Solid Edge University 2012
The Solid Edge version of SolidWorks World is now being called Solid Edge University, although Dave Ault is holding out for last year’s name, the Solid Edge Summit. Whatever you call it, you can get registered now. It’s only $350 to attend if you register before Feb 24, that’s a serious bargain (SolidWorks World is a ridiculous $995 just for admission).
Check out the schedule of events. Breakout sessions, keynote speakers, receptions, hands-on sessions, and introducing Solid Edge ST5. Last year’s event at Huntsville was the most enthusiastic I’ve heard CAD users of any stripe in a long time. This year’s event will likely be bigger and better. If you’re a Solid Edge user, this is an event you won’t want to miss. It will pay for itself in technical information alone, not to mention contacts with other users, and the opportunity to speak with influential Solid Edge employees.
Even if you are just considering purchasing Solid Edge, going to the conference, sitting in the technical sessions, and talking with real users could be a relatively inexpensive way to expand your evaluation of the software.
People to watch out for in this video: Tony Affuso at 0:22, Karsten Newbury at 0:41, Mark Burhop at 0:42. I’m sure there are other people whose names you know in there, but those were the ones I caught.
@John,
I don’t know about love fest…
Probably a number of folk got tired of being propositioned by the rather gummy old cow that is SW. Repeatedly asking $1295 for not very much eventually turns from annoyance to disgust.
Having Bernard Charles out trying to land love bites on passers by didn’t help either.
Think of it as a welcome relief from what amounts to a modern day pestulance. 😉
Hi John
Thought I would step in here and try to clear a few things up.
I am a past and current user of Solid Edge and am a huge supporter of synchronous technology.
Reading through some of the recent posts back and forth, I tend to agree with the point that SE’s strengths do not lie in surfacing. This does not mean that surfacing tools don’t exist or that they are not powerful but calling a spade a spade, it’s just not it’s strongest point.
You mention that you think complex parts cannot be made using synchronous techniques to which I wholeheartedly disagree. I live entirely in the synchronous environment and use the software for many hours each day. What I have found (and it finally clicked with me in ST3) was just how differently you have to approach the design in synch vs how you would do it if it were to be designed in an ordered environment. Once you crack the steering wheel which I know you probably haven’t even scratched the surface in the few days that you have been playing with it, then the design world is your metallic oyster!
It does have a few limitations, which are gradually shrinking with each release but I have not found a single thing that I cannot do in synch. I have imported and manipulated SW files and inventor files and had no idea or didn’t care how they were designed. It just worked.
I am not a lover of any particular piece of software just for the sake of it and I hate the word fanboy but when something changes the way I work for the better then I want to share my story and some of the successes with others. Luckily Siemens allowed me to do that and tell my story at the ST4 event last year.
I have also given my opinion (which means very little) to Dan Staples with regards to the surfacing environment and it’s need for a serious overhaul. When they do address this in some future release, I am sure it will flow into the synchronous environment and be more than suitable for its intended audience.
Also one other thing. If you still have time on your license, I urge you to design something in the synch sheet metal environment. If this fails to impress you then I give up!
I wish you the very best
Regards
Andrew
@John Jones
Hi John
I’m an SE sync tech user and I very much identify with your sentiment. It has taken me probably two years to feel comfortable with sync after being a long time history user. As you say, things moving without your explicit instruction can be very unsettling and one of the biggest hurdles to overcome is understanding Live Rules. IMO there is no way you will feel comfortable with sync in 45 days if you are used to SW or SE V20 (pre sync), actually you will very possibly be at the height of frustration. Even though things look similar, they work in a totally different way.
So I don’t take your comments as anything other than totally genuine and fair – I’ve been there. But now that I am comfortable with both, I can assure you that sync is very far from a marketing gimmick. It’s not CAD nirvana and for some tasks it is currently totally unsuitable, but on some occasions it is superb and for those tasks it is hard to go back to history only.
Matt, i have only been following your blog for a few weeks, but if SW is best at surfacing and that is your mainstay, why are you going on about how great SE is? Have you tried designing a full machine in it, or just taking their word for it? I am no developer or kernel expert, but I can’t imagine how they would ever be able to make/edit complex geometry with ST. If the response is “use ordered” then why would I ever use ST on anything other than simple prismatic parts? Horses for courses I suppose, but a tool that is consistent and does not make you choose a mode or a part file type to do a particular job makes more sense to me. Maybe I am just behind the times. BTW, I love cloud apps, just to wind you up 😉
Neil, I tried it on a project to give it a second chance (actually third and fourth) to change my perception. SW doesn’t have direct modeling so I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. All about nothing it seems, just some marketeer’s last gasp chance to compete with the clear market leader. I had no idea that ST did not do surfacing, it seems the same marketeers neglect to mention that. Anyways, it also seems this blog is nothing but backhanded and bitchy towards SW recently….:) maybe I should keep my observations to myself so as to not upset the SE love fest going on here.
