NX (Unigraphics)
Encyclopedia
NX, also known as NX Unigraphics or usually just U-G, is an advanced CAD
/CAM
/CAE
software package developed by Siemens PLM Software
.
It is used, among other tasks, for:
NX is a direct competitor to Creo Elements/Pro, CATIA
, SolidWorks
and Autodesk Inventor
.
UNIAPT was released by a software company then called United Computing, UNIAPT was one of the world's first end-user CAM products.
1973:
The company purchased the Automated Drafting and Machining (ADAM) software code from MGS in 1973. The code became a foundation for a product called UNI-GRAPHICS, later sold commercially as Unigraphics in 1975.
1976 McDonnell Douglas
Aircraft buys Unigraphics.
1981:
Unigraphics was released, marking the group's first true 3D modeling hardware and software offering.
1991:
During a period of financial difficulties McDonnell Douglas
sells Unigraphics to EDS
which at that time is owned by General Motors
. Unigraphics becomes GM's corporate CAD system.
1992:
Over 21,000 seats of Unigraphics are being used worldwide.
1996:
Unigraphics V11.0 is released. Added Industrial Design and Modeling enhancements including Bridge Surface, Curvature Analysis for Curve and Surfaces, Face Blends, Variable Offset Surface, etc. In the area of Assembly Modeling the new capabilities included Component Filters, Faceted Representations, Clearance Analysis between multiple Components, etc. Also this release included a fully integrated Spreadsheet linked to Feature-Based Modeling.
2002
First release of the new "Next Generation" version of Unigraphics and I-deas, called NX. This will eventually bring the functionality and capabilities of both Unigraphics and I-DEAS together into a single consolidated product.
2007
Introduction of Synchronous Technology in NX 5.
A complete history exists on the Unigraphics Virtual Museum.
, Mac OS
, and Linux
.
for its Geometric modeling kernel
and D-Cubed
as Associative engine
for sketcher and assembly constraints as well as using JT (visualization format)
for lightweight data and Multi-CAD.
Computer-aided design
Computer-aided design , also known as computer-aided design and drafting , is the use of computer technology for the process of design and design-documentation. Computer Aided Drafting describes the process of drafting with a computer...
/CAM
Computer-aided manufacturing
Computer-aided manufacturing is the use of computer software to control machine tools and related machinery in the manufacturing of workpieces. This is not the only definition for CAM, but it is the most common; CAM may also refer to the use of a computer to assist in all operations of a...
/CAE
Computer-aided engineering
Computer-aided engineering is the broad usage of computer software to aid in engineering tasks. It includes computer-aided design , computer-aided analysis , computer-integrated manufacturing , computer-aided manufacturing , material requirements planning , and computer-aided planning .- Overview...
software package developed by Siemens PLM Software
Siemens PLM Software
Siemens PLM Software is a computer software company specializing in 3D & 2D Product Lifecycle Management software. The company is a business unit of Siemens Industry Automation division, and is headquartered in Plano, Texas....
.
It is used, among other tasks, for:
- DesignDesignDesign as a noun informally refers to a plan or convention for the construction of an object or a system while “to design” refers to making this plan...
(parametric and direct solid/surface modelling) - Engineering analysisEngineering analysisEngineering analysis involves the application of scientific analytic principles and processes to reveal the properties and state of the system, device or mechanism under study...
(static, dynamic, electro-magnetic, thermal, using the Finite Element MethodFinite element methodThe finite element method is a numerical technique for finding approximate solutions of partial differential equations as well as integral equations...
, and fluid using the finite volume methodFinite volume methodThe finite volume method is a method for representing and evaluating partial differential equations in the form of algebraic equations [LeVeque, 2002; Toro, 1999]....
). - ManufacturingManufacturingManufacturing is the use of machines, tools and labor to produce goods for use or sale. The term may refer to a range of human activity, from handicraft to high tech, but is most commonly applied to industrial production, in which raw materials are transformed into finished goods on a large scale...
finished design by using included machining modules.
NX is a direct competitor to Creo Elements/Pro, CATIA
CATIA
CATIA is a multi-platform CAD/CAM/CAE commercial software suite developed by the French company Dassault Systemes...
, SolidWorks
SolidWorks
SolidWorks is a 3D mechanical CAD program that runs on Microsoft Windows and is being developed by Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks Corp., a subsidiary of Dassault Systèmes, S. A. . SolidWorks is currently used by over 1.3 million engineers and designers at more than 130,000 companies worldwide...
and Autodesk Inventor
Autodesk Inventor
Autodesk Inventor, developed by U.S.-based software company Autodesk, is 3D mechanical solid modeling design software for creating 3D digital prototypes used in the design, visualization and simulation of products...
