computer science

Siemens NX

Siemens NX is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Siemens NX rather than just read about it. In short: NX, formerly known as "Unigraphics", is CAD/CAM/CAE software, which has been owned since 2007 by Siemens Digital Industries Software. 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.

Key takeaways

Siemens NX belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Siemens NX to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Siemens NX from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

NX, formerly known as "Unigraphics", is CAD/CAM/CAE software, which has been owned since 2007 by Siemens Digital Industries Software. 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, SolidWorks, 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. Unigraphics becomes GM's corporate CAD system. 1992: Over 21,000 seats of Unigraphics are being used worldwide. 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. 2007: Introduction of Synchronous Technology in NX 5. 2011: Release of NX8 on October 17-2011 2013: Release of NX9 (x64 only) on October 14-2013

Release history

Key functions Computer-aided design (CAD) Parametric solid modeling (feature-based and direct modeling) Freeform surface modelling, class A surfaces. Reverse engineering Styling and computer-aided industrial design Product and manufacturing information (PMI) Reporting and analytics, verification and validation Knowledge reuse, including knowledge-based engineering Sheet metal design Assembly modelling and digital mockup Routing for electrical wiring and mechanical piping Computer-aided engineering (CAE) Stress analysis / finite element method (FEM) Kinematics Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and thermal analysis Computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) 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. Starting with version 1847, support for macOS was completely removed, and the GUI was removed from the Linux version.

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) for lightweight data and Multi-CAD.

See also CATIA FreeCAD I-DEAS Inventor PTC Creo Solid Edge SolidWorks List of 3D printing software List of computer-aided manufacturing software List of aerospace engineering software

Further reading Sicking, Paul O.; Allen, George A.; Valenzuela, Wilfredo R. (2024). "The History of Unigraphics, 1974–2001". IEEE Annals of the History of Computing. 46 (4): 70–83. doi:10.1109/MAHC.2024.3457235. ISSN 1058-6180.

References

Gallery

Category:Screenshots of NX (Unigraphics)

External links Media related to NX (Unigraphics) screenshots at Wikimedia Commons

Official website

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Siemens NX

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Siemens NX claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Siemens NX before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Siemens NX ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Siemens NX

In research: Siemens NX appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Siemens NX in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Siemens NX is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Aerospace engineering software, Computer-aided design software, Computer-aided design software for Linux, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Siemens NX outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Siemens NX in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Siemens NX means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Siemens NX out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Siemens NX in simple terms?

Why does Siemens NX matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Siemens NX?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Siemens NX.