Siemens NX explained

NX (Software)
Developer:	Siemens Digital Industries Software
Latest Release Version:	see chart below
Operating System:	Mac OS up to NX12, Unix-like (x64, partially), Windows (x64)
Language:	multi-language
Genre:	CAD/CAM/CAE/PLM
License:	proprietary

NX, formerly known as "Unigraphics", is an advanced high-end CAD/CAM/CAE, which has been owned since 2007 by Siemens Digital Industries Software.^{[1] [2]} In 2000, Unigraphics purchased SDRC I-DEAS and began an effort to integrate aspects of both software packages into a single product which became Unigraphics NX or NX.

It is used, among other tasks, for:

• Design (parametric and direct solid/surface modelling)
• Engineering analysis (static; dynamic; electro-magnetic; thermal, using the finite element method; and fluid, using the finite volume method).
• Manufacturing finished design by using included machining modules.

NX is a direct competitor to CATIA, Creo, and Autodesk Inventor.

History

1972:United Computing, Inc. releases UNIAPT, one of the world's first end-user CAM products.

1973: The company purchases the Automated Drafting and Machining (ADAM) software code from MCS in 1973. The code became a foundation for a product called UNI-GRAPHICS, later sold commercially as Unigraphics in 1975.

1976 McDonnell Douglas Corporation buys United Computing.

1983: UniSolids V1.0 is released, marking the industry's first true interactive Solid Modeling software offering.

1991:During a period of financial difficulties McDonnell Douglas Automation Company (McAuto) sells its commercial services organization, including the Unigraphics organization and product, to EDS which at that time is owned by GM.^[3] Unigraphics becomes GM's corporate CAD system.

1992:Over 21,000 seats of Unigraphics are being used worldwide.^[4]

1996:Unigraphics V11.0 is released with enhancements in Industrial Design and Modeling including Bridge Surface, Curvature Analysis for Curve and Surfaces, Face Blends, Variable Offset Surface, etc. In the area of Assembly Modeling the new capabilities include Component Filters, Faceted Representations, and Clearance Analysis between multiple Components. A fully integrated Spreadsheet linked to Feature-Based Modeling is also included..

2002 First release of the new "Next Generation" version of Unigraphics and I-DEAS, called NX, beginning the transition to bring the functionality and capabilities of both Unigraphics and I-DEAS together into a single consolidated product.

