Solid Edge vs Plex Systems

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Our analysts compared Solid Edge 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.

Solid Edge Software Tool

Product Basics

Solid Edge is a comprehensive computer-aided design (CAD) software suite specifically designed for manufacturing companies. It offers a robust set of tools for 3D modeling, assembly design, simulation, and design management, making it well-suited for engineers and designers who need to create and manage complex product designs. Users frequently praise its intuitive interface, efficient workflows, and seamless integration with other manufacturing software. Popular features include synchronous technology for flexible modeling, design for manufacturing capabilities to optimize production processes, and built-in collaboration tools for enhanced teamwork. Compared to similar products, Solid Edge is often regarded as a cost-effective solution that offers a strong balance of features and ease of use. Pricing is typically subscription-based, with different packages available to accommodate varying needs and budgets.

Pros
  • Intuitive interface
  • Efficient workflows
  • Seamless integration
  • Flexible modeling
  • Design for manufacturing
Cons
  • Limited customization
  • Occasional performance issues
  • Steeper learning curve
  • Fewer advanced features
  • Subscription-based pricing
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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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$600 Monthly
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Tailored to your specific needs
$500/User, Monthly
Get a free price quote
Tailored to your specific needs
Small
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Large
Windows
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Android
Chromebook
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Android
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Cloud
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Mobile

Product Assistance

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Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support
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24/7 Live Support

Product Insights

  • Advanced Technology: Utilize the system interface with AI technology and a smart 3D model search engine to produce designs and make products swiftly. 
  • Cabinet Panel Design: Perform quick 2D layouts of industrial dashboards with precision to ensure complete management of all design procedures. 
  • High-Quality Files: Generate detailed documentation and diagrams out of 3D models and designs at a rapid pace to ensure product designs are up to par. 
  • Expedite Numerical Control (NC): Accelerate NC programming via a searchable post-processing repository, milling and roughing for quick, accurate product building. 
  • Simpler Simulation: Streamline and approve designs with strengthened simulation flow and structure, which permits better models and faster construction time. 
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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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  • Data Management: Protect and govern product information and techniques, guarantee quick information retrieval, share product data and handle other accessories to enhance quality and diminish costly errors. 
  • Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM): Review the impact of shape changes with project variant comparisons and gauge outcomes with numbers, charts or graphic animations. The user interface is straightforward with coherent tutorials, templates and guides. 
  • 3D Design: Implement this attribute's array of tools such as augmented reality to perform secure sharing and assist in digital collaboration, 3D rendering to draft photographic-like models and subdivision modeling to form suitable shape developments. 
  • 3D Printing: Execute the generative design extension to implement robust design traits and topology technology to draft and print intricate shapes. This component also permits sending blueprints to cloud-based 3D printing companies to get real-time quotes, pricings and lead-time comparisons. 
  • Electrical Design: Envision all electrical areas of designs in a 3D atmosphere, direct wiring and other components in the design models and study these plans to cipher the suitable wire lengths and harnesses. 
  • Simulation: Initiate finite element analysis (FEA) to approve part and assembly designs. 
  • Cloud-Based Collaboration: Access your computer-aided designs (CADs) on any mobile devices such as phones, tablets, PCs, Macs and Chromebooks. Consists of on-demand updates and CAD file sharing. 
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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

#53

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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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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User Sentiment Summary

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Good User Sentiment 32 reviews
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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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Awards

No awards.

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

Intuitive Interface: Users often find Solid Edge's interface to be easy to learn and navigate, even without extensive CAD experience. Icons and menus are well-organized and logical, making it easier to find the tools you need.
Efficient Workflows: Solid Edge streamlines design and engineering processes with features like synchronous technology, which allows for quick and flexible editing of models without the need for traditional history-based modeling constraints. This can significantly speed up the design process and make it easier to make changes on the fly.
Seamless Integration: Solid Edge integrates smoothly with other manufacturing software, such as CAM, PDM, and PLM systems. This helps to ensure data consistency and streamline workflows across different stages of the product development process.
Flexible Modeling: Solid Edge offers a variety of powerful modeling tools that allow users to create complex and intricate designs with ease.
Design for Manufacturing: Solid Edge includes features specifically designed to help users create designs that are optimized for manufacturing. This can help to reduce production costs and time-to-market.
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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 Customization: Some users find Solid Edge's interface less customizable compared to other CAD software. This can make it difficult to tailor the workspace to specific preferences and workflows.
Occasional Performance Issues: Users report occasional performance issues, especially when working with large or complex models. This can lead to delays and frustration.
Steeper Learning Curve: While Solid Edge's interface is generally considered intuitive, its advanced features can have a steeper learning curve for beginners. This may require more time and effort to master the software fully.
Fewer Advanced Features: Compared to some high-end CAD software, Solid Edge may lack certain specialized features that are essential for niche industries or highly complex designs.
Subscription-Based Pricing: The subscription-based pricing model can be less appealing to users who prefer perpetual licenses or have limited budgets.
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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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User reviews for Solid Edge come in two distinct flavors: those smitten by its user-friendliness and streamlined workflows, and those yearning for the deeper control of its bigger rivals. For the first group, Solid Edge is a "breath of fresh air" compared to the "clunky behemoths" like Autodesk Inventor. One engineer gushes, "Switching from Inventor was like trading a tank for a sports car. Solid Edge is agile and intuitive, I don't get lost in menus anymore." This ease of use is a major draw for beginners and design teams, making it a "Goldilocks of CAD software," perfect for a broad middle ground. However, power users often feel limited by Solid Edge's "training wheels." They miss the precise customization and advanced features found in CATIA, longing for the "granular control" that lets them push design boundaries. As one user admits, "Solid Edge shines for everyday tasks, but for pushing the envelope, I miss the surgical precision of CATIA." This trade-off between user-friendliness and ultimate power is a constant rumble in Solid Edge reviews. Where Solid Edge truly steals the show is in its seamless integration with other Siemens offerings and its laser focus on manufacturing. "Integration with NX is flawless," beams one designer. "It's like a symphony, not a cacophony of programs." This streamlined workflow translates to tangible benefits, as another user shares, "Solid Edge's design tools consider manufacturability from the get-go. It saves us headaches and money down the production line." Ultimately, Solid Edge user reviews paint a picture of a software that prioritizes accessibility and practicality. It may not offer the raw power of CATIA or the niche capabilities of hyper-specialized tools, but for those seeking a balance of ease, efficiency, and production-ready designs, Solid Edge holds a unique charm. As one user puts it, "It's the perfect middle ground - powerful enough for most jobs, and intuitive enough for any team member to pick up."

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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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