While the design and development steps of bringing a product to market are well-handled by several product lifecycle management software products,
Siemens Digital Industries Software is expanding on this by adding manufacturing workflows capabilities such as quoting, planning, tracking and collaborating with customers and suppliers in its new
Zel X web-based engineering app.
Siemens developed this app in response to manufacturing user insights that indicated most manufacturers believe having multiple separate software tools slows digital transformation and increases overhead costs.
According to Siemens, Zel X allows users to plan, execute and track manufacturing and assembly across the shop floor; streamline inbound and outbound requests for quote (RFQ); and track jobs and projects, not just from art to part, but from quote to payment. It allows them to use 3D model-based CAM and edit G-code from the shop floor. Zel X tools help with view, markup and edit CAD models from all sources using Parasolid-based translators. In addition, AI-based modeling and automated drawings can be used for quoting, fixture design and assisting with pre-processing of data for machining. Other tools help validate and optimize designs with rapid simulation.
A key facet of Zel X is its ability with CAD and CAM systems outside of Siemens’ NX or Solid Edge. Zel X can also work with non-Siemens CAD systems such as Creo, SolidWorks and Inventor.
Siemens says Zel X isn’t meant to replace existing CAD or CAM software, but to enhance them by extending the use of your CAD data to allow other teams or departments like procurement, sales and production, and even customers and suppliers, to leverage design data.
Zel X does this by delivering the technologies behind Siemens Teamcenter, Simcenter, NX, and Solid Edge in a lightweight, affordable experience available through a web browser. Zel X can reportedly run instantly on existing PCs, Chromebooks, MacBooks, tablets, Androids and iPhones. Updates to Zel X are automatically delivered without additional costs.
Zel X comes in two subscription options—Standard and Advanced (both of which run less than $200/month). Zel X Standard offers the core tools needed for quoting, planning, designing and preparing for machining. Zel X Advanced adds more data management options and simulation, and expands design into assembly and history-based modeling.
The apps can be accessed for a 30-day free trial.
Early users of Zel X
Siemens highlighted three early users of Zel X to highlight differences in use of the app across differing types of manufacturers.
Schuster Mechanical in Detroit is an automotive test equipment manufacturer. Schuster is using Zel X to help better manage and organize operations, specifically when working with customers and creating quotes. Zel X’s collaboration offers unlimited permission-based sharing that allows customers to view, inspect, mark up and comment on active projects through any web browser. Siemens says this gives companies a professional, consistent interface with their customers to keep them up to date on progress.
Similar to Schuster, ultra-lightweight, high-performance vehicle manufacturer VUHL in Querétaro, México, has adopted Zel X, to help manage projects, collaborate with customers and take their Siemens NX design data to the shop floor. According to VUHL, being able to access and edit designs from anywhere on any device allows them to incorporate engineering changes quickly on the shop floor.
Bowstone Metal Fabrication in Ball Ground, Ga., was concerned that its human-centric approach to tracking order progress and status would become unmanageable at scale, which would risk over-working their staff, decreasing on-time delivery and, potentially, damaging their reputation. Bowstone chose Zel X because it allowed them to implement a system that leans on simplicity versus complexity and allows employees to access it on any device while also reducing IT overhead.
