We're trying to lay down some sort of best practice for our PDM team members and would like to set criteria for file rebuilds.
I'd like to crystallise answers to the following three questions if anyone can help...
1. How do I know when to perform a rebuild on a Solidworks part and/or drawing file ?
2. When an a Solidworks part and/or drawing file is changed within a multi level Enterprise PDM bom structure, how do I know which parent Sub-assys / Assys - and /or drawings require rebuilds
3. Once identified, how do I establish the sequence in which Solidworks files are rebuilt within a multi level bill of materials.
I get the feeling we are doing this activity by gut instinct at the moment - but would like to know the science behind it all.
Any clarification would be appreciated.
Malcolm,
You're not getting any responses, so I will give it a shot.
1. If your part or drawing appears to be broken, a rebuild might fix it. If the part or assembly has a traffic light next to it in the feature manager, then SolidWorks thinks that it needs to be rebuilt; it may or may not be correct in its assessment.
2. Does Enterprise PDM have a "where used" function? If so, that should tell you which assemblies and/or drawings are affected. Personally, I don't worry much about this. In most cases, I know what will be affected. If not, I find out when I open an assembly or drawing if it changed.
3. I don't really know how SolidWorks rebuilds. I have always assumed that it rebuilt from the bottom up, but that is just an assumption.
Jerry Steiger