{"id":2252,"date":"2015-10-30T11:49:46","date_gmt":"2015-10-30T18:49:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.plm.automation.siemens.com\/t5\/NX-Design-Blog\/Getting-Hands-On-with-CAD-at-GM-PLM-Showcase\/ba-p\/320196"},"modified":"2026-03-26T04:21:05","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T08:21:05","slug":"getting-hands-on-with-cad-at-gm-plm-showcase","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/nx-design\/getting-hands-on-with-cad-at-gm-plm-showcase\/","title":{"rendered":"Getting Hands On with CAD at GM PLM Showcase"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"IMG_3364.JPG\"Think back to 25 years ago If you\u2019re like most people I\u2019ve talked to, you were probably just starting out in your career.CAD software would barely even be recognizable to someone new to the industry today. Did you ever imagine that 3D computer realistic images would come to take the place of hand-drawn models on a drafting board? Now just imagine what the next 25 years holds in store for CAD. Technology continues to advance at such a rapid pace, there are sure to be some changes we can\u2019t even picture today.<\/P><\/p>\n

Take touch devices for example. If you follow our NX Quick Tips<\/A> series, you know we have been talking a lot lately about touchscreen CAD<\/A>. Earlier this week, GM employees had a chance to get literal hands-on experience with NX CAD on a Surface Pro 3. It was part of the GM PLM Showcase that Siemens PLM Software participated in. More on that later. During the event, a few people asked me what I thought about using CAD on a tablet. My opinion? It\u2019s definitely the way of the future.<\/P><\/p>\n

If you think about how we naturally interact with our environment and the world around us, it\u2019s with our hands. Back when you were still using a drafting board, you created models with pencil and paper\u2014and your hands. Why shouldn\u2019t using computers be any different? Right now you\u2019re used to your mouse, but there may come a day when people look at computer mice and wonder why on earth we ever used them!<\/P><\/p>\n

For now though, touchscreen CAD is still a relatively new and unadopted technology, at least among the people I speak with. It is mainly beneficial for flashy demos, model reviews, and general collaboration with teams. That sentiment was echoed by attendees of the PLM Showcase at GM\u2019s Technical Center in Detroit earlier this week.<\/P>
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Roughly 900 employees, managers, and executives stopped by throughout the daylong event to learn more about PLM and the benefits that our solutions offer. They spoke with Siemens PLM employees, got to learn more about our software, and some even tried it out for themselves.<\/P><\/p>\n

I had the chance to meet some of our CAD users and hear their thoughts on NX, especially with regard to working on touch devices. You may agree with some of these views, or maybe you don\u2019t. Either way, I thought it would be cool to share with you what I learned!<\/P><\/p>\n

\"IMG_3358.JPG\"Sam Kuan and John Baker both represented NX CAD during the event. John got to show off some of the new functionality coming to the latest version of NX. If you attend a RUG meeting this year, you\u2019ll get to see a sneak peek of that yourself (or perhaps you already have!). I spent most of the day with Sam, who was demoing NX 10 on a large 65\u201d touchscreen monitor. We went over some tips on the gestures, commands, and other functions available in NX 10 with a specific focus on the touch interface.<\/P><\/p>\n

First, you may notice there are a few new presentation roles<\/A> available to you. There is the regular user role, but then we also have a touch panel role and touch tablet role. The names are pretty self-explanatory, but each offers some unique strengths that play to a particular device, especially with regard to size and how you interact with it.<\/P><\/p>\n

The touch panel role<\/STRONG>, for example, is best for a large screen such as that which we were working on during the PLM Showcase. When you have a panel display, it typically sits on your desk much like a traditional PC. With a larger screen in the traditional NX layout, you\u2019ll find your arms will tire from constantly reaching to the top to access various commands and menus. It makes it rather awkward and uncomfortable to work, particularly for extended periods of time. This is where the touch panel role excels.<\/P><\/p>\n

\"Touchvs. \"Touch<\/P><\/p>\n

The touch panel <\/STRONG>role:<\/P>
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