How to optimize your workstation for Siemens NX 2312

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The NX CAD software from Siemens (formerly Unigraphics) is used for mechanical design, vehicle and tool construction and product development. The modules NX CAD for design, NX CAM for production and NX CAE for simulation offer the possibility to optimise the development process of your products. Do you want to process larger and very complex projects with appealing geometry more easily and quickly? We configure the optimum business workstation for your individual Siemens NX applications and offer you the opportunity to put the system to the test with a test licence for Siemens NX via remote access. Contact us and arrange a free remote test. Below is our hardware recommendation for the current version Siemens NX2312 from December 2023:

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Enterprise Workstation for Siemens NX 2312: Powerful solutions with Intel Core and Intel Xeon processors

Siemens NX is a powerful CAD/CAM/CAE software package that offers engineers and designers the ability to create highly complex models and simulations. To get the most out of this software, an enterprise workstation with top-notch processors is essential. Intel Core and Intel Xeon processors offer the perfect combination of performance and reliability to get your projects done efficiently and smoothly. Here are our recommendations for workstations suitable for small, medium and complex projects:


Small Siemens NX projects

For smaller projects that mainly use simple assemblies and basic simulations, we recommend using a workstation with a powerful Intel Core processor.

  • Recommended processor: Intel Core i7-13700K

  • Cores/Threads: 16/24

  • Base/Turbo clock speed: 3.4 GHz / 5.4 GHz

  • Cache: 30 MB Intel Smart Cache

  • TDP: 125 W

The Intel Core i7-13700K offers an excellent balance between price and performance and is ideal for smaller CAD and CAM projects. With its high clock speed and multiple cores, it ensures fast processing times and smooth workflows.


Medium Siemens NX projects

For medium projects that involve more complex assemblies and detailed simulations, a more powerful solution is required. Here we recommend the Intel Core i9 processor, which offers more cores and a higher clock speed.

  • Recommended processor: Intel Core i9-13900K

  • Cores/Threads: 24/32

  • Base/Turbo clock speed: 3.2 GHz / 5.8 GHz

  • Cache: 36 MB Intel Smart Cache

  • TDP: 125 W

The Intel Core i9-13900K is ideal for medium-sized projects as its high performance enables it to handle demanding CAD/CAM tasks. It offers enough processing power for detailed modeling and extensive simulations.


Complex Siemens NX projects

For complex projects that involve extremely large assemblies, advanced simulations and intensive computing requirements, a workstation with an Intel Xeon processor is the best choice. These processors are known for their reliability and ability to handle massive workloads.

  • Recommended processor: Intel Xeon W9-2495X

  • Cores/Threads: 36/72

  • Base/Turbo clock frequency: 2.20 GHz / 4.80 GHz

  • Cache: 82.5 MB Intel Smart Cache

  • TDP: 300 W

The Intel Xeon W9-2495X offers the necessary computing power and reliability for the most demanding projects in Siemens NX. With a high number of cores and threads, it is able to efficiently process parallel tasks and handle extremely large amounts of data.


Our conclusion

Choosing the right workstation for Siemens NX depends on the complexity of your projects. Intel Core i7 and i9 processors offer powerful solutions for small and medium-sized projects, while Intel Xeon processors are the best choice for highly complex tasks. With these recommendations, you can ensure that your workstation optimally meets the requirements of your work and helps you complete your projects efficiently and successfully.

In today's industrial landscape, where CAD software such as Siemens NX is used for demanding design and development tasks, the performance and reliability of the hardware used play a crucial role. A central component of this hardware is the random access memory (RAM), which has a significant impact on the speed and efficiency of processing large amounts of data and complex calculations. Below we compare the advantages and disadvantages of DDR4 and DDR5 memory in terms of their performance in Siemens NX, especially on the HP Z4 G4 and HP Z4 G5 workstations.


DDR4 memory

  • Performance and speed
    DDR4 RAM is installed in the HP Z4 G4 workstation and already offers high performance. With speeds of up to 3200 MHz, DDR4 enables solid performance that is sufficient for many industrial applications. Especially with regard to Siemens NX, which requires large amounts of data and high computing power, DDR4 offers a stable and proven basis.

  • Compatibility and availability
    DDR4 has been an established standard for years and therefore offers broad compatibility with existing hardware. Availability is high and costs are lower compared to DDR5, making DDR4 an economically attractive option.

  • Energy consumption
    The energy consumption of DDR4 is in a moderate range. The stable performance with relatively low energy consumption makes DDR4 particularly attractive for companies that pay attention to energy efficiency.


DDR5 memory

  • Performance and speed
    DDR5, as used in the newer HP Z4 G5 workstation, offers significant improvements in terms of speed and bandwidth. With frequencies of up to 6400 MHz and a significantly increased data rate, DDR5 enables even faster processing of large amounts of data. For Siemens NX, this means a noticeable acceleration in complex simulation and rendering tasks.

  • Future-proof
    DDR5 is the latest standard and offers greater future-proofing. While DDR4 may reach its performance limits in the foreseeable future, DDR5 is better equipped for upcoming software updates and increasing performance requirements.

