Summary/reader responds draft 1

Lifesaving drones operate remotely to deliver essential medical supplies to rural areas (Zipline, n.d.). Therefore, the design must be reliable and cost-efficient to manufacture. The NX CAD software designed by Siemens optimises the design, testing and manufacturing processes. These unique features distinguish Siemens from its competitor. Some of its design optimisation features include 3D Design Validation, Design Interoperability, Product Modelling and many more (Siemens, n.d.). Such features allow the user to create an advanced virtual product model rather than costly physical prototypes. This feature will shorten the design time, lowering the development cost and improving product quality (Siemens, 2019). Syncrofit is a feature of the NX CAD software that automates tedious design tasks, and bill of materials (BOM) updates to speed up the procurement process (Siemens, 2019). This will, in turn, speed up the design realisation. The webpage also mentions that the software can quickly perform thickness and stress assessments of the design and determine which parts should be made of higher or lower grade materials, reducing the drone's overall weight (Siemens, 2019). NX CAD's direct competitors are CATIA, Creo and Autodesk Inventor (WIKIPEDIA, 2022). The designing, simulation and manufacturing features stand out as one of the most reliable and efficient compared to its competitors.

Pertaining to the design features, the NX CAD software design process is simulation driven. A simulation-driven design will enable users to "synthesise and define the physical design, rather than to simply evaluate and validate final design." (Siemens, n.d.). With out-of-the-box CAD-embedded Simulation support, engineers using the NX CAD software can "get immediate feedback on the design and rapidly make adjustments" (Siemens , n.d.). "CAD-embedded flow-simulation lets the engineers analyse fluid flow within the CAD environment." (Siemens , n.d.). In the case of a lifesaving drone, fluid flow simulation can significantly benefit the design process as it can simulate the aerodynamic properties of the current design, allowing design flaws to be spotted before prototyping. Unlike other CAD software like Autodesk Inventor, one of the direct competitors to NX, which only provides basic simulation such as dynamic simulation, stress analysis and exploded views and animations (autodesk, n.d.). Based on the information on the Autodesk webpage, dynamic simulation "apply forces to evaluate the motions, speed, and acceleration of the design.". Stress analysis only "run checks on parts or perform an in-depth analysis of the entire product at any stages.” (autodesk, n.d.). Such simulation features can be found in most CAD software. 

One of the unique features in manufacturing is the additive manufacturing features. Additive manufacturing (AM) is a technology that builds three-dimensional objects layer by layer. It is commonly used for 3D printing (GE Additive, n.d.). Unlike its competitors, which would need to install another slicing software, NX CAD is capable of additive manufacturing, from print to post-print validation (Siemens, n.d.). With “HEEDS”, a design space exploration solution that uses NX CAD geometry and Simcentre CAE simulation, the program can generate multiple versions of a part for the best design possible (Siemens, n.d.). Other than additive manufacturing features, NX CAD also has Topology Optimisation. Topology optimisation is a process that uses Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE) techniques and mathematics to optimise parts for performances improvements. To get the most optimised part geometry, all the user has to do is simply to input the allowable design envelops, load conditions, material characteristics and design constraints. With topology optimisation paired with AM, users can manufacture parts that meet the strength requirements while keeping material usage and weight to their minimum, which for the case of designing a drone, is absolutely essential (Siemens, n.d.). 

However, the NX CAD software has disadvantages compared to its competitors. The most significant disadvantage of the NX CAD software is its price. The yearly subscription fee for the NX CAD software is $3444, and the advance edition costs a whopping $6900 per year. Compared to its competitors, CATIA only costs $2000 per year, Creo costs $2480 per year, and Autodesk Inventor costs $2300 per year (AII3DP, 2022). 

Despite the cost of the software, the advance features that the NX CAD software provides, compared to its competitors, will enable the user to reduce the cost of developing lifesaving drones. Therefore, in the long run, it will be more cost-effective than using the other CAD software out in the market. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

Zipline. (n.d.). NX is used to design drones that reliably deliver essential medical supplies to remote locations in Rwanda. Retrieved from SARATECH: https://saratech.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Siemens-PLM-Zipline-Case-Study-NX.pdf

Siemens. (n.d.). NX for design streamlines and accelerates the product development process. Retrieved from NX for Design: https://www.plm.automation.siemens.com/global/en/products/nx/nx-for-design.html

Siemens. (2019). Lifesaving drones designed with CAD software. Retrieved from https://new.siemens.com/global/en/company/stories/industry/lifesaving-drones-designed-with-cad-software.html

WIKIPEDIA. (2022). Siemens NX. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siemens_NX#Architecture

Siemens. (n.d.). Simulation driven design. Retrieved from https://www.plm.automation.siemens.com/global/en/products/simulation-test/simulation-driven-design.html

Siemens . (n.d.). Out-of-the-box. Retrieved from https://www.plm.automation.siemens.com/global/en/products/simulation-test/out-of-the-box-cad-embedded-simulation.html

autodesk. (n.d.). Key features of Inventor. Retrieved from https://www.autodesk.com.sg/products/inventor/features

GE Additive. (n.d.). What is additvie manufacturing. Retrieved from https://www.ge.com/additive/additive-manufacturing

Siemens. (n.d.). Additive Manufacturing. Retrieved from https://www.plm.automation.siemens.com/global/en/products/manufacturing-planning/additive-manufacturing.html

Siemens. (n.d.). AM Generative Engineering. Retrieved from https://www.plm.automation.siemens.com/global/en/products/manufacturing-planning/generative-engineering.html

Siemens. (n.d.). AM Generative Engineering. Retrieved from https://www.plm.automation.siemens.com/global/en/products/manufacturing-planning/generative-engineering.html

AII3DP. (2022, August 10). The Best CAD Software for professionals. Retrieved from https://all3dp.com/1/best-cad-software/#nx-advanced-designer

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Summary Draft 1

  The webpage “Lifesaving drones designed with CAD software” (SIEMENS, 2019), introduces the use of Siemens NX CAD software to design Life-saving drones. Among its many features, The NX CAD software is designed to optimize the design, testing, and manufacturing processes. In terms of design optimization, the software allows its users to use more virtual product models rather than more costly, physical prototypes to test the effectiveness of its design. This leads to shortened design time, which lowers the development cost and improves product quality ( SIEMENS 2019). The Syncrofit feature of the NX CAD software allows users to (make well-informed design decisions for an overall smoother path to design realization. It automates tedious design tasks and bill of materials (BOM) updates to speed up the procurement process. The simulation function of the NX CAD software in the case of designing Life-saving drones can perform virtual test flights while simulating the characteristics or ...
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