SolidWorks World 2012 is Underway
For a guy who’s a bit claustrophobic, and dislikes airports, my home office is the perfect place to sit and watch the news from SolidWorks World. More than that, the best years of SolidWorks are almost certainly behind them, so being there would be maybe a bit of a disappointment. Other folks still have enthusiasm for them, which works out well for me. I can get the information I’m interested in without wasting my time.
The first general session will be happening shortly, and I’ll be watching it on Lou Gallo’s live feed. I’ll then write about it here to give my take on things, and have a place to host a discussion. So stay tuned, there will probably be a couple of posts between now and Wednesday.
From the running feed:
5600 attendees
Bertrand Sicot doing the intro
Amazing how much duplicate useless info you get on Twitter…
Mike Rowe of Dirty Jobs on stage
1.7 million users
50k certified users
2 million draftsight downloads
“next generation” will come next year
platform transition will be seamless
Bernard Charles – how many ears are bleeding at this point
SolidWorks 20% of DS
Netvibes acquisition
Nest thermostat is a $250 device designed in SolidWorks to replace a $20 device.
Do we need to hear anything else? SolidWorks is not going to gain any more power. I doubt the new version will be as powerful as the current version.
Sorry, there’s just not anything new here. Charles’ “I” vs “we” is just too creepy to even comment on. They keep talking about “transition”, yet insist that there will be no forced march. Not sure what to make of that. The insistence that the “transition” will be “seamless” is something I think even SW employees don’t believe. Gutting a kernel is not without consequence. Gutting a kernel and an interface is very likely to draw some attention.
Anyway. Nothing to see here.
@Chris
Hi,
Maybe your knowledge is very poor in SE. You must go to SE training.
Of course there are some features in SW which are better then in SE, but this is true vica versa.
We had many problems with configurations in SW, because this is instable and the “master” file would be tooooooo large… etc…
And I can do a long list about these problems…. But I think this forum isn’t the right place!!!
Solid Edge offers many unique technologies like opend profile, synch tech… ect…
And this is my opinion!
No I am am Soldi Edge user since V20 nowST3MP10, before I have worked with SolidWorks (SW2003-2008).
You guys are talking about software witch you never have used for productive working, I would say you are the fanboys here. I would suggest to work first with booth tool for a while after that you will be able to make an objective opinion.
@Matt show me just some example which you have done by Solid Edge!
@Solid DNA: have you experience in Solid Works and Solid Edge??
In our company we have about 8 Solid Edge licences, most of them classic. We are waiting now to see what will happen in ST5, when there are still weak improvements (ST-ST4) for the parametric modeling than we will quit our contract.
I am in contact with other people who are using SolidEdge, since Siemens started with this ST technology the most of them are thinking about switching the system.
Sorry when I am so directly but that is my opinion about Solid Edge, it is a nice product but far away from SolidWorks or inventor in detail functions.
Chris i can understand in some ways that you do not found the “same tools” as SW. For one single reason, SE is doing stuff with a different approach. The most famous one that I mention often, SW culture seems to be focusing on Skeleton modeling where SE culture is oriented to Feature base modeling. That alone could play a big role in the perception you have about SE.
If you have the chance to get your hand on the SE help look for topic named
.Create Part
..Part Modeling workflow overview
.Feature modeling
For part configuration, SE does not need any crutch (read excel) A solid edge file will be autonomous. In fact a Solid Edge part file will roughly work like a part factory from which you will be able to crate and publish variations of the same model.
We can even have conditional formula if need
For visualization if you talk about rendering, i think you need to look closer at Virtual Studio +. Also with ST4 they have invest time to have initial render more eyes appealing. Do SE need to have more in this area, probably, but one thing is sure SE is note meant to create the next block buster movie, it’s focus is mechanical design. Software like keyshot are dedicated for this kind of task so i rather see Siemens invest in developing more mechanical tool then marketing tool.
