First roundtable of the day
Siemens has changed its development process so that it can accept input from end-users. So they established these roundtables at Solid Edge University to learn what new functions users want. The format is:
- Bring ideas to the group, describing how it would benefit users
- Open discussion on the idea
- Vote on the ideas brought up
(Not allowed: complaints about bugs, because this is only about new features).
I found it fascinating that this is a mature MCAD system, but there are always new ways of designing that users come up with. In the wish lists below, I prefix comments by the Solid Edge staff with 'SE'. Here we go...
- - -
Being enter relative (offset) x,y points along keypoint curves for sketches.
In synchronous, I would like to see loft command turned into procedural so the guide path and cross sections can be edited. As a workaround, we use hybrid modeling.
In 3D sketches, I'd like to color parts of wholly-defined sketches.
What about flattening bends (unbend) in synchronous?
Wire bending, not electrical, but of metal rods. We would like a flat pattern of circular and rectangular tubes, like sheet metal.
In family of parts table, when making a copy, can we sort the result by name?
A crash report for optimize, so we can tell where it isn't working. I'd like to know where it failed, not just that it did fail.
I'd like to do a counter-drill inside a hole -- in addition to being to already do counter-bores.
We make a lot of wire shelving, and sometimes it gets welded and then assembled. We'd like to be able to flatten the entire assembly.
Lofted flange in synchronous; we build lofted posts. SE: We are working on it, but it is pretty tricky.
I need to put in multiple slots, with corner details like reliefs (so we can cut it quicker). Whereas all holes are the same, every slot can be unique. We need a slot entity, and not just a modified hole.
Set a minimum flange distance for brake presses so that the distance cannot be violated. There should be an option for various gauges (thickness of material).
We cut a lot of tubes with lasers, including along bends. I'd like to design it without having to covert it into sheet metal and then construct it from there.
It is not possible to start drawing with an arc in synchronous for sheet metal. Our workaround is to start in ordered, or start by drawing a very short line. SE: Every bend in a synchronous sheet metal mode is calculated. The software does not know the difference between a curve and a bend. It needs the straight part to do the calculation. We are working on fixing this.
I'd like a dropper to copy colors from one part to another, like using the same green for all ground wires. SE: We are working on it, it will be called Inspect Color.
We can press Shift key for symmetry (and Space to switch between cut out and extrusion) in synchronous but the same does not work elsewhere in Solid Edge.
Further to that last point, I'd like to see more consistency between Solid Edge's different modes. SE: Some of that UI consistency we can do, some we cannot.
We'd like to make a flat pattern, add corner reliefs, add radiuses, and then push the reliefs back into the formed model, so we don't have to keep bending and unbending.
Is the speed being improved for holes? We have 500 or more holes in our sheet metal, and it can take 3-4 minutes in synchronous. SE: The fill pattern method is fastest in synchronous mode.
We need to model an involute for gear teeth. Right now we create an Excel sheet to control the sketch in Solid Edge. It has to be exact, because we cut with a laser cutter.
We would like to reverse the flange direction. SE: It is on the list.
On multi-bodies, I'd turn to turn off the display of some bodies. SE: Turn the body into construction to hide it.
Flatten digging teeth. We have to do it hit-and-miss because now we cannot figure out the flattened size. We can model them, but we cannot flatten them. SE: It sounds like you want conical and variable-radius bends; we'll start with conical.
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