Am I missing some central idea to PDMWorks? 2

[KirbyWan]

Howdy all,

Am I missing some central idea to PDMWorks or PDM software in general. I've been playing around with it to learn it and implement it at our company to control our drawing revisions. Our needs are not very great, but we're trying to refine the tracking on our drawings. He is my problem:

I need to update a drawing blah.SLDDRW and maybe it's associated drawing file blah.SLDPRT and maybe the .pdf and .dxf associated with each. So I check it out, make some updates check it back in, the next day check it out finish my update, print it out and send it around for people to inital it and check it back in. Finally I check it out, enter the initials and dates as text in the box and check it back in, and all of a sudden I'm up to revision C. I should only be on A.

I'm guessing I should only check it out once and do all updates and when I'm good and happy with it check it back in once. O.K. I can live with that. I'll chalk that up to learning by doing and not know what I'm doing to start off. But I also want the correct revision level on the drawing when I print it out for initals and to keep that revision level when I open it back up and enter everyones inits and dates of buyoff. I'd also like the revision level on the part which can be independent from the drawing to be reflected in the .dxf.

What I was hoping you, my SolidWorks community breathren, could help me with is a quick run down of how I should be using PDMWorks. I can read a manual and understand how to twiddle all the switches without knowing how should I be using this product. When should I create a project? What should be a part of the project? Checkout check in procedures. The whole soup to nuts of creating a project or taking an existing project and updating it. If you have PDMWorks specific information great, but if you use Enterprise PDM or a third party I'm sure the principles are the same and would love to hear from you.

Oh and now that I've screwed up the revision level is there an easy way to correct the problem. BTW I have full admin rights to the PDM database.

Thank you for providing a clue to the clueless.

-Kirby

Kirby Wilkerson

Remember, first define the problem, then solve it.

 

[applejack2]

We use PDMworks at my office. We don't try and make the system revision A, B, C, etc. match with the actual drawing revision. I check in my work when I need to share it with someone, or whenever I think I'm done. I've revised and re-checked things in 3 or 4 times in an hour.

Other than that, there is the idea of "ownership". I tend to keep ownership on all of my parts, which locks anyone else out from making changes and checking them in. They can still check out and view my parts. I release ownership when the engineering change order is processed and released.

 

[JMirisola]

Take a look at lifecycles within PDMWorks. You'll be able to check in and out 'working' copies to your heart's content. Once you're done with your changes, you can check in the final copy, bumping the Rev.
The working copy's revision will have a '+' next to it. One could argue that the working copy doesn't bump up until it has been signed off, so that could be your signing copy. Once done, you enter the initials electronically, make it a 'final' copy and move to the next rev.

Hope this helps.

Jeff Mirisola, CSWP
Design Manager/Senior Designer
M9 Defense
My Blog

 

[tristram]

There is a setting in the PDM admin area to set up and control how your "Lifecycles" work.

-Joe
SolidWorks 2009 x64 SP 5.1 on Windows XP x64
8 GB RAM - Nvidia Quadro FX1700

 

[KirbyWan]

Thank you for the suggestions, but I'd like you to expand on how you interact with the PDM. More then just 'use Lifecycle'. I messed with it a bit I can flip all the swithces. When you update your drawings what is your process? How does your process change if you use lifecycle vs. not. Right now I have it so that for revision scheme I use Primary only as a list starting with IR then A,B,C etc. without lifecycle. I turn on Lifecycle and those options don't change. When I check a file back in what options should I be selecting.

It's like I know what all the controls can do on a car, but I don't know how to drive, if you'll forgive the metaphore. I'm looking for an idiots guide for someone who's never used a PDM before. I'm computer savvy, it's the process that I'm unsure of. How do I fully relize the value of using PDM to track our CAD data instead of just having a directory for each project? Our projects are generally small and data reuse is minimal, but occasionally projects get more complex.

Thanks for all your help.