.
History
1969:UNIAPT was released by a software company then called United Computing, UNIAPT was one of the world's first end-user CAM products.
1973:
The company purchased the Automated Drafting and Machining (ADAM) software code from MGS in 1973. The code became a foundation for a product called UNI-GRAPHICS, later sold commercially as Unigraphics in 1975.
1976 McDonnell Douglas
McDonnell Douglas
McDonnell Douglas was a major American aerospace manufacturer and defense contractor, producing a number of famous commercial and military aircraft. It formed from a merger of McDonnell Aircraft and Douglas Aircraft in 1967. McDonnell Douglas was based at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport...
Aircraft buys Unigraphics.
1981:
Unigraphics was released, marking the group's first true 3D modeling hardware and software offering.
1991:
During a period of financial difficulties McDonnell Douglas
McDonnell Douglas
McDonnell Douglas was a major American aerospace manufacturer and defense contractor, producing a number of famous commercial and military aircraft. It formed from a merger of McDonnell Aircraft and Douglas Aircraft in 1967. McDonnell Douglas was based at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport...
sells Unigraphics to EDS
Electronic Data Systems
HP Enterprise Services is the global business and technology services division of Hewlett Packard's HP Enterprise Business strategic business unit. It was formed by the combination of HP's legacy services consulting and outsourcing business and the integration of acquired Electronic Data Systems,...
which at that time is owned by General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
. Unigraphics becomes GM's corporate CAD system.
1992:
Over 21,000 seats of Unigraphics are being used worldwide.
1996:
Unigraphics V11.0 is released. Added Industrial Design and Modeling enhancements including Bridge Surface, Curvature Analysis for Curve and Surfaces, Face Blends, Variable Offset Surface, etc. In the area of Assembly Modeling the new capabilities included Component Filters, Faceted Representations, Clearance Analysis between multiple Components, etc. Also this release included a fully integrated Spreadsheet linked to Feature-Based Modeling.
2002
First release of the new "Next Generation" version of Unigraphics and I-deas, called NX. This will eventually bring the functionality and capabilities of both Unigraphics and I-DEAS together into a single consolidated product.
2007
Introduction of Synchronous Technology in NX 5.
A complete history exists on the Unigraphics Virtual Museum.
Key Functions
- DesignDesignDesign as a noun informally refers to a plan or convention for the construction of an object or a system while “to design” refers to making this plan...
(Computer aided design)- Parametric Solid modelingSolid modelingSolid modeling is a consistent set of principles for mathematical and computer modeling of three dimensional solids. Solid modeling is distinguished from related areas of Geometric modeling and Computer graphics by its emphasis on physical fidelity...
(feature based and direct modeling) - Freeform surface modellingFreeform surface modellingFreeform surface modelling is the art of engineering Freeform Surfaces with a CAD or CAID system.The technology has encompassed two main fields...
, Class A surfacesClass A surfacesClass A surfaces is a term used in automotive design to describe a set of freeform surfaces of high efficiency and quality. Although, strictly, it is nothing more than saying the surfaces have curvature and tangency alignment - to ideal aesthetical reflection quality, many people interpret class A...
). - Reverse engineeringReverse engineeringReverse engineering is the process of discovering the technological principles of a device, object, or system through analysis of its structure, function, and operation...
- StylingDesignDesign as a noun informally refers to a plan or convention for the construction of an object or a system while “to design” refers to making this plan...
and Computer-aided industrial designComputer-aided industrial designComputer-aided industrial design is a subset of computer-aided design that includes software that directly helps in product development.... - Engineering drawingEngineering drawingAn engineering drawing, a type of technical drawing, is used to fully and clearly define requirements for engineered items.Engineering drawing produces engineering drawings . More than just the drawing of pictures, it is also a language—a graphical language that communicates ideas and information...
(Drafting) - Product and manufacturing information (PMI)
- Reporting and Analytics, Verification and validationVerification and ValidationIn software project management, software testing, and software engineering, verification and validation is the process of checking that a software system meets specifications and that it fulfills its intended purpose...
- Knowledge Reuse including Knowledge-based engineeringKnowledge-based engineeringKnowledge-based engineering is a discipline with roots in computer-aided design and knowledge-based systems but has several definitions and roles depending upon the context. An early role was support tool for a design engineer generally within the context of product design...