@John Jones
John, maybe you’re coming in in the middle of the story. SolidWorks has been doing a lot to annoy people for the last couple of years. If you use SW surfacing, you know how many useful enhancements there have been in the last few years. They claim to be writing a lot of code, but from my point of view, none of it is impacting on stuff I need from a CAD vendor.
My fascination with Solid Edge is from a different point of view. First, since ST3 and the change in management, I really think the team behind the software has been energized in a way that I haven’t seen since the early days of SW. I like their energy. I like the product. The Synch Tech stuff is best on machine design, which I’ve written here lots of times, but you probably haven’t taken the time to read. I’ve done a comparison of SE and SW surfacing, and SW had the better tools. I’m completely convinced that one tool with both ordered and Synch Tech is totally the way to go. The SE software is focused on machine design, and even though that’s not what I need for my work, I think it’s the right thing for them to do to focus on something they are good at, and maybe grow your competence over time.
Thanks for your opinion on the software.
John, I don’t really know why you would use something you didn’t understand and hated for a project and then complain about it. Surely if you had a few clues you would have realised before you started SE isn’t opimised for surfacing. Sounds kind of backhanded and bitchy to me… 😉
Matt, sorry to upset your little love fest for SE here, but it seems that recently you can say nothing good about SW (although you have maybe made a good living from your books?). Personally, I can’t see the attraction. I downloaded the 45 day trial (very generous BTW) and was stumped at first, I hated it. After a while I got to quite like ST until I tried it on a project, then realized it was a complete nightmare. Faces moving all over the place, sketches thrown away after first use, having to switch between ordered and sync depending upon the job. I do a fair amount of surface modeling and of course that deos not work with ST. I think there is a good reason that CoCreate and all the other direct modeling products never caught on. I imagine this will get a barrage of clever responses, but i’m sure for many, “ordered” is the only way forward. I guess Dan et al have given you the love you crave.
@Dan Staples
Woo hoo. Success. Now I won’t be the ugly troll picture randomly. Unless the picture I uploaded still qualifies. 🙂
@Devon Sowell
I have reset on gravatar also. This post will tell whether it works or not!
WOW, this is refreshing. A thread laced with a little happiness and enthusiasm and optimism. Plus mixed with a little excitement of what the future may hold. Been a long time since I have seen such a thread here on Matt’s blog, kind of nice.
testing gravatar image reset
fail oh well I really don’t care what the image is
@Ray Regan
Ray, sorry about those stupid images. Those are automatically assigned by my blog software. There is a way for you to control your image, and I wish people would do this. If you go to http://en.gravatar.com/, you can register an image to be used with the email address you use for commenting here, whether it is real or bogus. Then that image will be used for most blogs you comment on.
Thank you for the replys. I guess all I have to do now is ask Matt to change my frowny face icon into a smiley face.
Ray, My company used SW for years but when SE with ST came out we switched. It was a no brainer and were very glad we did. No rebuilds and No fixing broken mates. You can manipulate parts as you were holding it in your hands. None of that back and forth stuff as in SW. We very rarely use SW any more and when we do its like pulling your hair out after you’ve experienced SE.
SW docs open directly into a SE doc no problem!
Hi Ray,
Yes it does. Basically everything becomes “intelligent” in Synchronous as the design intent and freedom to manipulate is unlimited.
I have recent experience of working with converted SW files
Matt,
Does Solid Edge convert SW files to intelligent models? Or are they working on this?
I’m eager to see the blend of ST and industrial design surfacing. Nail that one and you may have a new customer here. I’ll keep an eye on all the new developments in the meantime.
Wow, I’m really glad to see the enthusiasm for the product, and even more than that, all the support for the team behind the product from users. That says a lot, and it has been some time since I was able to feel great about my CAD supplier. Looking forward to this event more and more.
There really is nothing like Solid Edge out there. Many are trying but nothing has the polish that SE and synchronous has. Remember we are at release 5 of synchronous this year and the team have learned a lot (as well as us users). All “direct modeling” systems being released now are at release 1 or 2 and will need a few years to catch up and learn what the Siemens team have learned about History free modeling.
Make the change sooner rather than later. You’ll be glad you did! These events will surely convince you to make that change either from another CAD package or if you are still using the Solid Edge History Based methods, to change to synchronous.
A comment like that comming from a well respected and a great reference like Matt Lombard make me proud to work in a company and team like Siemens PLM. Exited to meet you all at Solid Edge University 2012.
Dan Siqueira
Siemens PLM Brazil
@Susan Cinadr
Thanks, Susan. Yeah, I look forward to meeting you too. This should be fun.
