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Rumor of SW kernel expiring in 2012

Rumor of SW kernel expiring in 2012

Rumor of SW kernel expiring in 2012

(OP)
I recently received a disturbing, well more like annoying, phone call from a PTC rep.  They were trying to tell me that the SW kernel license from Seimens will expire in 2012 and cause SW to switch everyone over to Catia.  Or, as he put it, switch to Creo from PTC.  
I had to contain my laughter and let this poor schmuck finish his speech.  I guess he doesn't truly realize how BIG SW really is and it would be a idiotic move on SW side to have EVERY user switch to Catia.

Anybody else here this bull from other sources?

If first you do succeed...try something harder.

Blair H.
SW 2009 sp3.0, HP x4600
3.16ghz Intel Core2 Duo,
3.0 GB ram,
Nvidia Quadro FX 1700
Space Pilot Pro...they ROCK!!
 

RE: Rumor of SW kernel expiring in 2012

Our VAR said that SW currently uses the UG platform(engine).  Since Dassault Systemes owns both Catia and SW, they have discussed changing the platform(engine) for SW from UG to Catia.  Catia and SW will still be seperate programs, they will just be based off of/running off of the same platform(engine).
That's what I've heard.

RE: Rumor of SW kernel expiring in 2012

You are confusing the kernel with the application.  The kernel is Parasolid, which drives the generation of geometry.

RE: Rumor of SW kernel expiring in 2012

Your PTC rep is spreading a bit of FUD.  Dassualt is not forcing everyone to switch to Catia.

What is happening though is SolidWorks is being re-written from the ground up.  It will use the Catia geometry kernel called CGM.  It currently uses the Siemens UG/NX parasolid geometry kernel.

Dassault has stated on numerous occasions in the past year that they will keep both the original version of SolidWorks (v1) available for quite a long time as well as the new version.  My guess, at least 8-10 years.

Dassault does this as well with Catia v5 and v6.  They just stated at their Dassault Systemes Customer Conference, this week, that Catia v5 will be supported until at least 2020.

They are developing SolidWorks built on the Catis CGM kernal and the Enovia database.  This is being talked about as SolidWorks v6.

I am going to take a guess that we will see the first iteration of SolidWorks v6 sometime in 2012.  I am hoping it is presented at SolidWorks World 2012.

This has been the talk of the CAD community for the last two years since SolidWorks presented future technology they where working on at SoildWorks World 2010.

Cheers,


  

Anna Wood
SW2011 SP4, Windows 7 x64
http://www.renderbay.com
http://www.solidmuse.com
http://www.phxswug.com

RE: Rumor of SW kernel expiring in 2012

Such statements were rampant when Solidworks was first introduced. It was a favorite tactic of PTC and AutoDesk.

I believe that Anna has seen some version of SWv6. I am sure she can't say much if anything about it.

By saying that SolidWorks is being rewritten from the ground up means it will be SolidWorks the same way the Volkwagen Beetle is the Volkswagen Beetle. The two just aren't the same at all.  

TOP
CSWP, BSSE
www.engtran.com  www.niswug.org
www.linkedin.com/in/engineeringtransport
Phenom IIx6 1100T = 8GB = FX1400 = XP64SP2 = SW2009SP3
"Node news is good news."

RE: Rumor of SW kernel expiring in 2012

(OP)
Thanks for all the feedback everyone.  
I know it's just the normal tactic of a desperate PTC rep.  Just wanted to know if anybody else heard this before.

Anna...you seem to know alot about Dassault, do you work for them?  LOL

If first you do succeed...try something harder.

Blair H.
SW 2009 sp3.0, HP x4600
3.16ghz Intel Core2 Duo,
3.0 GB ram,
Nvidia Quadro FX 1700
Space Pilot Pro...they ROCK!!
 

RE: Rumor of SW kernel expiring in 2012

I was at CATIA training about 2.5 years ago and heard rumors of this.
No big deal, SW will still be around, just newer.

Chris
SolidWorks 10 SP5.0
ctopher's home
SolidWorks Legion

RE: Rumor of SW kernel expiring in 2012

Folks we live in a parasolid world. How many 3rd party apps and other software packages use parasolid and can't touch CATIA files? How will NX and PTC communicate? My guess is that all the problems we have run into dealing with CATIA files will now be caused by us instead of being a pain in the neck to deal with.

I always wondered why SW never sold the ability to read and write CATIA files except as an addon to some 3rd party apps and to SRAC.

