DEVELOP3D spoke to Dan Staples, VP for Mainstream Engineering, Siemens Digital Industries Software, to get his insight into the Solid Edge 2024 release and where the software is pushing workflows most in this release.
What are the highlights of the Solid Edge 2024 update for you?
With this year’s release of Solid Edge 2024, we continue to push the boundaries of product development technology by empowering users to design more intelligently across every aspect of product development.
With a continued focus on the user experience and large assembly performance, Solid Edge 2024 introduces functionalities and enhancements to automate and speed design as well as collaboration.
A few highlights I’m proud of – the 9-times faster graphical performance, AI driven assembly relationships, great advancements in intelligent dimensioning, and so much more.
AI features high-up in the Solid Edge 2024 release notes – how do you see AI as part of a day-to-day workflow?
AI, when implemented in tools like Solid Edge, can remove repetitive tasks and free up resources in an engineering team. The reality is that CAD users are often carrying out tedious, repetitive tasks – so why not let the computer do that?
AI is also useful in an industrial context when used alongside other advanced technologies – look at the work we have been doing for the past few years on generative design, where we use simulation technology to automate concept design, based on loads and constraints in a product.
AI can change how we design, but it needs to sit alongside our existing technologies — and with capabilities such as synchronous technology, we believe that Siemens has the optimal portfolio of software that can help users overcome real-world barriers to innovation by taking advantage of AI assisted design.
A lot of what we hear about is the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio, so how does Solid Edge fit into that?
Siemens Xcelerator is an integrated portfolio of industrial software and services, and it really blurs the boundaries between traditionally standalone domains like electronics, mechanical and software.
It ties all those disciplines together into a single seamless whole. And, frankly, Siemens Xcelerator really starts with Solid Edge – it’s a key part of the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio and is squarely focused on the requirements of small and mid-size manufacturers.
Solid Edge enables manufacturers to create a comprehensive digital twin of their products and includes solutions for mechanical design, electrical design, simulation, manufacturing and technical publications. It also includes solutions for data management for all the technical data that’s created and consumed when supporting the comprehensive digital twin.
Ultimately, Solid Edge facilitates collaboration both within manufacturing companies and with external resources, including suppliers and customers – that makes it the on-ramp to digital transformation and enables us to help customers accelerate their digital transformation with Solid Edge 2024.
You mention digital transformation, what does that mean for small- and medium-sized business?
Digital transformation is the unleashing of the power of intelligent product design, and that’s at the core of it. It’s the integration of digital technologies into all aspects of your engineering business, but what that looks like can vary based on the size of the company.
In 2021, 72% of the advanced SMBs surveyed [as part of a Siemens-sponsored survey] believed that digital transformation helps level the playing field for small businesses versus their larger competitors – the last time the survey was taken [2017], it was 63%.
Are the same benefits true for startups?
Even smaller companies like startups are leveling the playing field through digital technologies that help them collaborate more effectively.
We’re truly excited to engage with the engineers of tomorrow through this amazing program. From education to startups to even larger enterprises, Siemens Digital Industries Software is all about helping companies transform into a digital enterprise. And that digital transformation is enabled by Siemens Xcelerator.
Let’s finish up with something new for Solid Edge 2024 that we’ve not seen before – how does Teamcenter Share tie all this together?
Teamcenter Share builds on our previous cloud-based data sharing and collaboration capabilities, previously known as Xcelerator Share, a common service offered as part of any subscription to Siemens Xcelerator portfolio and allows the sharing of data and collaboration around that data wherever it is needed.
Teamcenter Share is now embedded in Solid Edge 2024 and provides subscribers to Solid Edge SaaS with a streamlined collaboration platform to help them work with their entire team, including partners and customers.
Through Teamcenter Share users are able to view, interact with and collaborate around a wide variety of data formats (from both Siemens and third-party systems). It also offers built-in data management capabilities: files can be checked in or out and access controlled at all times, projects managed, and tasks assigned – all from within the Solid Edge interface without the need to use another application.
If a partner or team member needs access but does not have Solid Edge available, the same Teamcenter Share experience is also available via a web browser, on any device, opening up collaboration for those that need it when they need it.
Solid Edge 2024 adds AI, but maintains focus on large assemblies
