SIEMENS NXCAD Digital Industries Software User Guide

DIGITAL INDUSTRIES SOFTWARE
NX CAD buyer’s guide
siemens.com/nx

NXCAD Digital Industries Software

Introduction

Being competitive requires having stellar products and solutions that get you from an idea to full production quickly and with few redesigns. This is where Siemens Digital Industries Software comes in with end-to-end solutions and expertise across the entire product development process, from design through simulation, testing and manufacturing. Voted among the top computer-aided design (CAD) products by G2, NX™ software, part of the Siemens Xcelerator business platform of software, hardware and services,  sets the standards for speed, performance and ease of use. No matter what you’re designing, using NX accelerates your product development.

Where engineering meets tomorrow

NX CAD at a glance
NX is a complete solution for product engineering with robust capabilities and seamless scalability to take you from simulation to manufacturing.
Produce innovative products faster than ever before with our open, flexible and fully integrated product engineering software suite. NX is a next- generation design platform that removes barriers to innovation.
NX is among the world’s most productive and flexible modeling environment, supporting various design workflows along with advanced techniques, including generative engineering.

Gain 90 percent first-time yield and 50 percent faster product design

cycles

Siemens has created the NX suite to encompass everything you need for product design and manufacturing across CAD, computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) and computer-aided engineering (CAE), enabling each module to work together flawlessly. The heart of the NX architecture  – used for NX Design, Simcenter™ 3D software, NX Additive and Zel X™ solution – which are also part of the Siemens Xcelerator business platform, enables seamless part file use across applications without the need for translation or  earning different user interfaces. Out-of-the-box (OOTB) workflows reduce customization requirements and command prediction speeds for onboarding. The strong core powering NX means users can gain 90 percent on first-time yield and achieve 50 percent faster product design cycles.

Siemens can partner with you across software and hardware to provide a complete digital twin. Only a digital twin can instrument the product lifecycle to simulate, predict and optimize the product and production system before investing in physical prototypes and assets. Using flexible licensing models, NX innovation capabilities are available on-demand to all users. Using NX enables you to seamlessly integrate with other Siemens software, such as Teamcenter® software, allowing all teams to efficiently collaborate and share data throughout the design process. The difference between CAD and CAM NX includes mechanical CAD (MCAD), electronic CAD (ECAD), workflow-specific solutions, automations and other capabilities tailored to the needs of product designers. It is best suited for creating visualizations and 3D models, the first part of any digital twin, and analyzing the feasibility of a product’s design for errors before moving to manufacturing. Unlike CAD, CAM is mainly used for automating the manufacturing process. Most CAM software translates the designs created by CAD into instructions that drive machine tools to turn designs into physical parts. The NX CAD easy-to-use interface makes adoption time fast for both beginner and experienced product designers. Regardless of the size of your company or your skill level, the software’s robust tools are excellent for creating complex and detailed 3D models, assemblies and drawings of products or components. With NX CAD as your CAD solution, there are no limits to what you can make.

NX CAD drives reliable, efficient design

With NX CAD, your company can deliver products to market right the first time. You can decrease development costs, data anomalies and design limitations. Not only is your business more sustainable with less waste, NX helps you increase product quality with more virtual product models, easier what-if scenarios and fewer costly physical prototypes.

| Boost product design efficiency and innovation
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| Accelerate mechanical design processes and improve design quality
| Streamline collaboration with teams, customers and suppliers
| Reduce design process waste and costs
| Better protect project data and enable future re-use and modification
| Use a single environment to facilitate the process from model to printed parts

