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NX 11 Learning Edition Now Available!

By Amy Reyes

Great news for CAD students… NX 11 Learning Edition is now available and features the same breakthrough convergent modeling technology as the full version of NX. With NX 11 Learning Edition, you can have access to the latest design methods to help you leverage topology optimization results, scanned data, and design for additive manufacturing (3D printing). There are other strong improvements to more traditional modeling techniques as well, such as feature modeling. Read on to learn more.  

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As scanning technology becomes more accessible and affordable, working with scanned data is becoming commonplace across a multitude of industries. Until now, working with such data has been a challenge for designers as it has required a lengthy and time-consuming process to convert the data to facets in order to use traditional modeling techniques. Not so with Convergent Modeling. Now students can work directly with scanned data in combination with b-rep data.

Convergent Modeling allows for designs that previously could not be manufactured with traditional techniques. Instead, additive manufacturing is necessary to create some of these designs.


Additive manufacturing (3D printing) is yet another technology more companies in product development are using to achieve a greater level of innovation, creativity, and customization in design. It is a fast technique that enables shapes previously not possible. Often, additive manufacturing results in products that are much lighter, and in some cases, stronger than their traditional machined counterparts of the past. NX 11 Learning Edition supports additive manufacturingwith the addition of new design techniques such as Convergent Modeling, because it enables you to create designs specifically to 3D print.

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Yet another area in which NX 11 Learning Edition helps prepare you for a career in design and product development is with expanded capabilities for leveraging product and manufacturing information (PMI). More companies are recognizing the benefits of a MBD (model based definition) strategy and starting to move away from relying solely on drawings. As you have undoubtedly noticed, universities are beginning to teach MBD and PMI as the only way forward, with many students not even using drawings in their regular work. NX 11 Learning Edition has strong support for PMI beyond what was previously available, including the ability to automatically convert drawing views and objects to model views and PMI objects. This makes it easier to move from legacy 2D drawings to a new MBD strategy without extensive rework that takes time and significant effort.

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NX 11 Learning Edition also builds on existing functionality within NX for stronger design tools and improved usability:



  • Swept volume in feature modeling lets you sweep a solid body along a 2D or 3D path.

  • Sketcher now shows previews of changes when you go to move geometry in a sketch.

  • Scalable sketch groups have also been introduced to the sketcher.

  • NX Realize Shape allows you to split and merge bodies, copy and paste bodies, and connect bodies as well for added control when performing subdivision modeling.

  • Switching between windows is fast and intuitive with CTRL-tab and a window of thumbnails that display active parts.
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Students can purchase NX Learning Edition online through Journey Ed, Academic Superstore (US and Canada), Creation Engine (global), and Studica (global).It works on Windows only.

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This article first appeared on the Siemens Digital Industries Software blog at https://blogs.sw.siemens.com/nx-design/nx-11-learning-edition-now-available/