Solid Edge 2024: Sneak Peek
At RealizeLive 2023 there was a Solid Edge KeyNote , part of which was a Sneak Peek of what’s new in The new version of Solid Edge, 2024. Sudha Srikakolapu is the Sr. Product Manager for SE, and she gave the 2024 presentation. She has been around for a while, I know I’ve seen her leading at least the last couple round table events. Her part of the presentation started at about 39 minutes in (to the 47 minute session). This is obviously not a comprehensive list, but just touching some of the highlights.
This was a very quick presentation, only lasted about 4 minutes. I caught the on-demand session video (embarrassed to say I missed the session live).
Recent Document Preview – select part to work on without exiting graphics environment.
Lasso Fence Select for Features, Parts, Faces, Assemblies. Allows you to edit multiple features at once. It wasn’t clear if this is ordered or sync only, I’m assuming it is at least ordered, since the rest of the presentation never even mentioned sync.
Save As Mirrored Part – appears to mirror a history-based part with all of the features, sketches, etc. This wouldn’t matter so much with a sync part.
MBD – Autodimension, supports more dimensioning methods, inserts PMI into views.
Common Model Views – also making views for MBD.
Search – finds part/assembly names in Pathfinder
Trim Tube – allows for multiple tube trims in a single operation
Launch Date for SE 24 – Tuesday, October 11, 2023. Spelling nerd – “peak” is the top of a mountain. “Peek” is a stolen glance or a plastic material (Polyether ether ketone).
In contrast, AutoCAD is Command Line driven, yes ancient, but if all commands are memorised, the ribbon can be closed, so no matter how they mix up ribbon or toolbars in the UI it shouldn’t bother a seasoned user, and faster than click click clicking, the M$ way. It’s a shame all these other apps keep using or updating the UI with the old Windows Vista/Office era Ribbon UI.
Wish the developers swiftly update apps with the Windows App SDK (WinUI 3), get rid of all these legacy white auxiliary dialogue boxes plaguing the OS since 1995.
Another peeve is the feature preferences type panels being so far away from the current cursor position which is in this middle of the display after selecting an entity, if the display is 1m ultra wide curved, mouse movement on a full width window is about 40cm in each direction, poor mouse gets blistered feet.
Lasso fencing selection is a carry-over from NX. Actually from UG. It’s a very old selection method we used in the days of 3D wireframe and 3D surfacing. So, I am not surprised to see this migrated to SE.
The same can be said about the common model views and MBD features. This function was also used by the NX PMI tools. So, to me, it is aligning SE and NX PMI capabilities. No surprise there. Create your PMI in one system and use it in another..but it would be interesting to know if the Teamcenter output would be JT with PMI or if you are actually reading the CAD formats in the other CAD application- (i.e. Nx reading native SE for PMI or SE reading the native .prt of NX)
I’ve seen her at these events before, and seen her in action at the round tables. She knows the product and feature request history. They go very heavily from customer input. I don’t think the SE product is suffering. I think real competition with bad decisions at SW is driving development.
As a relatively new convert, I like the context bars, but I agree that legacy methods should be retained for existing users with a lot invested.