No matter what you’re designing, NX accelerates your product development

Siemens is uniquely positioned to provide its customers end-to-end solutions and expertise across the entire product development process, from design to simulation, testing and manufacturing.
Whether your business is a startup or a multinational corporation, using NX CAD helps you deliver innovative products faster and scale anywhere. Your next innovation begins with an open, flexible and fully integrated engineering software solution that works with the tools you have today.
Part creation
From concept through build, using NX enables more complex and detailed design for industries like aerospace, defense and automotive.
Composite material
Design and analyze products incorporating composite materials, even in massive assemblies like those in the aerospace and automotive industries.
Integration with other software and tools
Companies can integrate NX with other tools, such as Simcenter 3D for analysis and Teamcenter for data management, enabling a more seamless and efficient design process.
Model-based design
Using NX, companies can support the transition to a single data source model- based engineering platform, design and maintain 3D models and modify legacy drawings and models.
Efficiency and accuracy improvement
Using NX, companies can streamline workflows and improve accuracy with features like parametric feature-based modeling, surface modeling and iteration.
Unified solution
With one seamless integration, you can rapidly propagate changes to product and associated process information, all with fewer disjoints in your workflow.

NX CAD leads the pack

Using NX sets the standards for speed, performance and ease of use. Voted among the top CAD products by G2, NX CAD has secured awards as a top CAD Leader and CAD leader in Enterprise, midmarket and small business categories, among other awards. Additionally, it leads the pack with robust 3D capabilities for realistic concept design and modeling.
  NX is one of the best software packages you can use for solid modeling, surfacing, or any of your CAD needs.” Jason B. Read the full story
Faster results for product models compared to the other software.”
Mohammed S. Read the full story

The workflow and user interface are more capable than other competitors’ CAD suites. I was able to make complex assemblies with arrangements and such with ease.”
Verified User (Engineering) Read the full story

INDUSTRY: MEDICAL DEVICES/PHARMACEUTICALS
Unlimited Tomorrow

Reduces cost of traditional prosthetics by 90 percent, improves quality and expedites delivery
Unlimited Tomorrow engineers were having trouble designing their sockets for the personalized fit their users needed.
Given the number of customers Unlimited Tomorrow had and was planning to have, reducing the quantity of test sockets was critical to scaling its business.
They needed software that could help them produce personalized sockets in a more efficient manner.
Unlimited Tomorrow was skeptical that there was software on the market that could solve their problem. “We set up a meeting with the NX product engineering team,” says Easton LaChappelle, founder of Unlimited Tomorrow. “On that very first call, I told them, ‘Look, I don’t think NX or any other CAD package can help us. What we’re asking for is really, really hard.’”
Results

• Disrupted industry with a stay-at-home, personalized solution
• Reduced the cost of a typical prosthetic by 90 percent
• Reduced number of test sockets required for comfortable fit
• Delivered prosthetics five times faster than traditional processes

Connecting the physical and the digital world. Creating perspectives for future generations.”
Matt Landolfa
Lead Mechanical Design Engineer
Unlimited Tomorrow
Read the case study

INDUSTRY: AUTOMOTIVE
Scuderia AlphaTauri

Using NX, Simcenter and Fibersim to create the ideal chassis and seat for F1 drivers
“The chassis is one of the most sophisticated parts ofthe car for safety and performance reasons,” says Raffaele Boschetti, head of information technology
(IT) and innovation for Scuderia AlphaTauri. “You need to start working on that part immediately, evenif you don’t have all of the information. Before partnering with Siemens, we spent three months producing a good chassis.”
Aside from the chassis, the seat is important for driver safety and performance. However, seat designis strictly regulated by F1 safety and crash test rules.
“It is like a tailored suit,” says Francesco Dario Picierro, senior composite design engineer for Scuderia AlphaTauri. “You have to look at things in terms of helmet position, back position and you have to be as low as possible.”
Results

• Created a top-performing car ready for testing and the 2022 season
• Leveraged NX, Simcenter and Fibersim to create the ideal chassis and seat for F1 drivers
• Reduced chassis development time from three months to one month

If you use the same suite that calculates everything from the CAD part to the production line, then you end up with a quality part that will deliver performance on the track.”
Raffaele Boschetti
Head of IT and Innovation
Scuderia AlphaTauri
Read the case study

