We are currently in the begining stages of implementing PDM workgroup and we are unable to decide how to manage our standard hardware database.
There might be people who might have tried customizing toolbox and creating design libraries. Can you share your success stories with us? Do we check-in the toolbox parts? We need toolbox or hardware library is enough?
toolbox and hardware library are technically the same in that neither one can be checked into vault.
the only difference is the icon displayed in vault.
if part gets a part number then it gets checked in.
one part number = one file (no configurations)
if part does not need part number then toolbox/hardware library is fine.
the real downside to toolbox/hardware library is that if you make an error in description property and it gets referenced in vault, there is no way to correct it later.
Ken, you can check Toolbox parts into the vault, you just have to turn on the option in PDMW Admin. Not sure I would recommend that method though for most companies setups. If you have a good network based toolbox, leave it there is what I would recommend. Just make sure everyone is using it.
We use PDM Workgoup, Toolbox and Design Library.
We do not put Tookbox or Design Library parts into the vault.
We use the design library for standard things that the toolbox does not include. Pipe fittings, tube fittings, fasteners not in toolbox...
We've done this for 5 years now and I wish we never used the Design Library for parts.
The design library should be used for features, drawing annotations, sketch blocks... item that recreated in the model of drawing. It should not be used for items that create a reference or link when they are used. We should not have ever used it for part files.
Part files like a pipe nipple or a pipe elbow are more important then a machined part in an assembly. You might say it's just a pipe nipple. A simple part.
But the pipe nipple is used in thousands of assemblies. A machined part is only used in 1 or two. If something happens to the pipe nipple file thousands of assemblies are messed up. It will haunt you forever. If a part file get messed up it only affects a couple of assemblies.
There is no advantage to using the design library over a vault for "common" parts. I would like to put the pipe nipple file in a vault were it's protected by an owner. I would take ownership and keep it so it doesn't get changed.
We have over 30 people adding files to our vault and design library. Files don't always get in the right folder.
In a vault you can rearrange files and folder or rename files. All of the references get fixed. Don't try to reorganize the design library folders. Every assembly you open will start to complain that it can not find it's files.
Another advantage is that when the common parts are in a vault they get coppied to your computer when we work on an assembly that uses them. If they are in a design library that's where they stay. If your design library is on a network your files are opened over the network which is slower.
We have few problems with Toolbox. Please don't think of Toolbox and Design Library as the same thing. They are not. It's true that they are treated (included or excluded) by the vault as the same thing.
Murli.@
there are good post here regarding your need..
as per my concern I am working with the following scenario and suggest you too
keep toolbox on central place of network and make sure that all team members must using this only, also other Std. documents of company like (Sheetformat. templates , Design library) also be on the centralized network. By PDM admin login you can do setting and ensure that these parts are not checked-in inValut.
only new developed components will be checked-in in Valut and all standard items are still placed in other network location.
regular backup of the Vault and Std. items/Toolbox must required to avoid the and mishappening.
Murali,
If you do searches on this forum you will see multiple opinions
on the usage of toolbox parts.
The places I have worked one of them we used toolbox and kept the toolbox
on a network drive so it was backed up every night.
Another place we had a full library of hardware parts that had smart mates.
Those were kept in the vault with links to them in the design library.
Hope this helps you.