Siemens NX PLM Software: A Brief History

Product life-cycle management (PLM) software products have changed names throughout the years as a result of mergers and acquisitions. Many people still refer to Siemens NX as Unigraphics, UGS or simply U-G. Below is a brief timeline of the name changes leading up to Siemens NX PLM software.

1969

United Computing releases UNIAPT – One of the world’s first end user CAM products.

1973

United Computing purchases automated drafting and machining (ADAM) software code from MGS – This code leads to the development of UNI-GRAPHICS. The first public demonstration of UNI-GRAPHICS was at the SME CAD/CAM II show at the Hilton Hotel in Detroit, MI in February of 1973.

1975

UNI-GRAPHICS is sold commercially as Unigraphics.

1976

United Computing, and their Unigraphics software is acquired by McDonnell Douglas. It is operated as a wholly owned subsidiary of McAuto, the Automation division of McDonnell Douglas.

1979

The first release of Unigraphics under the new McAuto management was known as D1 (“D” for Double-Precision).

1991

EDS (Electronic Data Systems), at the time owned by General Motors, purchases Unigraphics from McDonnell Douglas. Unigraphics is marketed as GM’s corporate computer-aided-design (CAD) software system.

1998

EDS begins distribution of Unigraphics under the company name Unigraphics Solutions, Inc.

2001

Unigraphics Solutions, Inc. announced that the name of the company was being changed to simply UGS.

This same year, EDS acquires SDRC (Structural Dynamics Research Corp.), one of the top CAD/CAE/CAM/PDM companies at the time. EDS merges its new SDRC unit with UGS, formally introducing it as PLM Solutions.

2002

EDS PLM Solutions releases Unigraphics NX – The first release of the new “Next Generation” version of Unigraphics and I-DEAS called NX.

2007

Introduction of Synchronous Technology in NX 5