If you deal with curvy stuff this may be a problem in dealing with legacy parts as CATIA IIRC uses high order splines while SW uses 3rd order splines in it's non-analytic surfaces.

Just because they use the same name doesn't mean it will be the same software.  

TOP
CSWP, BSSE
www.engtran.com  www.niswug.org
www.linkedin.com/in/engineeringtransport
Phenom IIx6 1100T = 8GB = FX1400 = XP64SP2 = SW2009SP3
"Node news is good news."

RE: Rumor of SW kernel expiring in 2012

No, I do not work for DS.  I read the internet and pay attention to what is happening in the CAD community.

I have not seen v6.  We SolidWorks bloggers ask them regularly if they are ready to show it yet.  That is one very tightly held secret at this point in time at DS SolidWorks.

Cheers,



 

Anna Wood
SW2011 SP4, Windows 7 x64
http://www.renderbay.com
http://www.solidmuse.com
http://www.phxswug.com

RE: Rumor of SW kernel expiring in 2012

NX can use higher order splines too I'm fairly sure, and that's running Parasolid.

Certified SolidWorks Professional

RE: Rumor of SW kernel expiring in 2012

Some salesmen grow their own sharkskin suits.
 

Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

RE: Rumor of SW kernel expiring in 2012

You guys are the experts on this, but what happens to the SW legacy data when a new kernel is written? Can we still modify it? Also, it's seems like the new design software will have to go though a lot of rigorous testing, no?  

Colin Fitzpatrick (aka Macduff)
Mechanical Designer
Solidworks 2010 SP 5.0
Dell T5500 Windows 7 Pro (64-bit)
Xeon CPU 2.53 GHz 6.00 GB of RAM
nVida Quadro 4000 2 GB
3D Connexion-SpaceExplorer

RE: Rumor of SW kernel expiring in 2012

Quote (kellnerp):

If you deal with curvy stuff this may be a problem in dealing with legacy parts as CATIA IIRC uses high order splines while SW uses 3rd order splines in it's non-analytic surfaces.

Just because they use the same name doesn't mean it will be the same software.   
It's already been asked for a specific case very likely to cause problems. And it is already a problem with old legacy data and current releases.SolidWorks has always taken the position that it is up to the customer to evaluate the software for their purposes before putting it in production. In other words, when an if the software is released it is up to the customer to a) backup their old data and b) do thorough testing of the new software before implementation.

It is not just legacy data either. Legacy API work, legacy CAD procedures, legacy training and experience all go out the window. Perhaps it will even force a hardware upgrade not otherwise planned.  

TOP
CSWP, BSSE
www.engtran.com  www.niswug.org
www.linkedin.com/in/engineeringtransport
Phenom IIx6 1100T = 8GB = FX1400 = XP64SP2 = SW2009SP3
"Node news is good news."

RE: Rumor of SW kernel expiring in 2012

Joe,
Yeah I heard about this, but you're sending this as a joke, correct?

Colin Fitzpatrick (aka Macduff)
Mechanical Designer
Solidworks 2010 SP 5.0
Dell T5500 Windows 7 Pro (64-bit)
Xeon CPU 2.53 GHz 6.00 GB of RAM
nVida Quadro 4000 2 GB
3D Connexion-SpaceExplorer

RE: Rumor of SW kernel expiring in 2012

Quote (Article):

ONE-WAY STREET.  Experts familiar with Airbus' design operations tell BusinessWeek.com that the Toulouse assembly plant used the latest version of a sophisticated design software tool called CATIA, made by France's Dassault Systèmes (DASTY), an independent software spinout of French airplane maker Dassault Aviation. But the design center at the Hamburg factory used an earlier version of the CATIA software dating from the 1980s.
....
Besides using two versions of Dassault's CATIA on the A380, Airbus also designed much of the plane using software made by a different supplier, Parametric Technology (PMTC) of Needham, Mass. (Parametric says its software is not used for the plane's electrical harnesses, however.)
The current SW has been vetted for PTC to SW, UG to SW, etc. History for CATIA to SW and vice versa is very limited.  

TOP
CSWP, BSSE
www.engtran.com  www.niswug.org
www.linkedin.com/in/engineeringtransport
Phenom IIx6 1100T = 8GB = FX1400 = XP64SP2 = SW2009SP3
"Node news is good news."

