UNIGRAPHICS SOLUTIONS INC. DEBUTS SOLID EDGE STREAM TECHNOLOGY CREATING NEW
PARADIGM IN USER PRODUCTIVITY FOR THE CAD MARKET
(PR Newswire; 09/02/98)
Study Independently Verifies STREAM Technology Strengths and Ranks Solid
Edge as Most Productive Mid-Range CAD System Tested
ST. LOUIS, Sept. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Unigraphics Solutions Inc.
(NYSE: UGS) today published details of Solid Edge STREAM technology, built
into its mid- range Solid Edge(R) computer aided design (CAD) software
package. STREAM technology boosts essential CAD user productivity by
capturing engineers' solid modeling design intentions through inference
logic and decision- management concepts. Solid Edge STREAM technology
specifically addresses CAD system usability and its direct effect on
engineering productivity, return on investment and ease of adopting a new
CAD system.
"With STREAM technology, Unigraphics Solutions is taking a major industry-
leap forward in addressing CAD usability issues which are part of the
design process and are critical factors to enhancing efficiency," said Bill
McClure, director of the Solid Edge line of business at Unigraphics
Solutions. "Industrial- strength solid modeling on the desktop becomes more
powerful and affordable every week. Rather than simply enhancing the speed
and productivity of a desktop system, STREAM technology is enhancing
engineering productivity and enabling more efficient use of CAD to
accomplish design tasks."
Solid Edge STREAM technology focuses on user interaction with the CAD
system and reduces the time lost while the CAD system waits for the user to
determine how the next operation ought to be accomplished. STREAM supports
the design engineer through every phase of user interaction with Solid
Edge: Inference logic intuitively predicts the next action a designer would
choose, thus reducing time spent selecting unnecessary options, Decision
management tools streamline problem solving and process-specific features
encompass modeling processes.
"Trying to differentiate mid-range CAD products based on feature/function
arguments is difficult, because most of these programs can model most
parts," said CAD Industry Consultant Evan Yares. "The best differentiator
is productivity, which won't fundamentally improve until there is a
breakthrough in user interaction that makes CAD easier to use. This is
exactly what Solid Edge is addressing with STREAM technology."
Solid Edge STREAM technologyenables engineers to concentrate on important
issues that require insight, creativity and intelligence, rather than
focusing on the bits and bytes of a CAD system. For example, open profiles
infer closed volumes which are maintained when surrounding geometry
changes. IntelliSketch can infer nine different types of geometric
relationships solely from the position and movement of the cursor while
drawing. The align assembly relationship infers planar or axial alignment
from the geometry of parts being aligned. Solid Edge delivers a solution
that reduces the amount of time and manual intervention required to perform
a given task.
Usability Sciences Corporation Puts Solid Edge STREAM Technology To The Test
An independent productivity study, conducted in July 1998 by Usability
Sciences Corp. of Dallas, confirmed the productivity gains attributed to
Solid Edge STREAM technology. The independent study measured the time,
mouse clicks and keystrokes required to model a test assembly. Users of
Solid Edge, SolidWorks and Mechanical Desktop were independently recruited
by the company for the test.
The results showed that Solid Edge users completed their tasks 36 percent
faster than SolidWorks' users, requiring 45 percent fewer mouse clicks and
57 percent fewer keystrokes than the SolidWorks' users to create and
identical solid model. Solid Edge scored even better against Mechanical
Desktop users, the study shows.
"From the results of this test, it is obvious that Solid Edge users were
much more productive with their product than were users of SolidWorks or
Mechanical Desktop," said Jeff Schueler, president of Usability Sciences
Corp. "The Solid Edge users completed the test faster and were less
fatigued."
STREAM Technology: The Solid Edge Advantage
Solid Edge provides breakthrough performance for mechanical assembly design
and drafting, combining production-proven solid modeling and unparalleled
ease of use at an affordable price. Solid Edge is written for Microsoft
Windows NT and Windows(R) 98 operating systems. With 120 Solid Edge Voyager
Software Partners and Microsoft Office Compatible certification, Solid Edge
provides a comprehensive integration of technical applications and personal
productivity tools for the engineer's desktop. Solid Edge is distributed
worldwide in eight languages and has been shipped to customers around the
world, including Boeing, Kaiser Optical, Alcoa, Traco, W.F. Mickey Body
Co., Subsea Ventures Inc., Value Plastics, Kaeser Kompressoren, Walker
Engineering, Prodrive, USSC Group, Identification Technologies
International, Watsco Components, I-Bus and many more.
About Usability Sciences Corporation
Usability Sciences is an independent company specializing in the
comparative testing of software for its clients. A summary of the Usability
Sciences Corp. study is available on request by calling 800-807-2200.
About Unigraphics Solutions
Unigraphics Solutions Inc. (NYSE: UGS) provides end-to-end CAD/CAM/CAE/PDM
software and related services designed to improve its customers command of
product development. The company provides tools appropriate to a
collaborative engineering environment, converting ideas into easily shared
concepts used to develop products of varying complexity such as motor
vehicles, aircraft, heavy equipment and consumer goods and the parts that
comprise them. Unigraphics Solutions' software is used worldwide and
includes Unigraphics for high-end, complex design, manufacture and
assembly; Solid Edge for mid-range, Windows- based product design; IMAN for
product data management; and Parasolid, a design and manufacturing
industries solid modeling standard. Many OEM software developers have
licensed the Parasolid kernel. The company, formerly EDS Unigraphics,
maintains corporate headquarters in St. Louis, Mo., and can be reached via
the World Wide Web at http://www.ugsolutions.com.
Unigraphics Solutions, Parasolid, Solid Edge, Unigraphics, IMAN and GRIP
are trademarks or registered trademarks of Unigraphics Solutions, Inc. All
other product names referenced herein are the properties of their
respective owners. SOURCE Unigraphics Solutions Inc.
-0- 09/02/98 /NOTE TO EDITORS:
Please use the following for reader contact information: 800-807-2200,
e-mail us at solidedge@ugsolutions.com or visit us on the internet,
http://www.solid- edge.com/
/CONTACT: Roger Fortier, 408-727-0351, or e-mail,
roger_fortier@mcgrathpowerpr.com or Wendy Bulawa, 617-867-2248, or e-mail,
wendy_bulawa@mcgrathpowerpr.com, both of McGrath-Power Public Relations for
Unigraphics/
/Web site: http://www.ugsolutions.com/ (UGS) CO: Unigraphics Solutions Inc.
ST: Missouri IN: CPR SU: PDT
{PRNewswire:Technology-0902.00569} 09/02/98
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