2007Introduction of Synchronous Technology in NX 5.^{[5] [6]}

2011Release of NX8 on October 17-2011

2013Release of NX9 (x64 only) on October 14-2013

Release history

Name/Version	Version History Value	Release Date	End of Standard Maintenance	License Service Version	Supported Operating Systems (as of 6/20/2022)
Unigraphics	R1	April 1978^[7]
Unigraphics	R2	July 1978
Unigraphics	R3	October 1978
Unigraphics	R4	March 1979
Unigraphics	D1	December 1979
Unigraphics	D2	September 1980^[8]
Unigraphics	D3.0	April 1982
Unigraphics	D4.0	September 1982
Unigraphics II	1.0	August 1983
Unigraphics I	D5.0	March 1984
Unigraphics II	2.0	March 1985
Unigraphics I	D6.0	August 1985
Unigraphics II	3.0	November 1985
Unigraphics II	4.0	November 1986^[9]
Unigraphics II	5.0	October 1987
Unigraphics II	6.0	December 1988
Unigraphics II	7.0	December 1989		v7.0
Unigraphics	8.0	March 1991^[10]		v8.0
Unigraphics II	9.0	August 1992		v9.0
Unigraphics	10.3	June 1994		v10.0
Unigraphics	11.0	January 1996		v11.0
Unigraphics	12.0	January 1997		v12.0
Unigraphics	13.0	July 1997		v13.0
Unigraphics	14	6/22/1998^[11]		v14.0
Unigraphics	15.0	November 1998		v15.0
Unigraphics	16.0	September 1999		v16.0
Unigraphics	17.0	October 2000^[12]		v17.0
Unigraphics	18.0	July 2001		v18.0
Unigraphics	NX	July 2002		v19.0
NX	2			v20.0
NX	3			v21.0
NX	4			v22.0
NX	5	4/16/2007^[13]		v23.0
NX	6	5/20/2008^[14]		v24.0
NX	7	5/20/2010^[15]		v25.0
NX	7.5			v26.0
NX	8.0	10/17/2011^[16]	March 31, 2014	v27.0
	8.0.1		June 30, 2014
	8.0.2		March 31, 2015
	8.0.3		March 31, 2015
NX	8.5		March 31, 2014	v28.0
	8.5.1		December 31, 2014
	8.5.2		March 31, 2015
	8.5.3		December 31, 2015
NX	9.0	10/14/2013^[17]	September 27, 2014	v29.0
	9.0.1		March 31, 2016
	9.0.2		June 30, 2016
	9.0.3		September 27, 2016
NX	10.0	12/14/2014	December 19, 2015	v30.0	Windows 7, Windows 8 & 8.1, Windows 10, RedHat Linux 6, RedHat Linux 7.0-7.5, RedHat Linux 7.6, SuSE Linux 11, SuSE Linux 12, SuSE Linux 12 SP1, Mac OS X 10.8, Mac OS X 10.9, Mac OS X 10.10
	10.0.1		December 31, 2016
	10.0.2		March 30, 2017
	10.0.3		November 9, 2017
NX	11.0	09/08/2016^[18]	January 29, 2018	v31.0	Windows 7, Windows 8 & 8.1, Windows 10, RedHat Linux 7.0-7.5, RedHat Linux 7.6, SuSE Linux 12, SuSE Linux 12 SP1, Mac OS X 10.10, Mac OS X 10.11, Mac OS X 10.12
	11.0.1		July 19, 2018
	11.0.2		December 21, 2018
NX	12.0	10/27/2017	May 17, 2018	v32.0	Windows 10, RedHat Linux 7.0-7.5, RedHat Linux 7.6, SuSE Linux 12, SuSE Linux 12 SP1, Mac OS X 10.12
	12.0.1		October 11, 2018
	12.0.2		December 31, 2019
NX	1847	1/18/2019 (NX Continuous Release Started)	January 1, 2020	v33.0	Windows 10, RedHat Linux 7.0-7.5, RedHat Linux 7.6, SuSE Linux 12, SuSE Linux 12 SP1
NX	1872	6/26/2019	June 28, 2020	v34.0	Windows 10, RedHat Linux 7.0-7.5, RedHat Linux 7.6, SuSE Linux 12, SuSE Linux 12 SP1
NX	1899	December 2019^[19]	December 13, 2020	v35.0	Windows 10, RedHat Linux 7.6, SuSE Linux 12 SP1
NX	1926	June 2020^[20]	June 30, 2021	v36.0	Windows 10, Windows Server 2019, RedHat Linux 7.6, SuSE Linux 15
NX	1953	December 2020^[21]	December 17, 2021	v37.0	Windows 10, Windows Server 2019, RedHat Linux 7.6, SuSE Linux 15
NX	1980	June 2021^[22]	June 30, 2022	v38.0	Windows 10, Windows Server 2019, RedHat Linux 7.6, SuSE Linux 15
NX	2007	December 2021^[23]	December 16, 2022	v39.0	Windows 10, Windows Server 2019, Windows 11, Windows Server 2022, RedHat Linux 7.6, SuSE Linux 15
NX	2206	June 2022^[24] (Bi-Annual Naming Convention started)	June 16, 2023	v40.0	Windows 10, Windows Server 2019, Windows 11, Windows Server 2022, RedHat Linux 7.6, SuSE Linux 15
NX	2212	December 2022^[25]	December 15, 2023	v41.0	Windows 10, Windows Server 2019, Windows 11, Windows Server 2022, RedHat Linux 7.6, SuSE Linux 15
NX	2306	June 2023^[26]	June 14, 2024	v2023.06	Windows 10, Windows Server 2019, Windows 11, Windows Server 2022, RedHat Linux 7.6, SuSE Linux 15
NX	2312	December 2023^[27]	December 13, 2024		Windows 10, Windows Server 2019, Windows 11, Windows Server 2022, RedHat Linux 8, SuSE Linux 15
NX	2406	June 2024			Windows 10, Windows Server 2019, Windows 11, Windows Server 2022, RedHat Linux 8, SuSE Linux 15
NX	2412	December 2024			Windows 10, Windows Server 2019, Windows 11, Windows Server 2022, RedHat Linux 8, SuSE Linux 15

Key functions

• Computer-aided design (CAD) (Design)^[28]
  • Parametric solid modeling (feature-based and direct modeling^[29])
  • Freeform surface modelling, class A surfaces.
  • Reverse engineering^[30]
  • Styling and computer-aided industrial design
  • Product and manufacturing information (PMI)
  • Reporting and analytics,^[31] verification and validation^[32]
  • Knowledge reuse, including knowledge-based engineering
  • Sheet metal design
  • Assembly modelling^[33] and digital mockup
  • Routing for electrical wiring and mechanical piping
• Computer-aided engineering (CAE) (Simulation)
  • Stress analysis / finite element method (FEM)
  • Kinematics
  • Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and thermal analysis
• Computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) (Manufacturing)^[34]
  • Numerical control (NC) programming

Supported operating systems and platforms

NX runs on Linux, Microsoft Windows and Mac OS(Up to NX12).

