Solid Edge - Community Edition

I mentioned in my initial post that Solid Edge CE could be used simply as a 2D CAD system and that this might be a good entry point for some people looking for small, gentle steps into 3D CAD.

Indeen, I've found myself prefering to use Solid Edge for my 2D work these days instead of TurboCAD but I've been aware that I still tend to approach 2D as I've always done with TC - and thereby not always getting the full advantage that a 2D parametric system can offer.

I found this YouTube recently and although it shows an older version of SE, there were a number of things that I hadn't realised were possible and that are proving useful in my 2D work. The ability to turn on projection lines is useful but being able to 'connect' items via them even more so - plus the ability to 'smartselect' elements by feature combinations (layer, colour etc) is very useful when managing layers.

These features are there, right in front of you but not always obvious to the novitiate I'm afraid. Anyway, for anyone using SE Community in 2D mode (or anyone who just wants a SE 2D preview) - this will be 17 minutes well spent.

Solid Edge - 2D Overview

Regards,

IanT

Has anyone tried downloading this software recently? I've tried several times this morning, initially I had a problem as there wasn't enough disc space, but now it just gives a "400 Bad Request" error.

Well I managed to download it but will it install? No!

Ian -

Thank you for the tip you posted, err, a month ago yesterday.

I've only just started seeing notifications to this forum again because for some reason my PC decided I'd blocked gmail without telling me!

U nfortunately it won't help me because I can't load SolidEdge - of any flavour - anyway. It demands WIN-10 and Siemens' policy is not to publish software capable of running on WIN editions MS no longer support, including the W7 Pro I use.

'

John -

I take it you are using WIN 10?

Hello John,

I've been running Solid Edge 2020 for about 18 months and have been meaning to download the latest edition - assuuming it would be 2021.

I've just downloaded the latest Solid Edge Community Edition and was surprised (and pleased) to find it is the latest 2022 Edition - which was released by Siemens on October 6th!

I'm afraid I can't help with your problem - but would just ask if you are running Win10 (I use 'Home' ) and also if you downloaded from the link I provided in the first post or somewhere else?

Hi Graham - yes, I'm using Win10 'Home' on a nearly 6 year old i5 Laptop.

Regards,

IanT

Edited By IanT on 12/11/2021 17:29:49

Yes, win10 home and the link on your first post.

Currently downloading the 2022 version, having had the 2020 and 2021 editions (but admittedly not really used them much). One thing which is vaguely irritating is the fact that Siemens seem to be unable to remember me - every download results in me having to re-register, despite having one (possibly two) accounts and verifying my email each time.

This time, I'll make more of an effort to learn how to use the software properly.

Rob

Cracked it (I tink). Turned out that my laptop didn't have enough room on its C drive because the makers in their wisdom decided to have a "permanent" partition into C and D (data). Found a process on the web to fix this and now Solid Edge is installing. So far so good!

This will also stop the machine giving me endless warnings about running out of space when it has 200 GBytes available...

Installed and running.... Now a steep learning curve!

Hi Ian, Rob

I am still using 2020 edition . I have downloaded 2022 edition but i have to delete 2020 edition before it will install.

Can you tell me if the 2022 edition has any significant improvements and is worth installing? More importantly , do i loose anything in the new edition?

On thing i cannot do now is create threads. I do get a simulation of a thread but that does not translate into a 3D printed part. .If that worked in 2022 i would feel it worthwhile updating.

I mainly use FreeCAD but it too has its' limitations

thanks

Ger

If you missed it Ian posted about a change to the "lifetime" of 2022 here

Hi Gerard,

Yes, SE-CE 2022 now has a "Physical" thread option for 3D printing (now part of 'Thread' tool defintion) - although the system warns you that "implementing it may cause performance impact" - but it's there if you need it.

There are lot's of other small changes I've noticed but nothing that have caused me any problems and some that are helpful. I was disappointed in the apparent license change but then I've had 18 months free SE useage so far and will have another three years before this version "expires". Hopefully, the next update will extend this life again - we'll have to see. Siemens seem to be keeping the Community Edition in step with the commercial SE product and are updating annually it seems. SE2022 was released on Oct 6th this year.

Other than that, I'm still very happy with Solid Edge.

Regards,

IanT

PS Pleased to see you go your problem sorted John

I made repeated efforts to download 2022 but each time the download failed. It was only when I clicked on "requirements" link I found that it will not install on my Win 10 home edition 64 bit.

**LINK**

Rik

That's funny, it installed for me yesterday on exactly that! It is not supported on Win10 Home but it will install and run quite happily. Others here have also installed in on Home.

You may be having a disc space issue which is what I had at first. The installer is compressed using 7zip which doesn't check that the destination folder has enough space and give you a warning. See my post at 12.44 yesterday.

The download is over 3 Gbyte and it decompresses to 6.7.  I found that initially it wouldn't download until I created a bit of space, and when it did it wouldn't decompress, so I had to take more radical action (which incidentally fixed a problem I've been having for some time).

Edited By John Haine on 14/11/2021 13:29:44

Yes, i'm running it on Win10 'Home' too Rik.

Regards,

IanT

Thanks Ian, Jason. I didn't know it expired so i might wait until that happens before updating.

I too am running it on Wiin 10 Home edition

Why is it refered to as 3D ? It's flat so is it not isometric projection? Another dumming down by techies in ''Merica ?

Naw, techies never get anything wrong!

The display may be 2D, but 3D models have X,Y and Z coordinates. The coordinates can be manipulated mathematically to put isometric or perspective views of objects on screen, or sliced to produce sectioned 2D drawings, or output as 3D to drive the tool movements of a CNC machine. Or create holograms.

3D CAD tools are multidimensional in another sense. Once an object's coordinates are defined, the volume is also known. And if the material is defined, the weight, strength, colour and other properties of the real object become available and can be mathematically modelled too. Internal stresses when the object is subjected to forces can be calculated, as can thermal flows when it's heated or cooled. 3D CAD is much more than an isometric projection.

Dave

Thanks JohnH & IanT, Finally managed to download and install it but only after turning of Windows Defender Firewall. I thought I might have to upgrade to Win11 so run a MS requirement app. It informed me that my CPU was not suitable !!!!! I put this PC together thinking that I had a fair bit of age redundancy built in but it seems that Bill Gates has stopped my gallop.

Rik (peeved)

My DIY PC is:

AMD Z170-Gaming K3 MB

Intel Core i7-6700 @ 4.00GHz CPU

Internal Samsung M.2 2TB SSD

External Seagate 4TB HDD

32 GB RAM

AMD FirePro W7100 graphics card

Dave , your spot on with your patient explanation in response to my mini rant. Just don't get me started on router or airplane.