CAD/CAM software

Siemens PLM Software’s latest release of NX software, the company’s fully integrated computer-aided design, manufacturing and engineering analysis (CAD/CAM/CAE) solution, includes extensive enhancements to its CAE offering. NX 8 features the company’s widely used NX Nastran software for solving challenging simulation problems. NX 8 for simulation offers new solutions for optimization and multi-physics analysis, along with new methods for analysing complex assemblies. Enhancements to NX Nastran include improvements in nonlinear and dynamic analysis, as well as increases in computational performance and modelling ease-of-use. The new and existing functionality in NX CAE helps reduce the time spent preparing and solving analysis models by up to 70 percent when compared to traditional CAE tools, the company says. Features include: Simulation environment and geometry foundation improvements reduce the time spent working with geometry and accelerate analysis modelling; Multi-discipline simulation and optimization enhancements broaden NX CAE to include new topology optimization and multi-physics analysis solutions; Systems-level simulation improvements streamline finite element assembly management and expand high performance computing capacity for computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis; and High Definition 3D (HD3D) capabilities include enhancements like new simulation “results measures” that allow users to tie results directly to requirements so teams can make smarter decisions. Enhancements to the NX 8 manufacturing capabilities include new or extended functionality focused on both machinery and tooling design, such as optimized NC programming for machinery and heavy equipment part production, along with improvements that combine tooling design automation with CAE-based validation tools. NX CAM enhancements for machinery and heavy equipment extends existing CAD/CAM, programming automation and integrated machine tool simulation capabilities with new automated, context-specific functions to simplify the generation of smart tool paths for prismatic parts. With new volume-based 2.5D milling operations for faster programming, automatic tracking of uncut material across multi-stage machining processes, and programming automation for multi-part setups, NX CAM for machinery delivers a fast and highly accurate machining solution. Enhancements to NX 8 in the area of product design include more powerful and efficient modelling, drafting and validation solutions, along with expanded HD3D support for better design decisions.

www.siemens.com/plm/nx8