File Revision / Part revision

[Waidesworld]

Up until now we have been saving a drawing as FILEXYZRevA.slddrw, then the next revisions being FILEXYZRevB.slddrw etc. The revision usually has been a specification rather than a change in the part.

However this falls down if we revise the part because the part revision will update on Rev A as well as Rev B. Because we have certain products that are made to certain revisions, which may need to be referenced at a later stage, we may lose out.

One idea was to make a new configuration every time the part is revised. PDF is also an option but not if there is a need for the original SW part/drawing pdf has to be recreated. What have others done that was successful?

drawn to design, designed to draw

 

[ctopher]

Having the revision letter/number in the file name can eventually create headaches later with configuration mngmt and drive space.
I suggest using PDM to control the revs.
You can make PDFs of the dwgs with the rev in the file name.

Chris
SolidWorks 10 SP4.0
ctopher's home
SolidWorks Legion

 

[MadMango]

Before PDM and Vaults, at one company we used Revision and Version. REVs are always alpha, and VERs were always numerical. REVs were for changes to the model while VERs were changes concerning typos and spec changes. So we would have files such as:

A1, A5, B2, B10, etc. It was confusing a first, but eventually worked rather well for company.

"Art without engineering is dreaming; Engineering without art is calculating."

Have you read faq731-376 to make the best use of these Forums?

 

[JMirisola]

While it may only be a specification change, it stands to reason that any change that ultimately changes the part (material, color, texture) would actually be a revision change *to* the part. To that end, there's no need to differentiate between the two. Assuming you have some sort of ECR/ECO process in place, the change would be captured completely there so that anyone who needed/wanted to know could get the information.
Going one step further, if you do have an ECR/ECO process in place, I would simply have the file name be the part number. Earlier revs would get amended with their rev letter and archived. Obviously, this depends on your current process and archiving structure. In past companies, we only kept the previous revisions as PDF's. Should the need arise to roll back to a previous revision, it would actually be a new revision so that the sequence didn't get thrown off.

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

 

[drawoh]

Waidesworld,

A very standard drafting and design procedure is not to change form fit and function, and not to include revision numbers in your drawing numbers. If your change is significant, you generate a new part number, and subsequent model files.

A very long time ago, I set up a document control system using UNIX shell scripts. My revision process was to copy the files into an archive directory with the revision numbers tacked on, and then set the main file to read/write access. I reset the main file to read-only after the revision was complete. The file names never changed. I was determined to not let people make copies of stuff.

This would work fairly well for SolidWorks, especically if you followed the design change rules noted above.

JHG

 

[EEnd]

You need a system which ensures that when you open FILEXYZRevA.slddrw that the referenced model is the same as it was when FILEXYZRevA.slddrw was released.

One way is to give the models revision specific names, ex. FILEXYZRevA.sldprt. This gets to be a hassle when you do a revision; the file name needs to be updated wherever the file is used (assemblies and drawings).

Another is to not include the revision in the file names and make a copy of the model and drawing file into a revision specific folder when that revision is released.

The preferred method is to use one of the PDM packages to manage the files (with non revision specific file names).

Regardless of which method you use to manage the model files, if you want to be able reprint the drawing for a specific revision with a high degree of confidence that you will get the same thing as you originally had, make a PDF of the drawing with a revision specific file name when that revision is released.

Eric

 

[rgrayclamps]

Hi, Waidesworld:

Putting revision info into document names (file names) is just as bad as one puts tattoos of his/her age.

Best regards,

Alex

 

[SteveMartin]

Like has already been mentioned above, we use a PDM system to control the SW drawings and parts (filename is just the part number; no rev or description). We archive PDF copies of all revs of all drawings that include revision and description information in the filename.

Before entering the PDM world, we used filenames with rev included for parts, assemblies, and drawings, AND made PDFs of every rev. Most people found it inefficient but workable, I thought it was a nightmare.

Now the only nightmare is that we have two completely different numbering/naming schemes within one PDM system, and some parts have a number in both schemes - but that's way off the topic.

 

[Divisionary]

Is it possible to append the SW 'Revision' attribute to the SW 'Filename' attribute? So, when you 'Bump the Rev' in the vault, the filename updates as well.

 

[Divisionary]

Or... Is it possible for SW to append the 'Revision' attribute to the 'filename' attribute only during check-out from PDMWorks, and then un-append during check-in. - as to not affect the way PDM handles predecessors and hierarchy. I have a need for the rev succeeding the SW filenames outside of PDMWorks. Thanks guys.

 

[drawoh]

Divisionary,

PDM software can control the revision number inside the file.

I cannot emphasize enough the concept of not changing form, fit and function. If you have used your part in several places, your modification may render the part non-functional on one of the other pieces.

An alternate scenario is that you add features to your existing part for a new assembly. When it comes time to build it, your warehouse provides one of the pieces that has been sitting in the parts bin for the last two years.

Do not make functional changes to your parts. SolidWorks problem solved. PDM problem solved. Manufacturing problem solved.

If you need to modify your part, copy it out and make a new model, drawing and part number.

JHG

 

[Divisionary]

Thanks for the reply, Drawoh,

I do agree with you entirely with regard to the 'not changing fit, form or function concept'. This would solve many problems in our product lifecycle. Great concept to implement someday.
Most of our development designs consist of many configured, composite SW parts and single level assemblies. Often collaboration is done ouside of PDM, so Rev in the filename is helpful. Copying, new models, new drawing and new part numbers is not the best choice for us.
For now, PN_REV.sldprt may not be choice procedure from a PDM point of view, so I am looking for feasible interim solutions.... like adding the 'Rev' attribute post PDM.
Thanks again :0)