For wall Thickness, not sure what you need, In the Part module you have the Draft analysts tool. Solid Edge has also a mold module http://www.semoldtooling.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=category§ionid=4&id=16&Itemid=31 and a injection plastic partner just like SW user like it http://blog.industrysoftware.automation.siemens.com/blog/2010/12/13/injection-molding-checkout-simpoe/
Bidirectional changes is something cool in a marketing demo, but in real life management, 3D model is the master. Any way in many cases, if not all once a modifications is done, we need to validate this change on the 3D model, like interference.
For surface creation, Solid Edge introduced Bluesurf and BlueDot in V14 about 10 years ago and it is still capable to answer many if not all the needs of average designer. Do this technology need to be update maybe because lots of things has change in the last ten years and maybe Siemens would like to get more market share in the Industrial Design market.
For title block not sure what you are looking for, Callout command allow you to get all the info need. If you are looking for popping windows asking to fill a table so the Title block get the correct information, just you may want to check the Soldi Edge properties manager, it allow you to fill properties in batch ( and yes those properties can flow from 2D to 3D) you can event create new one one the fly. The properties associate to a callout can be set to retrieve information from 6 different sources. ( from the help look for topic: Select Property Text dialog box)
Apply inter-part relationships can be define in 6 different ways. Allow inter-part relationships between multiple assemblies or sub-assembly may result in conflict. SE internally have some safe guard to prevent you from doing weird thing. Ok you may find this like restriction, but if this help you protect you design integrity i can live with those restriction. I believe this is a role that the software should assume.
Additional tools Solid Edge has a voyager program almost since its debut it is now call Solid Edge Ecosystem, Mark Burhop is in charge of the program…200 partners in 2004 http://www.cimdata.com/newsletter/2004/38/02/38.02.04.htm From my point of view Solid edge did not choose to develop partner relationship the same way SW have done. SW seem to force partner to develop inside their interface. SE partners have more freedom to do what ever they feel is better for the integration.
Motion analysis OK i give you this one at 70% ( in your favor). If you look a this from the “Block buster” point of view, we need more dynamic feed back. From a mechanical point of view i will drop this at 50% (in your favor) This is probably one area that i would like to see enhancement. In its current state does it prevent me from conducting the necessary analysis. I don’t think so.
Rendering well see above…
From what you mention i have the feeling you are from the Inventor side rather them from the SW camp.
Sorry Matt for the long reply…
@Neil
The best example of “you did not ask the right question” is this funny quirk with the 2010 SolidWorks Help: http://help.solidworks.com/Search.aspx?query=linestyle&version=2010&lang=English&prod=SolidWorks
@Chris
Chris, most of your information is simply wrong. Some is pretty obscure. “Multiple contexts” is something I helped get into SolidWorks back in 98, but it is so rarely used that most people don’t even know it’s there. And most of the time when it’s used, it’s a mistake. It’s so infrequently used that it is turned off by default.
SE has the bluesurf, which has some advantages over the boundary.
SE has plenty of visualization options.
SE has part families, which addresses a lot of the problems with configurations
SE doesn’t have rendering? Where did that come from?
SE has kinematic simulation
SE frames does 3d sketching (like weldments)
“Additional tools”???
It’s true that SE doesn’t have as many licenses as SW. I think the main appeal of SE has started in the last couple of years. New management is I think responsible for bringing more attention to what is technically a great product.
The big advantage of SE over SW is that SE is focused, not wildly flailing at whatever.
Can you quote someone from Siemens who said that SW has a “better marketing dept”? SW has more money to throw, but I doubt anyone at Siemens would say that SW has better marketing.
I’m sorry you don’t “get” synch tech. I invite you to show a real example. Bring native SW data, and SE will change it easier than SW does (except for complex surfaces).