INDUSTRY: AEROSPACE
Bye Aerospace

NX, Fibersim and Simcenter enhance Bye Aerospace productivity with 66 percent fewer engineering staff The eFlyer 2 is an all-composites airplane with the latest and most advanced aerodynamics and technology in avionics. It has a low part count and is also a robust system, which makes it a durable aircraft. “We have 20 people on the engineering team,” says Tom Bowen, chief engineer at Bye Aerospace. “A typical company would have 50 to 60. The reason we can do that is because Siemens software is so integrated that you don’t need the traditional specialists.”
“The NX CAD software that we’re using right now is a technology enabler. It keeps Bye Aerospace in front,” says George Bye, the chief executive officer (CEO) and founder of Bye Aerospace. “The ability to capture all of the aspects of an airplane design is greatly enabled. In capturing the eFlyer 2, Siemens software is particularly capable of helping us to transition to what comes next.”
Results

• Reduced product development time while doing more iterations
• Decreased potential size of engineering staff by 66 percent
• Developed an all-composite airplane with a low part count that is still a robust system

The reason we use NX instead of another CAD system is because it has a more seamless transition from design to analysis, which gives us more time to do more iterations on our design.”
Parijaat Malik
Senior Mechanical Systems Engineer
Bye Aerospace
Read the case study

STEP ONE
Choose the NX CAD package that fits you
Scale with Siemens trusted ecosystem
Although NX on premise is still available, NX X is full SaaS NX, users get all the powerful features and functionality of NX with the associated flexibility, security and scalability advantages of Saas. Using NX CAD high-performance, high-scale capabilities, which are available in three preconfigured solutions – NX X Mach™ 1, 2 or 3 software – you can get the right fit for your design needs. Each solution offers tailored functionality for specific product development roles, practices and processes. For businesses of any size, using each NX  XCAD Mach solution delivers complete capabilities for all stages of the product development process, from basic design through production.
Each solution includes everything needed to integrate with Teamcenter, allowing you to extend engineering process management tools via scalable collaboration and advanced management.
Compared to other CAD systems, using the NX X CAD Mach series:

• Allows your design to have more complex geometry
• Scales your performance to massive assemblies
• Maintains data across complex simulations
• Integrates fully with your design ecosystem
• Provides a key digital twin component
• Collaborates seamlessly across different teams and departments via Teamcenter

Companies can use NX X Mach 1, 2 and 3 to meet business needs, from design to engineering, with hardware and software.

NX X Mach 1

NX X Mach 1 offers tools for creating and editing designs of typical mechanical components and assemblies, including solid modeling and drafting, basic freeform modeling and sheet metal design. It includes tools for design review, rapid prototyping, web publishing, validation checking, a re-use library and custom program execution. It also offers design-oriented stress and vibration analysis wizards. Additionally, this solution has the necessary tools to integrate with Teamcenter to provide powerful data management and visualization capabilities for product and process management. NX X Mach 1 is an excellent solution for simple prismatic parts and creating typical mechanical designs.
Buy now: Starting at $8,203 USD

NX X Mach 2
As an alternative to NX X Mach 1, NX X Mach 2 adds enhanced product design capabilities. NX X Mach 2 includes features for validation checking, user- defined features, rendering, 3D annotation for product and manufacturing information (PMI) and basic routing. NX X Mach 2 is best for those moving beyond product design into a product engineering workflow.
Buy now: Starting at $10,324 USD

NX X Mach 3

NX X Mach 3 is a robust bundle optimized for everything you need for concept design, industrial design and high-end styling. With it, you can customize your CAD solution to focus on industry-specific challenges with specific disciplines, for example, industrial design and mold design. It also includes access to advanced assemblies, freeform and advanced surface analysis capabilities, which you can get using NX X Mach 3. NX X Mach 3 is best for high-end rendering and industry-specific end-to-end workflows.
Buy now: Starting at $13,879 USD

