We're considering changing our workflows, and would like to be able to attach inspection reports and other documents to Solidworks models after they have been released for fabrication. However, we would need to guarantee that the model geometry does not get edited in this process. Is it possible to either:
Attach a non-Solidworks file to a model for which you do not have Write access, or
Check out a part in such a way that the model itself is not changed, only the attached document?
I don't think so. However, have you considered making a virtual or real document to represent the work package or job order and then attach everything to it including the model? After all, if you make something more than once, you would have different inspection reports and such. I don't think documents associated with a particular production run of a part should be attached to the part. It should be the other way around. Then you can do things like a where used for the part and find all the times it was produced.
Jim S.
Interesting, that's a good idea. That might work the best if we end up having multiple types of documents associated with a particular fabrication. I would just need some way to make sure the model didn't update itself to a future revision while the virtual document was being edited. Thanks!
Could you go vice versa? Instead of attaching the inspection reports to the model, attach the model to the inspection report. It is a bit backwards, but you would have the relationship.
You could argue that the inspection report contains the model, and it should be the parent anyway.
I like it - thanks! Is it possible to associate a model with a non-Solidworks part directly, or would I have to associate them both to a data card or something?
Could you go vice versa? Instead of attaching the inspection reports to the model, attach the model to the inspection report. It is a bit backwards, but you would have the relationship.
You could argue that the inspection report contains the model, and it should be the parent anyway.