SimScale vs Plex Systems

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Our analysts compared SimScale vs Plex Systems based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Manufacturing Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

Product Basics

SimScale is a design solution that offers CFD, FEA and thermal simulation modules in one space via the cloud. It allows engineering teams to share insights and collaborate in real time seamlessly. Its top features include design validation, the engineering community and simultaneous simulation viewing.

It implements industry-based encryption tech to safeguard information. It garners instant updates each time it's refreshed. It can even integrate with other CAD files to maintain familiarity.
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Plex Manufacturing Cloud uses real-time data to connect and facilitate operations among various business aspects such as finance, distribution and production. It has built-in compliance and approval monitoring tools to ensure that your products are created accurately and with regulations in mind.

With Plex software, you also have the ability to develop customized reports and dashboards to make visualization easier and more streamlined. These reporting tools can make developing insights faster and easier, especially when considering the program’s use of actual minute-by-minute data.
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$0.10/Core Hour, Usage-Based
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$500/User, Monthly
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Tailored to your specific needs
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Product Assistance

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Product Insights

  • Unify Responsibilities: Access CFD, FEA, thermal analysis and other simulations in one place without having to open and switch between multiple programs. 
  • Customize Workflows: Perform automatic simulation assignments, record them in codes and share them throughout projects and designs. Obtain project permissions through the workbench and share and collaborate swiftly to boost productivity. 
  • Analyze Static: Conduct linear and nonlinear quasi-static analyses on structure simulations to detect and fix nonlinear errors with shapes, contacts and materials, reducing errors. 
  • Perform Convection Simulations: Work with LED heat sinks, light bulbs, electronic cooling, refrigerator and indoor cooling convection measures to test how well a product holds in different temperatures. 
  • Encrypt CAD and Simulation Information: Leverage AES-encrypted hard drives on internal and external servers to guarantee robust data protection. 
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  • Increased Efficiency: Plex Manufacturing Cloud uses real-time data and set parameters to maximize production capabilities. Its Advanced Planning and Scheduling tool uses information such as inventory levels, amount of production floor space and maximum productivity levels to generate a best-fit manufacturing schedule. 
  • Accessibility: As a cloud-based manufacturing software, Plex is available anytime and anywhere as long as a user has internet access. This is especially beneficial in the manufacturing center considering manufacturing managers and production line employees can access real-time data from internet-enabled devices while they’re actually on the floor working. 
  • Improved Customer Experience: Customers are the backbone of your business, and Plex software capitalizes on this fact through its customer portal, which provides visualization as a product moves throughout the supply chain. Shipping notifications are also included so that clients have an accurate expectation as to when an item should be delivered. 
  • Heightened Visibility: With increased visibility, you can develop insights more quickly. Plex Manufacturing Cloud contains the ability to use customizable dashboards to reflect minute-by-minute information such as inventory levels and labor allocation, which enables you to make informed decisions based on current processes. 
  • Collaboration: Plex allows for collaboration with clients through the customer portal. It also contains internal collaboration tools that are emphasized through its multi-site functionality for supply chain and financial processes. 
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  • CAD Integratable: Merge with other CAD design tools like Fusion Lifecycle, AutoCAD and Autodesk Takeoff
  • Engineering Community: Swap tips and tricks, obtain expert advice and access more than 300,000 simulation project templates. 
  • Design Validation: Confirm designs on desktops or laptops and modify them on the go. 
  • Design Transformations: Share simulation accessories across the company, diminish manual tasks and emphasize valuable design resources. 
  • Fluid Dynamics: Manage laminar and turbulent simulation flows and utilize CFD simulations to resolve complicated flow equations with correct numerical tactics. 
  • Element Analysis: Perform model analyses to confirm a vibration's vital modes, values and more. Examine harmonic studies to review peak system responses in a specific frequency range. 
  • Thermal Simulation: Visualize coupled heat transfers via convection and conduction. Establish various parameters, including natural, mixed or forced convection. 
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  • Inventory Management: Plex Manufacturing Cloud allows you to track the quantity and location of your inventory, whether you want to look at raw materials, WIP or finished goods. It also supports barcode scanning and label printing in an effort to improve the accuracy of reported inventory levels. Controls are also in place to ensure that products are always developed using the right materials, therefore improving inventory viability. 
  • PLM Functionality: Built-in revision control workflows allow for approved changes to be reflected across the entirety of the product lifecycle. Product specifications can also be developed to expedite processes. 
  • Quality Management: Plex software helps to ensure that you are retaining compliance with standards such as ISO, TS and QS. You can also use supplier scorecards to look at your entire supply chain. For example, your suppliers can use checksheets to validate the quality of their materials before the goods reach your facility, therefore hastening the quality analysis process on your end. 
  • Management of Shipments: The shipping management system ensures that only products that meet acceptable quality specifications are sent to customers and that they are sent to the intended recipient. Plex software's manufacturing system also contains a labeling feature that automatically prints labels using customer information in order to avoid shipping errors. ASNs are automatically sent and formatted as products leave the production facility. 
  • Real-Time Financial Management: Plex software contains continuously updated information on components such as labor hour utilization and point-in-time inventory. The financial management system is designed for order-to-cash and procure-to-pay processes and includes multi-site functionality. Financial reports are also easily accessible with this tool. 
  • Customer Relationship Management: This program includes a customer portal that provides visibility of a product as it moves throughout the supply chain and allows for enhanced collaboration ability. Important components such as quotes, estimates, issue resolution and order management are built into the tool along with an integrated EDI. 
  • Advanced Planning and Scheduling: The Plex Advanced Planning & Scheduling (APS) solution allows you to account for constraints in your workplace such as amount of resources and maximum production capacity to develop optimized production runs. Finite Scheduling includes the ability to plan your development schedule based on factors such as resources, tools and space. The program also allows you to level-load production across different manufacturing centers. 
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Product Ranking

