can also find that here: http://www.solidedge.com/spt/en/SESPT.cfm
Any idea about any issues with having this and SW installed at the same time?