Compare all three solutions

| NX X CAD Mach 1| NX X CAD Mach 2| NX X CAD Mach 3
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Data management| | |
Base level data management capabilities| •| •| •
Teamcenter integration for NX X| •| •| •
Design modeling| | |
Feature-based solid modeling| •| •| •
Synchronous technology| •| •| •
Core Convergent Modeling| •| •| •
Drafting| •| •| •
Assemblies| •| •| •
Advanced assembly modeling| | | •
Basic freeform modeling| •| •| •
Advanced freeform modeling| | | •
User-defined features| | •| •
AI select similar components| | | •
AI selection prediction| | | •
Process-specific modeling tools| | |
Sheet metal design| •| •| •
PMI| | •| •
Basic routing| | •| •
Industrial design| | |
Photorealistic rendering| | •| •
Visualize shape| | •| •
Freeform shape| | | •
Advanced surface analysis| | | •
Product validation| | |
Product validation| | •| •
HD3D Visual Reporting OOTB reports| •| •| •
HD3D Visual Reporting custom report editing| | | •
Molded part validation| | | •
Data exchange| | |
DXF/DWG, IGES, STEP 203/214, JT,  Solid Edge open, SolidWorks open| •| •| •

STEP TWO
Get your add-on modules
Innovate without compromise
No matter which NX X CAD Mach solution you choose, with the add-on modules, you can extend its capabilities.
Over 100+ add-on modules are available, allowing you to configure NX X Mach to the specific requirements of your  projectwith specialized design tools, standard parts applications, design-integrated  simulation solutions, programming and customization toolkits and direct translators.
Your NX X Mach purchase is a future-proof investment since every six months we release additional  add-ons, continually providing you with new capa- bilities and innovations.

How add-ons work
NX X Mach add-ons are delivered using our innovative value-based licensing model, which provides a flexible, cost-effective solution. Engineering teams can tap into the vast array of capabilities, whether you need them daily or occasionally. Simply purchase a pool of tokens for your team. In this check-in and check-out model, each add-on and tool in the library has a value. When that add-on is checked out, the token value is subtracted from the pool. When that product is no longer in use, its token value is added back to the available pool.

Siemens SW NX Mach Series add on modules Fact Sheet.pdf
video.sw.siemens.com/embed/032966ce-1d29-46fc- 8b83-9e52719aa1f3?

STEP THREE
Choose on premises or Saas
Choose the deployment option that suits you best
Whether you want to use NX on the cloud or host it in your IT environment, NX CAD has licensing options for how you work. You will have the exact same features no matter how you choose to run NX CAD. The choice is yours.

STEP FOUR
Purchasing your
NX X Mach solution
Now that you have selected which level of NX X Mach solution is right for your project and which add-ons are a good starting place, you can purchase directly from the e-store or call your Siemens account manager.
Get more detail on our plans and pricing and purchase online

Technical support

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Siemens Digital Industries Software helps organizations of all sizes digitally transform using software, hardware and services from the Siemens Xcelerator business platform. Siemens’ software and the comprehensive digital twin enable companies to optimize their design, engineering and manufacturing processes to turn today’s ideas into the sustainable products of the future. From chips to entire systems, from product to process, across all industries, Siemens Digital Industries Software –
Accelerating transformation.
Americas: 1 800 498 5351
EMEA: 00 800 70002222
Asia-Pacific: 001 800 03061910
For additional numbers, click Contact us | Siemens Software.

© 2024 Siemens. A list of relevant Siemens trademarks can be foundTrademarks | Siemens Software.
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Documents / Resources

| SIEMENS NXCAD Digital Industries Software [pdf] User Guide
NXCAD Digital Industries Software, Digital Industries Software, Industries Software, Software
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References

• NX software including CAD and CAM | Siemens Software

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