Just as a friendly warning, discussion is great. I love different points of view, but trolling (just trying to cause an argument) gets removed rather quickly. Bring some examples and quotes, and cite sources. If you want to be taken seriously, fanboy accusations aren’t going to help you.
@Neil,
Siemens don’t publish numbers of licences, I think SolidWorks has a much bigger R&D stuff for developing and it would be not a big issue to develop two system at the same time.
As SolidWorks is poorly done here I can not understand, Solid Edge ST4 still can not even hold a candle to SolidWorks 2008.
a few examples of not existing or poor implemented functions in Solid Edge:
– 3D-Sketches
– Configurations
– Visualization in 3D (quality of models)
– Wall thickness analyses
– bidirectional changes (draft => model)
– Surface creation (boundary)
– Title block fill in (no tool available, just properties)
– Interpart relationships of a part between more than one assembly or sub-assembly
– Availability of additional tools
– Motion analysis in assembly
– Rendering
…
..
.
The argumentation of Siemens, that SWX just a has s better marketing department is absolutely weak.
I watched a video of the session on YouTube.
As expected there was some feel good general chatter, humour and the usual report of corporate prosperity etc. Collaboration seems to be the pitch for v6 now rather than cloud tech. I suppose given the occasion you can excuse the examples given for being of an entertaining and inspirational nature rather than practical.
I do wonder how the audience reacted though when it was mentioned that v6 is coming next year and to being assured again about not being forced to the cloud….
The camera didn’t show that, only rosy faced coders taking a bow in their rosy suits. Not sure if thats to hide the blood like Centurions or if they like to think of themselves as Santa’s little helpers?
I am anticipating with 90% (up from 80%??) of new features apparently coming from user requests SW2013 will have even less real substance than SW2012. Is that the cover? That would make it pretty hard to reconcile the talk of ongoing parallel development, until users say otherwise, with what actually arrives. If it is an even weaker release will users still open their wallets? Will the silent majority remain so? Will SE get more customers?
It could be that behind the scenes things are coming along much slower than they would like. 6 years does seem like a long time to be working and not have something to sell and ‘next year’ seems to allow yet another 18 months…
Must say it was the least interesting general session to date. Mike Rowe and Tony Fadell were both great. Bertrand was very bland and Bernard made the poor scientist so nurvous. The Solidworks MCs seemed very unprepared.
FYI, we also have some live video coverage here as well:
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/solidbox-live
https://www.facebook.com/SolidBox
I looked though the live feed replay. Some of it was quite funny.
Bertrand has a new friend in a ‘raping’ robot.
Probably he will find him a job with the marketing dept for the cloud launch.
The new SW motto is amusing too – if we ask the right questions we can change the world… well as any user knows you can ask as many questions as you like of SW however you won’t get the answers, they’ll give you a search engine though…
Q: Is there anything I should know about splines and control polys?
A: You did not ask the right question, please try again. Was this article helpful?
Q: Nothing changes then?
A: Did you mean ‘virtually nothing’? There are many solutions for SW + ‘virtually’ + ‘nothing’
Q: Is this a life like experience?
A: I am excited by a Jim in a bag. I found a friend to go ‘raping’ with. Meow.
I gave Jim a ping. I let it out a little early. I can not reproduce. Is this your problem? It could be the lead-in for a dirty joke.
All the customers that I’ve met with over the years have a preference of using one or the other. I have a video I have been asked not to share.
The requested URL was not found on this server.We are changing our privacy policy and terms. Solidworks in general has a real hard time.
Q: How did it get this way?
A: 42. Can you spot the error?
Design by committee doesn’t work, though SW leadership seems bent on trying anyway. Ug.
@Chris
Chris, read some of the other posts, ok?
That general session didn’t have much to do with SolidWorks… i’m not even surprised anymore. I’m not a big fan of general sessions, they’re so general, no matter how you deliver them you will always disappoint some and please others.
Matt, I think it’s time to change your CAD, why you don’t switch over to Solid Edge or Inventor?