MCAD Tech News (#228)

Digital Manufacturing's Growing PLM Role

A suite of software from Siemens PLM Software is designed to take on the tasks of manufacturing process management.

By Jeffrey Rowe

The two-day event covered a lot of ground, including how companies have dealt with manufacturing issues through applying digital manufacturing technology, how Siemens is expanding its digital manufacturing offerings, best practice sessions that discussed applying the technology to specific industry problems, and the possible future directions digital manufacturing might take. Of course, the star of the show was Tecnomatix , Siemens? product line for what is also called manufacturing process management (MPM), but is now more simply known as digital manufacturing. Today, the Tecnomatix suite of software and services has expanded to include MPM and control, production management, and execution.

I believe one reason MPM is gaining momentum in the PLM marketplace is that while other facets of PLM concern themselves with what will be created, digital manufacturing addresses how something will be created. In other words, the Tecnomatix product line is concerned with process as it relates to creating a product. As a further means of becoming more competitive, digital manufacturing is growing beyond its traditional automotive/aerospace niche and moving into the mainstream with manufacturers of all sizes and industries. Read more 

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Cadalyst contributing editor Jeffrey Rowe is the principal of Cairowest Group, an independent industrial design, mechanical engineering and technical communication consulting firm with offices in Colorado and Michigan. You can reach him by e-mail at jrowe@cairowest.com or by phone at 719.539.8549.

NX 5, Part 2 (Cadalyst Labs Review)

By Jeffrey Rowe

With more than 400 enhancements, there is no doubt that NX 5 is a major release for Siemens PLM Software (formerly UGS). In fact, it was so major that Cadalyst chose to split the review into two parts.

In part 1 of this series, I covered some of the basic aspects of NX 5 with regard to what makes this release so significant, getting started with sketching and part modeling, as well as using collaborative design practices. In Part 2, I'll cover assemblies, visualization, and drawings. Even though I was given the opportunity to review NX 5 in two parts, its many enhancements make it difficult to cover much beyond the highlights of this release.

So, let's get started with assemblies and move on other significant aspects of NX 5. Read more

Mark Your Calendar: MCAD Events

SolidWorks World 2008
January 20-23, 2008
San Diego, California
The SolidWorks World 2008 International User Conference & Exposition promises general sessions, more than 150 training sessions, 200 new products in the 9,000-square-foot Product Design Showcase, and more than 100 innovative solutions in the Partner Pavilion. A full conference pass is $995 with a $100 early bird discount through December 14. Read more

FIATECH's 2008 Annual Technology Conference
March 31-April 2, 2008
New Orleans, Louisiana
FIATECH's Annual Technology Conference & Showcase aims to share and demonstrate emerging technologies that will significantly improve the capital projects industry, especially new, emerging solutions not currently in wide use in the industry but currently or imminently available. Read more

3D Collaboration & Interoperability Conference
May 15-16, 2008
Denver, Colorado
Industry leaders from manufacturers in automotive, aerospace, heavy equipment, high-tech, electronics, and other discrete industries, along with representatives from government and the defense community, will meet to share presentations and interactive panel sessions about real-world user experiences and solutions in 3D collaboration and CAD interoperability. Read more

24th Coordinate Metrology Systems Conference (CMSC)
July 21-25, 2008
Charlotte-Concord, North Carolina
The CMSC is the only North American conference dedicated solely to users of portable, high-precision measurement technology used to inspect manufactured and assembled components on the factory floor. Each year, the CMSC community convenes to gather information and attend white paper presentations delivered by their peers. Read more

PLM Road Map 2008
September 23-24, 2008
Detroit, Michigan
Sponsored by CPD Associates (CPDA), PLM Road Map is a strategic conference focused on the critical trade-offs that shape product development. Presentations will cover driving critical parameters across design, frameworks for process transformation, the impact of organizational and cultural constraints, SOA for integration across the full development cycle, and more. Read more

Click here to view the complete calendar of events at Cadalyst.com.

For Cadalyst?s full calendar of events, click here.