Solid Edge Launches Subscription to Local Motors Members

If you're a member of Local Motors, you could get access to portions of Siemens PLM Software's Solid Edge (SE) CAD package for as little as $19.95 a month.

Local Motors, which pioneered the idea of crowd-sourced automotive design and do-it-yourself manufacturing, now offers multiple levels of SE subscriptions at The Forge, a web portal dedicated to member projects. Prices are listed as:

• $19.95 per month for Solid Edge Design1 (parts and assemblies, Synchronous Technology, 2D/3D data translators);
• $99 per month for Solid Edge Design and Drafting (SE Design1 features, 2D drawing, assembly animation);
• $179 per month for Solid Edge Foundation (SE Design and Drafting features, surfacing, sheet metal, frame, weldment);
• $229 per month for Solid Edge Classic (SE Foundation features, basic simulation, rendering, machine library, Insight data management); and
• $299 per month for Solid Edge Premium (SE Classic features, full simulation, wire harness, piping/tubing).

Local Motors community encompasses professional designers and engineers as well as hobbyists and enthusiasts. Siemens PLM Software's subscription strategy is expected to appeal to members with varying degrees of exposure and needs to CAD modeling, drafting, simulation, and rendering. The on-demand approach lets project participants to use the software for the lifespan of a project, then terminate the subscription at the end of the project. It also serves as a testing ground for the new licensing model in CAD sales.

For more, read "Solid Edge Design1, an Exclusive Product for Local Motors Members," November 11, 2011.