Solid Edge 2024 What’s New

Solid Edge has a new version out, and they have a site with some short videos that demo the new functionalities. Check out the videos. My summary just hits on a few topics that are important to me. Plus, I’m skipping a lot of details. You really owe it to yourself to check it all out.

Interface

Recent interface changes in Solid Edge have been controversial. One addition that shouldn’t be controversial is that there is now a Search function in the Options. Yay! That one will save me a lot of time, and I’m sure I’ll make better use of the software if I can find the options!

Here’s one we can argue about if you want to. Grippers on Context Bars. Left is old, Right is new. I think I’ll spend more time trying to figure out how to move the new ones, and selecting all over the box. Part of the argument was that it seems more “compact”, but it is visually larger. Anyway. I guess I like the old way and don’t get why this was changed at all. Of course it’s not a really important change either, which kind of makes me wonder even more why they did it.

Redisplay context bar. Sometimes a context bar will time out, and you want to redisplay it. Now you can Ctrl-G.

Context bars are also now shown in draft mode when you make multiple selections.

Recent Documents is now easier to access and takes up less space. You can get there through the push pin in the quick access toolbar, and then the recent docs show up in a bar across the top.

Mirrored parts can now give you features instead of just a body. Nice.

Large assemblies view quicker at about 9x faster. I’m just taking their word for it here, I didn’t measure. 3X faster for parts.

Flexible Licensing

Flexible licensing is one of the most practical enhancements that has come in a long long LONG long time. Not just to Solid Edge, but software in general. You buy tokens, and you can use them on levels of Solid Edge or add-ins. It sounds like the different options are used at different rates, depending on the cost of the package. I wasn’t able to see if the rates were based on clock time, CPU cycles, data usage or what the measure is.

In any case, this just sounds like a great idea especially for people who use a wide range of tools, but might not use them every day. Plus it sounds like this solves problems with multiple users. Of course you’re going to need to check out the details on all of this. Anyway, this sounds like a great option to me.

Some of the products that can be handled this way include Generative Design Pro, Point Cloud Visualization, Electrical Routing, PCB Collaboration, Advanced PMI, Simulation Advanced, Simulation Standard and XpresRoute.

On top of this, Solid Edge is available as the traditional license type plus the Solid Edge SAAS. The point here is that it’s your choice.

Teamcenter Share

I’ve been a big fan of this Share application since I saw some of the pre-development work on it. It strikes me that the name has changed more than is probably optimal, but the idea remains the same. I’ve written about Share before. It’s a great tool if you work with people outside of your organization who may not have access to the same software you have. It allows comments, viewing, and a lot more. It’s not PLM, but it will help with collaboration and visual communication.

You can also now use Share with all devices. Grant access levels based on logins. Teamcenter share is fully available within the Solid Edge design environment.

Design Tools

For searching replacement parts there’s a nice new function. You can use wildcards. It’s cool that it’s been added even if this is a decades overdue.

AI features have also been added. This includes replacing parts, the AI will help you find relevant assembly relationships.

Configurators

The word Configurator figures prominently in the What’s New for 2024. There appear to be changes to the Design Configurator, a new Design Configurator Connect and changes to Teamcenter Product Configurator.

The Configurator Connect allows you to create a configurator for your sales team or customers to use on your products. This of course leans heavily on the Family of Parts and Family of Assemblies tools already in Solid Edge.

The Teamcenter Product Configurator allows Teamcenter users to configure varations and BOMs

Some pre-cofigured ladders, cabinets and conveyors that are commonly used. You don’t have to reinvent stuff like this.

Model Based Definition

New tools in Solid Edge enable you to automatically identify and place PMI dimensions for your model and put them in commonly used views.

The Dimension Checker also calculates to see if your model is properly constrained with the existing PMI and if any additional tolerances are needed.

MBD now supports 3D section views in 3D PDF publish and linked highlighting of items in the 3D PDF doc.

Solid Edge is just more fun to use. There are more real tools that really work. There is a real community with real people where you can find answers to your questions.