Starting with version 12, support for Windows versions prior to Windows 10 were removed.^[35]

Starting with version 1847, support for macOS was completely removed, and the GUI was removed from the Linux version.^[36]

Architecture

NX uses Parasolid for its Geometric modeling kernel and D-Cubed as Associative engine for sketcher and assembly constraints as well as using JT (visualization format)^[37] for lightweight data and Multi-CAD.

See also

• CATIA
• Freecad
• I-DEAS
• Inventor
• PTC Creo
• Solid Edge
• SolidWorks
• List of 3D printing software

Notes and References

1. Web site: Siemens Closes Acquisition of UGS; Introduces Business as UGS PLM Software. Siemens.
2. Web site: NX main page . Siemens.
3. Web site: See GM, IBM in CAD/CAM fight; after Unigraphics deal . Zipper . Stuart. 1991-11-11 . Electronic News.
4. Web site: Bozdoc . Martian . 1992-1993 . The History of CAD, CAD chronology . iMB .
5. Web site: Yares . Evan . Synchronous Technology and Design Freedom . 2008-05-21 . https://archive.today/20130122105423/http://www.evanyares.com/?p=129. dead. 2013-01-22.
6. Web site: Synchronous Technology. Siemens Digital Industries Software.
7. Web site: Unigraphics in the 70's. PLM World. 2017-04-29.
8. Web site: Unigraphics in the 80's 1980-1985. PLM World. 2017-04-29.
9. Web site: Unigraphics in the 80's 1986-1989. PLM World. 2017-04-29.
10. Web site: Unigraphics in the 90's. PLM World. 2017-04-29.
11. Web site: Unigraphics Solutions Announces Version 14 of Unigraphics CAD/CAM/CAE Software. Unigraphics Solutions. June 22, 1998. PR Newswire. 2017-04-29.
12. Web site: Unigraphics Today. PLM World. 2017-04-29.
13. Web site: UGS Launches NX 5 CAD/CAM/CAE Software; New Technologies Provide Users with "Greater Powers" to Develop Innovative Products Faster and More Cost-Efficiently: Siemens PLM Software. Siemens Product Lifecycle Management Software.
14. Web site: Siemens PLM Software Launches NX 6 Software: Siemens PLM Software. Siemens Product Lifecycle Management Software.
15. Web site: Siemens PLM Software Redefines CAD/CAM/CAE Productivity and Product Development Decision Support with NX 7 Software: Siemens PLM Software. Siemens Product Lifecycle Management Software.
16. Web site: Siemens PLM Software's NX 8 Includes Comprehensive Enhancements Throughout with Focus on CAE: Siemens PLM Software. Siemens Product Lifecycle Management Software.
17. Web site: Siemens NX 9 Delivers up to 5X Product Development Productivity across Industries: Siemens PLM Software. Siemens Product Lifecycle Management Software.
18. Web site: Siemens' NX Delivers Next Breakthrough in Product Design with Convergent Modeling: Siemens PLM Software. Software. Siemens Product Lifecycle Management. www.plm.automation.siemens.com. 2017-03-03.
19. Web site: Siemens DISW.
20. Web site: NX 1926 Release Notes.
21. Web site: What's new in NX 1953.
22. Web site: What's new in NX 1980.
23. Web site: NX 2007 Release Notes.
24. Web site: NX 2007 Release Notes.
25. Web site: What's new in NX 2212.
26. Web site: What's new in NX 2306 .
27. Web site: 2023-12-11 . What's new in NX for Manufacturing NX 2312 . 2024-06-11 . blogs.sw.siemens.com . en-US.
28. Web site: NX modeling page . Siemens Digital Industries Software.
29. Web site: England. Derek. Rapid Design Through Synchronous Modeling. Siemens PLM Software. 2009. Collaboration & Interoperability. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110707063107/http://www.3dcic.com/2009-proceedings-audio/rapid-design-through-synchronous-modeling. 2011-07-07.
30. Web site: Parrella . Tod . Reverse Engineering . UGS Corp. . PLM World 2007 .
31. Web site: Wong. Kenneth . HD3D . Desktop Engineering.
32. Web site: Anderson . Taylor . Automating the Design Validation Process with NX Check-Mate . Desktop Engineering . May 3, 2009 . March 14, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110709014906/http://www.deskeng.com/articles/aaapyy.htm . July 9, 2011 . dead . mdy-all .
33. Web site: Carrington . Jim . NX 6 Assembly Modeling Update. PLMWorld 2008.
34. Web site: Clarke . Charles . Developments in the CAM software market . tct . https://web.archive.org/web/20110716194840/http://www.tctmagazine.com/library/224/CAMSoftwareReview.pdf . 2011-07-16 .
35. Web site: NX 12 Release Notes. 11 June 2024.
36. Web site: NX 1847 Release Notes. 3 June 2019.
37. Web site: Carrington . Jim . Working with Multi-CAD Data in NX using JT. Siemens PLM Software. PLMWorld 2008.