Kirby Wilkerson

Remember, first define the problem, then solve it.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

I don't know if they will help, but there are lots of PDM related videos on YouTube?

 

[tristram]

We use it just like you explained you do.
You need to set up your revision scheme and understand how it works.
When you set up your revision scheme that defines working revision and release revisions.


-Joe
SolidWorks 2009 x64 SP 5.1 on Windows XP x64
8 GB RAM - Nvidia Quadro FX1700

 

[tristram]

If you want to know details you need to provide way more detail on what and how your company does things.
Every place is different.
When to create projects and how to organize your data and all that is highly situational.


-Joe
SolidWorks 2009 x64 SP 5.1 on Windows XP x64
8 GB RAM - Nvidia Quadro FX1700

 

[GRF]

There should be a course offered by your reseller that is only 1 day. I suggest you take that course. I did a few years ago and we were done in about 6 hrs. Since you have paid for 8 hrs of training you can pick the instructors brain for another couple of hours.

Setting up the vault to work for your companies procedures is something that is very difficult to discuss in this format. The instructor should be able to give you some tips and tricks on how to get around some of the limitations of PDMWorks as well.

Good luck, and I would recommend keeping the revision in the vault tied to the revision in the drawing as it will make life easier if you ever need to get a copy of an old revision of a file.

 

[KirbyWan]

I'm in the process of setting it up. So what I'm looking for are best practices. Here is the quick rundown of what we use SolidWorks for. We are a certified FAA repair station and we work on flight controls (ailerons, rudders, flaps, spoilers etc.) and nacelle systems (inlet cowl, fan cowl doors, thrust reversers, core cowls etc.) Normally we use OEM or PMA parts because every part put on an aircraft must be approved for installation by approved data. There are places where we fabricate our own details called SPADs which are just parts that have been approved for fabrication by any vendor that is qualified to perform the fabrication processes. Generally these are simple sheet metal parts or welded assemblies. We also fabricate replacement wing panels for the C5 Galaxy which consist of 5 to 10 sheet metal parts, 1 to 3 pieces of core and fiberglass closeouts all bonded in an autoclave.

A lot of what we have already modeled on paper we want to turn into digital data so we can send it off to a shop with a cnc sheet metal cutter to get a first article back check how it fits up, make adjustments and pull the trigger to create 10 or 20 parts at a time. In other cases we have a repair process that is commonly used but needs to be adjusted a bit for each specific instance of damage. There are 2 engineers here who create drawings regularly and another that might start learning how to. We're a tight group that talks to each other and generally work on our own drawings, but regularly have to work on the others if their out or busy on a time critical project.

I hope this is enough insight into what we do to get an idea of how (or even if) we should implement PDM.

Kirby Wilkerson

Remember, first define the problem, then solve it.

 

[JMirisola]

I think that getting training first is the way to go. It's like running before walking, you're bound to trip over yourself and fall. At the very least, talk to your VAR and see if you can purchase a training manual for PDM.

Jeff Mirisola, CSWP
Design Manager/Senior Designer
M9 Defense
My Blog

 

[KirbyWan]

I agree. I didn't think there was a training class for Works, just enterprise, but I checked on MLC-CAD systems website and there was a training class. I'll sign up for it. Thanks GRF for the suggestion. And thanks to all for your contributions.

-Kirby

Kirby Wilkerson

Remember, first define the problem, then solve it.

 

[fcsuper]

Also, your VAR should be able to offer you some basic advice on setting up Workgroup PDM. For more detailed consulting work, they may charge an hourly rate, but it may be worth it if you need a significant level of help. You may also want to look at indepentant consultants like Devon Sowell (

http://designsmarter.typepad.com/devonsowell)

as well. Heck, just exploring the SW blogs (

http://www.solidworks.com/sw/communities/3d-cad-design-blogs.htm)

in addition to searching eng-tip on this topic might give you some ideas too.

Matt Lorono, CSWP
Lorono's SolidWorks Resources & SolidWorks Legion
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