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Managing non SolidWorks files with PDMWorks Enterprise
As far as I know, PDMWE will not automatically recognize the parent/child relationships of UGNX. You can manually create the links (or write code to do it)-
Managing non SolidWorks files with PDMWorks Enterprise
would pdmworks be able to handle mastercam NC and Geometery files? -
Managing non SolidWorks files with PDMWorks Enterprise
Jeff,Jeff Sweeney wrote:
As far as I know, PDMWE will not automatically recognize the parent/child relationships of UGNX. You can manually create the links (or write code to do it)
Can you briefly outline how you manually create links to non SW data in PDMWE? I have been unsuccessful in diggin up this procedure from any of the documentation. My interest is in linking installation or operations manuals to the assemblies which they refer to - thereby helping ensure that they get updated when the parent SW assy is modified.
One forum poster's suggestion was to use the design binder in SW, but that relationship does not seem to pass to PDMWE...unless I am doing something wrong!
Thanks in advance,
Spencer-
Managing non SolidWorks files with PDMWorks Enterprise
Follow-up:
Since saved BOMs are not automatically linked to the assemblies from which they are generated from, I would like to be able to link those as well. Ultimately reference them in a workflow too, since without the link it is possible to update an assembly and leave the saved BOM outdated (which is where ERP gets its data from).
Thanks,
Spencer
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Managing non SolidWorks files with PDMWorks Enterprise
Hey Guys you can check in any file into PDMW all you have to do is to make sure you can see the folder in File Explorer that has say DWGs in it then RMB select check-in then once thay are in the vault attach them to the drawing or part file we do it all the time then you can select check out with attachments ad it comes with it
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Managing non SolidWorks files with PDMWorks Enterprise
Copy (to the clipboard) the file you want to reference, then RMB click on the [checked out] file you wish to paste to, and choose "Paste as reference". From this point forward, that pasted file will show in the "contains" tab of the part.
The design binder is a nice tool, but IMHO has little value if you use your PDM system correctly...because the documents contained are not searchable.
Saved BOMs are in a way linked to their assemblies. Go to the BOM tab of the assembly and find the saved BOM in the list of BOMs. This is probably another topic, but by design, saved BOMs are supposed to be a snap shot of what the assembly looked like at a chosen point of time. I don't think they are supposed to update automatically.
If you want "hot" BOMs you want a calculated BOM, not saved.-
Managing non SolidWorks files with PDMWorks Enterprise
Thanks, Jeff - precisely the tip I was looking for!Jeff Sweeney wrote:
Copy (to the clipboard) the file you want to reference, then RMB click on the [checked out] file you wish to paste to, and choose "Paste as reference". From this point forward, that pasted file will show in the "contains" tab of the part.
The design binder is a nice tool, but IMHO has little value if you use your PDM system correctly...because the documents contained are not searchable.
Saved BOMs are in a way linked to their assemblies. Go to the BOM tab of the assembly and find the saved BOM in the list of BOMs. This is probably another topic, but by design, saved BOMs are supposed to be a snap shot of what the assembly looked like at a chosen point of time. I don't think they are supposed to update automatically.
If you want "hot" BOMs you want a calculated BOM, not saved.
Regarding the BOMs (and I think this is still on-topic), consider the following situation:
We sell some 'commodity' items in addition to designed products. Since we brand those products (and packaging), we must document everything from the master carton and labels down to the parts themselves. Cable-ties, for example...a cable tie has a 3D 'representation' done in SW to ensure that our supplier sends the correct configuration and length. There are 100 of these in each retail branded bag, 25 bags per subcarton, and up to 8 subcartons to a master carton. With boxes, labels and all, that's a total top-level SW assy with 20,418 components in subassys (even large assembly mode has difficulty with this). The newly added BOM functionality allows me to take and place one cable tie in the 100/bag assy (which reduces top-level components in sub-assys count to 618), and adjust the quantity from one to one-hundred and save the BOM. Saved BOMs are what will pass to ERP (SAP implementation in third quarter of this year), so that works well. All is good, right?
What if something changes that necessitates a change to that modified and approved BOM? Will the next user know that the quantity adjustment was made in the BOM by virtue of it automatically being checked out when he/she checks out the assembly? Not that I know of. Therein lies the difficulty with a BOM that has to go through an approval process separately from the assembly which generated it. So - is there a way to manually create a parent-child relationship between a saved BOM and the version of the assembly that was used to create it? Other PDM systems I have used in the past do this differently and the relationship is automatically created.
Sorry for being long-winded...there was a need to give some background.
Spencer-
Managing non SolidWorks files with PDMWorks Enterprise
So you draw one part but want to modify the quantity? You don't need a saved BOM for that. Check out the assembly, go to the calculated BOM, change the quantity then save.
To clarify what I said before: In calculated BOM, everything stays "hot" except for overriden quantities.
This is what makes those new virtual parts so critical, even less of a need for saved BOMs! I prefer to add a virtual item (even something like "paint") than to make a saved BOM.
(I'd go further into my raves against saved BOMs and for virtual parts, but I am already way off topic!)
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Managing non SolidWorks files with PDMWorks Enterprise
Ah, but the only way for the BOM to save the changed quantity is to save it. Unless I am missing some critical bit of info.
I also thought that the virtual components would be a great addition, until I found out that the method for changing the quantity (so that it accurately reflects in the BOM on the SW drawing) is done in the part file properties for the virtual component. In your paint example, if you wanted to assign 2oz to one assembly, you go to File>Properties, select the variable that you assigned for BOM qty and change the number to 2. Now, anywhere you or anyone else uses 'paint', it carries the 2oz usage quantity. Makes for a workable solution if you are the only one using SW in your company, but not so good for a shared environment, which I assume if you are using PDMWE you are.
At this point, however, we are getting a little off-topic. The PDMWE 'expert' at my VAR has understood these limitations based on a couple conversations and has subequently submitted a few enhancement requests to hopefully fill in the functionality gaps. I'm just looking for workarounds in the meantime, hoping that the enhancements go through.
Thanks,
Spencer
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Re: Managing non SolidWorks files with PDMWorks Enterprise
Paste as reference to a parent assy makes the parent-child relationship, after that check in but keep checked out & you'll see the inclusion of the pasted part or doc in the BOM. You can adjust quantity manually by clicking off "as built" & then clicking on qty column in row of your manually attached part & adjust the qty to your need. It must be checked in to write the metadata back to the PDM parent file.
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