It\u2019s the winter of 1980 and I’m in my first year studying Mechanical Engineering at Imperial College London. I\u2019m at a fellow student\u2019s freezing cold basement flat in West London. His slightly geeky roommate is working on something called an Apple II Computer in the corner of the room, and they are playing some amazing, slightly ethereal rock music on the record player perched high on a rickety shelf. \u201cWho is this?\u201d I ask. \u201cOh, it\u2019s this new band from Ireland called U2. They\u2019ll be in London next month; do you want to come along?\u201d Of course I say yes, and a few weeks later I’m a few feet from the stage as Bono, the Edge, Adam and Larry launch into \u201cI Will Follow<\/A>.\u201d Thirty four years later, I am still an avid fan of U2, so I guess I did follow.
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![\"U2](\"http:\/\/community.plm.automation.siemens.com\/legacyfs\/online\/wordpress\/images\/2014\/10\/U2-Apple-and-the-Edge-v0.3-300x137.jpg\")
<\/A> U2 and the Apple II in 1980<\/DIV> <\/DIV>
An amazing thing about U2 is that after forming the band as teenagers in Dublin in 1976 (their drummer Larry was 14 when he posted a note on the school notice board looking for musicians), the same 4 members form the band today. And if you saw the movie \u201cJobs<\/A>\u201d recently, you will know that Apple (also formed in 1976) have had a journey a bit like a more stereotypical rock band with fall outs, reunions, failures, and successes \u2013 and although they have lost their founder, Steve Jobs, the company is of course still very much together.
You may be surprised at drawing parallels between Apple, U2 and the other Edge (Solid Edge<\/A>), but staying together, building a community, and reinvention are very much part of the Solid Edge ethos. Solid Edge was launched in 1996 so has a shorter history, but several of the key people at the launch of Solid Edge like Bill McClure and Dan Staples<\/A> are leaders in the organization today. And just as important, many of our customers like AESSEAL, a manufacturer ofmechanical seals have been Solid Edge fans for many years. AESSEAL have expanded from a single license of Solid Edge in 1999 to 30 licenses in 4 different countries today, and you can read 3 different case studies that focus on their use of Solid Edge and NX CAM<\/A> for efficient design and manufacturing of precision assemblies, using Teamcenter<\/A> to help deliver on their reputation for excellent customer service and short lead times, and their focus on high quality apprenticeships<\/A> to help develop the engineering expertise that is essential to the success of their business.
![\"AESSEAL](\"http:\/\/community.plm.automation.siemens.com\/legacyfs\/online\/wordpress\/images\/2014\/10\/API-DOUBLE-11-150x112.jpg\")
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An amazing thing about U2 is that after forming the band as teenagers in Dublin in 1976 (their drummer Larry was 14 when he posted a note on the school notice board looking for musicians), the same 4 members form the band today. And if you saw the movie \u201cJobs<\/A>\u201d recently, you will know that Apple (also formed in 1976) have had a journey a bit like a more stereotypical rock band with fall outs, reunions, failures, and successes \u2013 and although they have lost their founder, Steve Jobs, the company is of course still very much together.
You may be surprised at drawing parallels between Apple, U2 and the other Edge (Solid Edge<\/A>), but staying together, building a community, and reinvention are very much part of the Solid Edge ethos. Solid Edge was launched in 1996 so has a shorter history, but several of the key people at the launch of Solid Edge like Bill McClure and Dan Staples<\/A> are leaders in the organization today. And just as important, many of our customers like AESSEAL, a manufacturer ofmechanical seals have been Solid Edge fans for many years. AESSEAL have expanded from a single license of Solid Edge in 1999 to 30 licenses in 4 different countries today, and you can read 3 different case studies that focus on their use of Solid Edge and NX CAM<\/A> for efficient design and manufacturing of precision assemblies, using Teamcenter<\/A> to help deliver on their reputation for excellent customer service and short lead times, and their focus on high quality apprenticeships<\/A> to help develop the engineering expertise that is essential to the success of their business.
<\/A> Precision mechanical seal designed by AESSEAL using Solid Edge<\/DIV> <\/DIV>
This year we delivered our 27th<\/SUP> album \u2013 Solid Edge ST7<\/A> to great reviews. And we have reinvented ourselves along the way, for example with the change from the ACIS to the Parasolid<\/A> modelling kernel in 1998 and the introduction of synchronous technology<\/A> in 2008. Building a community around our employees, customers, students, and channel partners has been an important part of this journey, and something we have accelerated in the last few years. Focused events like Solid Edge University that is now touring globally, and our popular Solid Edge Community<\/A> website are really helping to connect our users to each other and to Siemens.
This year we delivered our 27th<\/SUP> album \u2013 Solid Edge ST7<\/A> to great reviews. And we have reinvented ourselves along the way, for example with the change from the ACIS to the Parasolid<\/A> modelling kernel in 1998 and the introduction of synchronous technology<\/A> in 2008. Building a community around our employees, customers, students, and channel partners has been an important part of this journey, and something we have accelerated in the last few years. Focused events like Solid Edge University that is now touring globally, and our popular Solid Edge Community<\/A> website are really helping to connect our users to each other and to Siemens.
![\"Solid](\"http:\/\/community.plm.automation.siemens.com\/legacyfs\/online\/wordpress\/images\/2014\/10\/solid-edge-releases-1024x349.jpg\")
<\/A>![\"Apple,](\"http:\/\/community.plm.automation.siemens.com\/legacyfs\/online\/wordpress\/images\/2014\/10\/DSCN009lr-300x224.jpg\")
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