  • Energy efficiency
    Despite the higher performance, DDR5 has a comparatively lower energy consumption per unit of performance due to improved energy management technologies. This helps reduce operating costs and is particularly beneficial in large data centers.


HP Z4 G4 and HP Z4 G5 Workstation Comparison

The HP Z4 G4 Workstation with DDR4 RAM offers a proven and stable platform for Siemens NX, especially for companies looking for a cost-effective solution that still offers high performance. The HP Z4 G5 Workstation, on the other hand, equipped with DDR5 RAM, is the optimal choice for forward-thinking companies seeking the highest performance and efficiency in their CAD environment. If your company uses Siemens NX primarily for basic design tasks, the HP Z4 G4 with DDR4 memory could be sufficient. For more demanding tasks that require maximum performance, the HP Z4 G5 with DDR5 RAM is the better choice, especially when considering future needs and software updates.

To exploit the full potential of Siemens NX, a high-quality workstation with a powerful graphics card is essential. Nvidia Quadro graphics cards are the first choice here, as they were specially developed for professional applications and offer optimal performance and stability. Our Recommendations for different project sizes:


Small Siemens NX projects

For small projects, such as simple assemblies or individual parts, we recommend a workstation with the Nvidia Quadro RTX 4000 graphics card.

  • Nvidia Quadro RTX 4000: This graphics card offers 8 GB of GDDR5X memory and 2304 CUDA cores. It is ideal for 3D modeling and smaller simulations in Siemens NX. The Quadro RTX 4000 delivers a good balance between price and performance and is perfect for small to medium-sized design tasks.


Medium Siemens NX projects

For medium projects, such as more complex assemblies and more intensive simulations, we recommend the Nvidia RTX 2000 ADA or the Nvidia RTX 4000 ADA.

  • Nvidia RTX 2000 ADA: This graphics card offers solid performance for medium to demanding CAD applications. It is capable of displaying complex assemblies smoothly and provides a good basis for simulation-intensive tasks. The card is also cost-effective, making it a good choice for projects that require high performance without exploding hardware costs.

  • Nvidia RTX 4000 ADA: This graphics card offers higher performance than the RTX 2000 ADA and is suitable for even more complex assemblies and more intensive simulations. With more CUDA cores and higher memory bandwidth, the RTX 4000 ADA can process larger amounts of data more efficiently, which is particularly beneficial for simulation-intensive applications.

In Siemens NX, especially in version 2312, users benefit from the increased graphics performance of these cards through faster and smoother processing of assemblies and simulations. Visualizations, renderings and simulation results can also be calculated more precisely and quickly. This leads to an overall improved work speed and higher productivity for medium-sized projects.


Complex Siemens NX projects

For very complex projects, such as large assemblies, detailed simulations and extensive rendering tasks, we recommend the Nvidia RTX 5000 ADA or RTX 6000 ADA.

  • Nvidia RTX 5000 ADA: Offers a high number of CUDA cores that are useful for parallel calculations and simulations.
    Ideal for complex 3D modeling and large assemblies as it has sufficient memory resources and processing power. Optimized for real-time rendering, which makes it possible to display highly detailed models efficiently.

  • Nvidia RTX 6000 ADA: Even more powerful than the RTX 5000 ADA and offers a higher number of CUDA cores and more video memory. Perfect for extremely large assemblies and very detailed simulations that require even higher processing power and memory bandwidth. Supports advanced ray tracing technologies, which is particularly beneficial for extensive rendering tasks.

For CAD applications such as Siemens NX, the performance and speed of the system can be significantly influenced by the selection and configuration of the storage solution, especially when it comes to the use of M.2 SSDs. Here are some considerations and potential benefits of storing system and project data on separate M.2 SSDs:


1. Separate storage usage:

System SSD: One SSD is used exclusively for the operating system and the CAD application itself. This separation ensures that the operating system and the application always have fast access to their data, which can improve overall system responsiveness and program startup times.

Project SSD: The second SSD is used for project data, which ensures that large CAD files that need to be loaded, saved and processed often are not slowed down by operating system processes or other data access.


2. Parallelization of read and write operations:
By storing system and project data on separate SSDs, read and write operations can occur in parallel. This reduces potential bottlenecks that could occur when both the system and CAD projects are running on the same SSD.


3. Increased write and read performance:
Modern M.2 NVMe SSDs offer very high sequential and random read and write speeds. When project data is stored on a separate SSD, the full bandwidth and performance of the respective SSD can be used without being affected by the operating system or other applications.


4. Optimized SSD lifespan:
By distributing the data across two SSDs, wear and tear can be distributed more evenly, extending the lifespan of the drives. This can make a significant difference, especially for projects that are frequently saved or modified.


5. Faster backups and restores:
Backing up and restoring project data can be faster when stored on a separate SSD, as only the relevant data needs to be copied. This can be a huge time saver, especially in a work environment with regular backups.


6. Flexibility in upgrades:
When project data is stored on a separate SSD, it can be more easily replaced or upgraded when needed, without affecting the operating system or installed software.

Workstation recommendations for Siemens NX