Synchronous Technology: Revolution or Hype?

Unless you have been orbiting Pluto for the last few months, you heard how wonderful synchronous technology (ST) is and how if will revolutionize solid modeling. The buzz is the loudest I have ever heard. While some of the credit must go to the marketing staff at Siemens PLM for conducting a brilliant PR campaign, there seems to be more to it.

Is ST really that good?

Joining in the praise of synchronous technology have been an unusually high number of CAD insiders: analysts, editors and authors. Most surprising has been the reaction among users of rival MCAD software, who typically only get interested in other software to bash it. News of ST has lit up the SolidWorks blogs. While not openly praising ST, there was an unmistakable envy among the bloggers. Why can't we do that, they seem to ask.

Caution at accepting vendor claims seems prudent, as many revolutions are promised but few are delivered. Certainly, CAD was one such revolution, So was 3D, and parametric.

Maybe I'm the last hold out. But I'm trying to get my hands on the software to see for myself. Siemens has agreed, providing that I take a one day training class at their Huntsville, Alabama office where most to the Solid Edge team still reside.

Stay tuned for a hands-on report.

Comments

[Solid DNA]

In the mean time if your interested in knowing a little bit more...

www.soliddna.wordpress.com

[Josh]

Hi Roopinder. As a solidworks blogger and tech fiend, I'm not so much 'jealous' of the ST approach to modeling. Rather, I'm interested in how it affects development on a large scale in the CAD industry. I for one, think it's good that, if the developers can't work together, they can at least be inspired to new ideas (in context of the customers of course) which bring new technology into the industry.

If history-based modeling spawned direct modeling, what's next? :)

[R. Paul Waddington]

I will be interested to read your views on ST when you get your hands on it.
As an outsider, using AutoCAD/MDT and Inventor, I sat through a reasonably thorough demo of ST and believe it is a good tool in the making.
The reaction of the remainder of the audience tho' was quite different; many existing Solid Edge users were very cautious/fearful of the change; seeing it a dramatic change in preference to seeing ST as an additional tool in their kit.
As an advocated of flexibility in preference to user friendliness or ease of use I see ST as a step forward along that road.