@Bob Mileti
I’ve seen your name all over the place for SE stuff, and it will be great to meet you as well. About the event last year, I was interested in going, but the SE guys very much wanted to focus on it being a user event, so I didn’t go. I’m glad their focus came through to the users.
The one thing I keep saying is that the excitement around Solid Edge now, even though its a 17 year old product is just like the excitement around SolidWorks way back then. You guys have a product with a new lease on life, and its great to see.
For all you folks (and Matt) that are going to follow him for the event, we are using the hashtag #SEU12 on Twitter.
Looking forward to finally meeting you Matt!
Susan
Fantastic, we’re looking forward to Matt’s reports.
Devon
@matt
Matt, this is Great News… and now one more thing for everyone to look forward to.
And what you’re seeing first hand is just another reason why the Solid Edge community is so excited. Karsten along with everyone at Siemens are truly dedicated to making Solid Edge not only the best CAD platform in the market, but now showing the world the reasons why… they simply have the most responsive development team in the business which most long time Solid Edge users have always known. At last years Summit the atmosphere was low key, personal and well organized… But most importantly it was never one sided. You were made to feel like the event was all about YOU, and not some marketing presentation or marketplace for 3rd party vendors.
Again great news about having you join us in June… but I think it’s fair to say that none of us old timers are one bit surprised by Karsten’s offer.
Bob
Solid Edge user since 1999
Oh I’ with Dave on this University stuff… I wanted it to be SE CAD CAMP… way more fun then school!
It’s a pity the USA is halfway round the world, I wish I could attend.
I’ll set up a live blog. It’ll be like you’re sitting on my shoulder. Well, almost. There will be plenty of Twitter coverage too, you’ll just have to stay up all night to watch it live.
Great, thanks Karsten. I actually really am interested to know, and it seems quite a few others are as well. Who better to send along for a look-see on our behalf than Matt……lucky sod 😉
All right, consider it done. If Matt wants to come we’ll get him there. He’ll just have to write a report so we can learn what works well and what doesn’t. And I know that he’ll put in an objective report, so that’s a given. 😉
Best regards,
Karsten
Siemens Solid Edge
@Devon Sowell
Wow, that worked out well. Maybe you guys could tell my boss to give me a raise next;-) I guess I’ll clear my calendar for mid-June, and start practicing those Conway Twitty tunes.
Thanks for the swift executive action, Karsten!
Great opportunity for solidedge to snag all the solidworks users. Guess it depends upon how solidworks world turns out.
@Devon Sowell
I second that!
Yeah please include Matt in the press. I am confident he would turn in a solid and objective report for interested SW users/defectors. Matt’s quite a clued up fellow and he writes very well. Don’t know how much beer he drinks though… 😉
BTW $2595 – typical Autodesk – reem everyone out at every opportunity… low life!
@ralphg
Geez. That sounds like a lot. Better have good beer. And they should pay their presenters at that rate.
Autodesk University is $2595. for three days, hotel and airfare extra. No, I didn’t misplace the decimal point.
@matt
I was there last year and the event was very good in every way, whether the content, or the network, and even by the strong community among users of SolidEdge, you can be sure it is really fun!
I hope to see you there
SolidEdge, please pay Matt’s way to your conference so we can learn more about SolidEdge.
Thanks,
Devon
@Fábio Andreosi
Fabio, I don’t know if I’ll be there or not. I wasn’t there last year. Sounds like fun, though.
Hi Matt, Great Post, You’ll go to the Solid Edge University this year?
@Neil
Neil, I don’t know about how the price has changed. They run deals, so not everybody pays that. I’ve been to a bunch, but never had to pay.
@barney
There are a couple of comparisons on this blog already. One for the interface (http://www.dezignstuff.com/blog/?p=4052), one for surfacing (http://www.dezignstuff.com/blog/?p=4139) and another for sheet metal (http://www.dezignstuff.com/blog/?p=760).
PS: Ralph Grabowski has dropped a little hint that there may be a multi-article write up on Solid Edge in the near future: http://www.upfrontezine.com/2012/upf-719.htm
Hi matt,
how about a comparison between Solidworks and Solid Edge? Just try to create a model like the “Medical Devices” sample in both systems.
$995 really….has it always been that? I’ve never paid attention (probably cos I never considered going) but that seems a lot particularly in comparison to $350. What extra stuff does that provide that $350 wouldn’t get you? Coupled with flights, accommodation, meals that’s pretty serious for a few days….
Maybe the difference pays for Mr Charles and entourage to travel first class on an A380 along with a little château DS perhaps.
Gee I just thought I hope that Catia glitch they had a while back isn’t responsible for those wing cracks…yeah OK just making a crack of my own 😉
The SE summit looks interesting. Will you be going along in any capacity Matt?
Be nice to hear about what its like. Hearing about SWW has gotten a little stale really…