- Sheet metalSheet metalSheet metal is simply metal formed into thin and flat pieces. It is one of the fundamental forms used in metalworking, and can be cut and bent into a variety of different shapes. Countless everyday objects are constructed of the material...
design - Assembly modellingAssembly modellingAssembly modelling is technology and methods used by computer-aided design and product visualization computer software systems to handle multiple files that represent components within a product. The components within an assembly are represented as solid or surface models.The designer generally has...
and Digital mockupDigital mockupDigital MockUp or DMU is a concept that allows the description of a product, usually in 3D, for its entire life cycle. Digital Mockup is enriched by all the activities that contribute to describing the product. The product design engineers, the manufacturing engineers, and the support engineers... - RoutingRoutingRouting is the process of selecting paths in a network along which to send network traffic. Routing is performed for many kinds of networks, including the telephone network , electronic data networks , and transportation networks...
for Electrical wiringElectrical wiringElectrical wiring in general refers to insulated conductors used to carry electricity, and associated devices. This article describes general aspects of electrical wiring as used to provide power in buildings and structures, commonly referred to as building wiring. This article is intended to...
and Mechanical PipingPipingWithin industry, piping is a system of pipes used to convey fluids from one location to another. The engineering discipline of piping design studies the efficient transport of fluid....
- Parametric Solid modeling
- SimulationComputer simulationA computer simulation, a computer model, or a computational model is a computer program, or network of computers, that attempts to simulate an abstract model of a particular system...
(Computer-aided engineeringComputer-aided engineeringComputer-aided engineering is the broad usage of computer software to aid in engineering tasks. It includes computer-aided design , computer-aided analysis , computer-integrated manufacturing , computer-aided manufacturing , material requirements planning , and computer-aided planning .- Overview...
)- Stress analysisStress analysisStress analysis is an engineering discipline that determines the stress in materials and structures subjected to static or dynamic forces or loads. A stress analysis is required for the study and design of structures, e.g., tunnels, dams, mechanical parts, and structural frames among others, under...
/ Finite element methodFinite element methodThe finite element method is a numerical technique for finding approximate solutions of partial differential equations as well as integral equations...
(FEA) - KinematicsKinematicsKinematics is the branch of classical mechanics that describes the motion of bodies and systems without consideration of the forces that cause the motion....
- Computational fluid dynamicsComputational fluid dynamicsComputational fluid dynamics, usually abbreviated as CFD, is a branch of fluid mechanics that uses numerical methods and algorithms to solve and analyze problems that involve fluid flows. Computers are used to perform the calculations required to simulate the interaction of liquids and gases with...
(CFD) and Thermal analysisThermal analysisThermal analysis is a branch of materials science where the properties of materials are studied as they change with temperature. Several methods are commonly used - these are distinguished from one another by the property which is measured:...
- Stress analysis
- ManufacturingManufacturingManufacturing is the use of machines, tools and labor to produce goods for use or sale. The term may refer to a range of human activity, from handicraft to high tech, but is most commonly applied to industrial production, in which raw materials are transformed into finished goods on a large scale...
(Computer-aided manufacturingComputer-aided manufacturingComputer-aided manufacturing is the use of computer software to control machine tools and related machinery in the manufacturing of workpieces. This is not the only definition for CAM, but it is the most common; CAM may also refer to the use of a computer to assist in all operations of a...
)- Numerical controlNumerical controlNumerical control refers to the automation of machine tools that are operated by abstractly programmed commands encoded on a storage medium, as opposed to controlled manually via handwheels or levers, or mechanically automated via cams alone...
(NC) programming
- Numerical control
Supported operating systems and platforms
NX runs on Microsoft WindowsMicrosoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
, Mac OS
Mac OS
Mac OS is a series of graphical user interface-based operating systems developed by Apple Inc. for their Macintosh line of computer systems. The Macintosh user experience is credited with popularizing the graphical user interface...
, and Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
.
Architecture
NX uses ParasolidParasolid
Parasolid is a geometric modeling kernel originally developed by ShapeData, now owned by Siemens PLM Software , that can be licensed by other companies for use in their 3D computer graphics software products....
for its Geometric modeling kernel
Geometric modeling kernel
A geometric modeling kernel is a 3D solid modeling software component used in computer-aided design packages. Examples include Romulus, Parasolid, ACIS, ShapeManager and Open CASCADE....
and D-Cubed
D-Cubed
D-Cubed Components are a collection of geometric software component libraries developed and licensed as commercial products by Siemens PLM Software...
as Associative engine
Associative engine
An associative engine in CAD/solid modelling software is the component which maintains the associative relationships between the collection of geometric entities. The associative relationships are basically LISP expressions which describe the orientation and placement of two or more geometric...
for sketcher and assembly constraints as well as using JT (visualization format)
JT (visualization format)
JT is a 3D data format developed by and is used for product visualization, collaboration, and CAD data exchange. It can contain any combination of approximate data, exact boundary representation surfaces , Product and Manufacturing Information , and Metadata either exported from the native CAD...
for lightweight data and Multi-CAD.