Batch printing without Pack and Go or PDM

[oompaloompa]

We have a reoccurring problem. We need to be able to batch print in an efficient manner. The 'Pack and Go' feature along with 'Task Scheduler' do accomplish this task. The problem is that it is too many steps and too time consuming. PDM Works also, I'm told, does this. But it would require training (and installation on many PC's) for too many lower level employees. We have 4 SW2008 licenses. Only one or two are full-time users.

When a job is issued for manufacture, we need to include a set of prints for that job. Sometimes this is for 10 prints of the parts of an assembly. Sometimes it's 120 prints of an entire machine.

Our main SW directory is 20GB and contains 13,000 files. When we attempt to do the Pack and Go and check the box for 'Include All Drawings,' SW searches through the massive directory, scanning all associations and what not. This process takes 15 minutes on a good day. I've done it both locally and across a network. Neither are good in terms of time. The PC's I'm using are newer Dells and exceed SW minimum specs.

How are you smaller shops doing this? Is there any third party software you use to do this? I've researched a few, along with suggestions in other threads on this site, but none accomplish what we need.

FYI, I called Solidworks corporate and spoke with two software engineers. They told me that there has never been an improvement request for this functionality. Pack and Go apparently was their best attempt at this.

Thanks in advance,

Michael

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Have you tried the SW Task Scheduler?

or swBatchPrint from

http://www.swCP3.com

or

http://www.solidworks.com/downloads/API/Downloads\00000\0200s\0222\BatchPrint.zip

 

[oompaloompa]

Yes. I mentioned we tried the scheduler. SWbatchPrint requires I manually add each drawing I want printed. Which in some cases can mean 50-100.

The problem is all of our parts/assemblies/drawings are in a single directory. Many of our parts are used in multiple machines which is why we don't 'sort' our parts into folders by machine, for example. Pack and Go does what I want. It's just way too much of a dog. And it's clunky in that I have to save all the drawings in a separate folder, then run the Scheduler to print. My boss is convinced there is 'another way' after him using Inventor prior to SW.

Thank you for the suggestion though.

 

[ctopher]

Maybe go paperless and send them eDrawings or PDF files. Let the recipient print as needed.

Chris
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