6 Replies Latest reply on Jul 19, 2012 10:43 AM by Tim Webb

    Best Practices for Title Block and Revisions, and PDF's

    Larry Gray
    Larry Gray Jul 17, 2012 8:52 AM

      Hello,

           We have PDME set up with an approval workflow. In this workflow we have a Released state, which bumps the revision. We've discovered this means we cannot put customer information in the title block, since when we change the state, modify the info, and change back to Released, we get a new revision, even though the part did not change. We been using stickers, and writing this information in the title block, but this is time consuming. This is especially a problem for PDF's we send to outside suppliers, which need this information, and the electronic copy. So we have to manually enter this info, then scan the PDF to get an electronic copy with the correct information on it. How do other handle this?

       

      Thanks,

      Larry

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        • Re: Best Practices for Title Block and Revisions, and PDF's
          Aaron Duncan
          Aaron Duncan Jul 18, 2012 1:12 AM (in response to Larry Gray)

          We get around this by having the models revision controlled seperately from the drawings.  From our perspective, if the drawing gets changed in any way, it gets a revision, and a new pdf drawing is printed.  So we may have a model at Rev B, and a drawing at Rev H for the same part.

           

          So if we are adding notes, or BOM ballons etc, we just create a new revison of the drawing.

           

          Hope that helps,

            • Re: Best Practices for Title Block and Revisions, and PDF's
              Larry Gray
              Larry Gray Jul 18, 2012 8:28 AM (in response to Aaron Duncan)

              Thanks,

                   Thanks to Jeff at 3D Vision we got the revision issue fixed. We added a transition that doesn't increment the revision. Now we can fix typo's, move files, etc. without bumping the revision.

                   However, we like to have the job number and customer on the drawings that go to the shop. We had these set up as custom properties, and used to do a bulk property update. But we re-use parts, and it is possible to have multiple jobs in the shop at once, therefore we cannot put the job number and customer in the title block because it might change before the first job is complete. We could put the info on, print, or save as a PDF, but this would be time consuming. Is it possible to add a fill-in box on the PDF drawing that would use a custom property?

                   We've also discussed not have any customer information on the drawing, and have routing sheets. What is the best way to handle this?

               

              Thanks,

              Larry

            • Re: Best Practices for Title Block and Revisions, and PDF's
              Corey Hinman
              Corey Hinman Jul 18, 2012 10:21 AM (in response to Larry Gray)

              You're talking about something similar to a watermark. Put a variable on your drawing datacard called Job Number, and one called customer.

               

              Link two notes on your title block to those variables.

               

              Using Jeff's minor change, check out your drawing and change the variables on the data card, save, check-in, then send it back to your controlled state. The notes on the print should now be correct, and you haven't changed revs.

              • Re: Best Practices for Title Block and Revisions, and PDF's
                Tim Webb
                Tim Webb Jul 18, 2012 10:52 AM (in response to Larry Gray)

                We have a department that is the collection hub or clearing house for all released documents. Document Control (not really "control" but you get the idea). The documents collect in a state called "Pending Publish..." throughout the day from engineering, specifications, certification, project management, etc. and once per day this department transitions whatever documents in this state to the "Released" state and broadcast the daily release list to the floor.

                 

                Before these documents 'release' each day, as part of their process this department checks out the PDF and stamps the PDF with a watermark (watermarks can't be disabled during printing) denoting the date and name of person doing the release.

                 

                To handle the problem of the drawing changing, we use job card travelers as a representative status ticket traveler that has shop floor instructions, work order number, quality stamp blocks, and a check list for each shop. These job cards are also routed to each shop in EPDM and the state names represent which shop the job card is in. Each shop has the ability to line item veto or strike through the REV on the referernced drawing, instruction, etc. so the shops capture the actual as-built configuration they worked to. It is flexible.

                 

                Hope this helps.

                Tim