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EPDM: Advice or best practice to manage components technical spec

Question asked by Federico Boldori on Feb 21, 2017
Latest reply on Apr 18, 2018 by Ken Maren

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Hello,

we are migrating from 2d design with autocad and a filesystem based archiving to 3d with solidworks and EPDM.

I'm here to ask for a best practice for technical specification management.

For example: we use in our design some cogeneration motors. These motors have the 3D model (basic one...becouse we buy them) that we use only for displacement but they come with a lot a specs, different for every orders. Is virtually impossibile to have to buy 2 motors with the same specs from our supplier.

Now in 2D Autocad we write down on a module in autocad all the different specs. The base module have all the options and we simply delete the ones we don't need.

I would like to implement something more reliable with solidworks EPDM... Any hint for the road to take??

Thank you

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Grant Kirkland Feb 21, 2017 6:39 AM

We don't use EPDM, but we do have similar challenges from motors, lamps, coolers, fans, etc.

Currently we manually change the QTY. column in the SW bill of materials to "REF.". The component specifications (HP, Hz, Watts, CFM, right hand/left hand, etc) are called out on a "shop order" sheet which is an excel spreadsheet that lists all of the assemblies that make up the total machine. We also REF a layout drawing, sander media grit, roll face/diameter/material, and the like.

I would also like to know best practices for handling this in EPDM.

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Jeff Sweeney Feb 21, 2017 11:03 AM

Maybe you could store it in the BOM?

Make a variable, call it something clever like "specification" and add that column to the BOM column set, but not the data card. Set this variable to "Look for variable in reference specific values".

Add your generic motor to the assembly. Now when the assembly is checked out, you can type your specification in the new specification column for the motor.

This same generic motor can exist in many assemblies, but the specification value may be unique on an assembly by assembly basis.

(When looking at the assembly BOM, make sure you are looking at the "Latest" not "As built")

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Federico Boldori @ Jeff Sweeney on Feb 22, 2017 7:40 AM

Hello, thank you this could be an handy solution where you have a low volume specs (3 4 or little more)

But here we have to manage more... I think i go with a pdf whith some check button and made it a template, then the user will check the options he need (we talk about 4 pages of specs) and then it link to the master assembly file to have it in the BOM...

What do you think guys?

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Chris Miller @ Jeff Sweeney on Apr 18, 2018 10:53 AM

Thanks for this!

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Ken Maren Apr 18, 2018 11:47 AM

Federico,

I have a state specifically for supporting design documents that are not revision controlled. The state is named (wait for it) "Supporting Design Docs". I then tell the engineers to Paste as Reference, the supporting design doc to the model file. This way the two are always linked. Search the motor spec, you can find the model. Find the model, you can easily find the spec.

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5 Replies

Grant Kirkland Feb 21, 2017 6:39 AM
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We don't use EPDM, but we do have similar challenges from motors, lamps, coolers, fans, etc.
Currently we manually change the QTY. column in the SW bill of materials to "REF.". The component specifications (HP, Hz, Watts, CFM, right hand/left hand, etc) are called out on a "shop order" sheet which is an excel spreadsheet that lists all of the assemblies that make up the total machine. We also REF a layout drawing, sander media grit, roll face/diameter/material, and the like.

I would also like to know best practices for handling this in EPDM.
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Jeff Sweeney Feb 21, 2017 11:03 AM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
Maybe you could store it in the BOM?

Make a variable, call it something clever like "specification" and add that column to the BOM column set, but not the data card. Set this variable to "Look for variable in reference specific values".

Add your generic motor to the assembly. Now when the assembly is checked out, you can type your specification in the new specification column for the motor.

This same generic motor can exist in many assemblies, but the specification value may be unique on an assembly by assembly basis.

(When looking at the assembly BOM, make sure you are looking at the "Latest" not "As built")
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- Federico Boldori @ Jeff Sweeney on Feb 22, 2017 7:40 AM
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  Hello, thank you this could be an handy solution where you have a low volume specs (3 4 or little more)
  But here we have to manage more... I think i go with a pdf whith some check button and made it a template, then the user will check the options he need (we talk about 4 pages of specs) and then it link to the master assembly file to have it in the BOM...
  What do you think guys?
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- Chris Miller @ Jeff Sweeney on Apr 18, 2018 10:53 AM
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  Thanks for this!
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Ken Maren Apr 18, 2018 11:47 AM
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Federico,

I have a state specifically for supporting design documents that are not revision controlled. The state is named (wait for it) "Supporting Design Docs". I then tell the engineers to Paste as Reference, the supporting design doc to the model file. This way the two are always linked. Search the motor spec, you can find the model. Find the model, you can easily find the spec.
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EPDM: Advice or best practice to manage components technical spec

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