#54

among all
Manufacturing Software

#14

among all
Manufacturing Software

Find out who the leaders are

Analyst Rating Summary

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Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

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Plex Systems
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Bill Of Materials (BOM) And Routing Computer-aided Design And Computer-aided Manufacturing (CAD And CAM) Management Engineering Change Control Inventory Management Manufacturing Execution System (MES) Mobile Capabilities Platform Capabilities Product Configuration Production Planning Production Scheduling Quality Management Recipe And Formula Management Reports And Dashboards Shop Floor Control Warehouse Management Work In Process (WIP) Work Order Management 43 0 56 71 80 67 79 36 67 70 80 47 100 70 44 0 44 0 25 50 75 100
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Analyst Ratings for Technical Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

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User Sentiment Summary

Excellent User Sentiment 104 reviews
Good User Sentiment 32 reviews
90%
of users recommend this product

SimScale has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 90% when considering 104 user reviews from 1 recognized software review sites.

74%
of users recommend this product

Plex Systems has a 'good' User Satisfaction Rating of 74% when considering 32 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

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3.3 (17)
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4.2 (11)
4.5 (104)
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4.3 (3)
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3.0 (1)

Awards

SimScale stands above the rest by achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating as a User Favorite.

User Favorite Award

SelectHub research analysts have evaluated Plex Systems and concluded it earns best-in-class honors for Reports and Dashboards.