RE: Rumor of SW kernel expiring in 2012

SolidEdge was originally written around the ASICS kernel and was switched to Parasolid when UGS bought them from Intergraph. Switching kernels in a CAD system is not new.

SolidWorks just has to spend time developing a routine that will map Parasolid data into the CGMv6 data structure. The user interface may or may not be changed, but that will be driven by current programming ideas more than functionality of the kernel.

With a Parasolid-based system, every new version has a built-in update routine that maps the changes to the latest kernel code. You don't see it and you don't run it, it is run automatically on evry part you open. I would expect SW to do the same when they finally release the v6-based sysetm.

 

"Wildfires are dangerous, hard to control, and economically catastrophic."

Ben Loosli

RE: Rumor of SW kernel expiring in 2012

Colin,

Yes, my reply was meant to be tongue-in-cheek.  I went to add a smiley and clicked on "submit" instead "edit".

Joe
SW Premium 2011 SP0.0
Dell T3500 Xeon W3505 2.4Ghz
6.0GB  Win7 Pro x64
ATI FirePro V5800

RE: Rumor of SW kernel expiring in 2012

afro2

Colin Fitzpatrick (aka Macduff)
Mechanical Designer
Solidworks 2010 SP 5.0
Dell T5500 Windows 7 Pro (64-bit)
Xeon CPU 2.53 GHz 6.00 GB of RAM
nVida Quadro 4000 2 GB
3D Connexion-SpaceExplorer

RE: Rumor of SW kernel expiring in 2012

Quote (looslib):

Switching kernels in a CAD system is not new.
So true.AFAIK SW was architected from the beginning to be kernel agnostic. HOWEVER, many features in SW of higher order than prismatic, analytic features depend on the kernel to provide the location of edges and surfaces for further computations. Those users who have done a lot of lofting, sweeps and surfacing know all too well how  picking SW can sometimes be in finding an edge or surface. Tiny changes (>0.001 in) can sometimes have dramatic effects on results. Creators of swoopy stuff (plastic molding, castings, forgings, etc.) sometimes run into problems with legacy data between releases.
It is one thing to say software can be kernel agnostic for creating new models and an entirely different thing to say it CAN BE kernel agnostic for legacy data.  

TOP
CSWP, BSSE
www.engtran.com  www.niswug.org
www.linkedin.com/in/engineeringtransport
Phenom IIx6 1100T = 8GB = FX1400 = XP64SP2 = SW2009SP3
"Node news is good news."

RE: Rumor of SW kernel expiring in 2012

Also important to note. SolidEdge switched kernels when they had maybe a few thousand seats, not a million! big difference.

Certified SolidWorks Professional

RE: Rumor of SW kernel expiring in 2012

Autodesk also switched kernels (ACIS to ASM)when they had a few thousand seats (plus maybe a few millions).  

RE: Rumor of SW kernel expiring in 2012

I have nothing positive to say about PTC's sales tactics.  At best, they tend to be deliberately misleading.

RE: Rumor of SW kernel expiring in 2012

15 years ago they would only talk to my boss and had him convinced that anyone serious about doing MCAD was using Pro/E.

5 years ago they came in and did a presentation comparing Wildfire to other products at their technology state back in the 90s of the last century.  My boss took the bait hook, line and sinker.  We now have a bunch of Creo seats that nobody uses.

RE: Rumor of SW kernel expiring in 2012

Quote:

Autodesk also switched kernels (ACIS to ASM)when they had a few thousand seats (plus maybe a few millions).  
And just because they switched doesn't mean it was without impact. Has anyone here got any experience with Inventor from day one in order to speak to this? After all, look how many Inventor folks switch to SW. So just because a vendor changed doesn't mean it worked out well. See the Airbus article regarding CATIA.

TOP
CSWP, BSSE
www.engtran.com  www.niswug.org
www.linkedin.com/in/engineeringtransport
Phenom IIx6 1100T = 8GB = FX1400 = XP64SP2 = SW2009SP3
"Node news is good news."

RE: Rumor of SW kernel expiring in 2012

But AutoDesk wasn't strictly a switch. Just a change of developer on the same forked set of code.

Yes, PTC sales used to come over the top and tell the GM/President that unless his engineering department was using their sofwtare they were behind the times and losing the company money. PTC also used to tie in seat sales to a maintenance renewal to show that the customer base was expanding.
 

"Wildfires are dangerous, hard to control, and economically catastrophic."

Ben Loosli

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