Reports and Dashboards Award

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Accessible Platform: Users appreciate the ability to access SimScale from any location with an internet connection, eliminating the need for expensive hardware or software installations.
Collaboration Features: SimScale facilitates seamless collaboration among team members, enabling efficient project management and streamlined communication.
Cloud-Based Scalability: The cloud-based nature of SimScale allows users to easily scale their simulation projects up or down as needed, providing flexibility and cost-effectiveness.
Comprehensive Workflow: SimScale offers a complete simulation workflow, encompassing pre-processing, solving, and post-processing, all within a single platform.
User-Friendly Interface: The intuitive interface of SimScale makes it accessible to users with varying levels of simulation experience, reducing the learning curve and enabling faster adoption.
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Improved Shop Floor Visibility: Users praise Plex for providing real-time insights into production processes, enabling better decision-making and quicker responses to issues.
Streamlined Inventory Management: Plex helps manufacturers optimize inventory levels, reducing waste and ensuring materials are available when needed.
Enhanced Quality Control: The system's quality management features help track defects, identify root causes, and improve overall product quality.
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Limited CAD Functionality: SimScale's CAD editing capabilities are restricted, often requiring users to rely on external CAD software for complex geometries or intricate design modifications.
Meshing Challenges: Generating high-quality meshes for intricate geometries can be difficult, potentially leading to convergence issues or inaccurate simulation results.
Learning Curve: Mastering the platform's features and functionalities can take time, especially for users unfamiliar with cloud-based simulation tools or those transitioning from traditional software packages.
Collaboration Limitations: Collaboration features may not be as extensive as those found in some established on-premises simulation software, potentially hindering teamwork and project sharing in larger organizations.
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Reporting Limitations: Users express frustration with the inflexibility and limitations of Plex's built-in reporting features, making it difficult to extract and analyze data in ways that suit their specific needs.
User Interface Complexity: The system is often described as being difficult to navigate and non-intuitive, especially for new users who require extensive training to become proficient.
System Rigidity: Plex is often criticized for its lack of flexibility in adapting to unique or evolving business processes, requiring workarounds or customizations that can be time-consuming and costly.
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Over the past year, SimScale has garnered positive reviews for its cloud-based simulation software, particularly in the manufacturing sector. Users appreciate its user-friendly interface and intuitive workflow, making it accessible even for those without extensive simulation experience. SimScale's cloud-based nature eliminates the need for expensive hardware, allowing smaller businesses and startups to leverage the power of simulation without breaking the bank. The software's collaboration features facilitate seamless teamwork and project management, streamlining the design and manufacturing processes. However, some users have noted that SimScale's simulation capabilities may not be as comprehensive as those offered by more established competitors like ANSYS or COMSOL. Additionally, while the cloud-based platform offers flexibility, it can also lead to performance limitations depending on internet connectivity and project complexity. Despite these drawbacks, SimScale's affordability, accessibility, and collaborative features make it an attractive option for small and medium-sized businesses looking to incorporate simulation into their manufacturing workflows. Its intuitive interface and cloud-based accessibility lower the barrier to entry for those new to simulation, while its collaboration tools foster efficient teamwork. For businesses seeking a cost-effective and user-friendly simulation solution to optimize their manufacturing processes, SimScale is definitely worth considering. It's important to note that software capabilities and user experiences can evolve rapidly. To ensure you have the most up-to-date information, it's recommended to check recent online reviews and the SimScale website.

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Want to know if Plex Systems is truly complex or simply complexly awesome? Recent user reviews suggest the former might be closer to the truth. While Plex Systems is praised for its comprehensive suite of features covering everything from planning and scheduling to supply chain management, users often highlight a steep learning curve and a sometimes clunky interface as drawbacks. This complexity can make it challenging for smaller businesses or those with less tech-savvy teams to implement and utilize effectively. However, Plex Systems shines in its ability to connect different aspects of a manufacturing operation, providing real-time visibility into production processes, inventory levels, and quality control data. This end-to-end integration is a key differentiator, allowing businesses to streamline operations and make data-driven decisions. For example, users cite the ability to track production in real-time and identify bottlenecks as a major advantage, leading to improved efficiency and reduced downtime. Ultimately, Plex Systems is best suited for larger, established manufacturing businesses with the technical resources and expertise to navigate its complexities and leverage its powerful features for maximum impact.

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