How to manage evolutionary designs and part numbering?

[dalbrecht84]

Hi,

I work for a small company with a very small engineering department with two engineers using Solidworks 2010. Often, we need to make adjustments/improvements to an existing design while keeping all our data to manufacture our original design as well. To do so, we usually have to make a copy of the folder containing all parts, assemblies and drawings and make changes as needed. The problem is that we end up with duplicate part numbers we have to change manually, which can be quite time consuming.

Do any of you have a better method for dealing with this problem? I have looked into SW PDM somewhat but I don't want to go through all the setup if I don't know it will work for me.

Thanks for your help.

 

[joe19]

Hi;
I believe to have better control of your Design any PDM software will help you a Lot, there are some for Free. Implementing PDM will help you to work with the latest version of the Parts and or Assy.

 

[drawoh]

dalbrecht84,

PDM is strongly recommended.

Your next option is to store your completed stuff read-only on your hard drive. If something is being modified, copy out the file and give it a new name and number. Keep the unmodified stuff attached. This is a completly functional process if...

[ul]
[li]... you do not change form fit and function of existing pieces. A crude rule is that you can correct spelling on the drawing, but you cannot modify the model.[/li]
[li]...you have absolute control over the drive your data is stored on. If someone changes the file paths down below your data, your SolidWorks relations will be broken. Do not assume that people outside your design group understand SolidWorks and external references. [/li]
[li]...or you are willing to store all your files in a super-directory. This will be a mess.[/li]
[/ul]

JHG

 

[dalbrecht84]

Thanks for the input guys.

I started playing around with setting up SW Workgroup PDM today, but it appears that requires an additional license to run the server, and so I didn't get anywhere. What are the good free PDM software I could try?

Thanks again.

 

[ctopher]

I suggest using PDM and get training from your VAR. They can have you up and running by the time you find and figure out a free PDM, if it exist.

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

 

[TheTick]

The problem is your numbering system. There's no reason why new assemblies and parts can't get new part numbers. If you need to keep old parts active for service, then the new part should have a new part number.

 

[SnowCrash]

Hunt down threads on revision level and part numbering for a lot of discussion on this issue.

--
Hardie "Crashj" Johnson
SW 2011 SP 2.0
HP Pavillion Elite HPE
W7 Pro, Nvidia Quaddro FX580

 

[fcsuper]

Workgroup PDM is easy to set up. If you have SolidWorks Professional, you already have Workgroup PDM. I'll repeat the other recommendation to get training for it, though. That will help kickstart your development.

Matt Lorono, CSWP
Lorono's SolidWorks Resources & SolidWorks Legion
Follow me on Twitter

 

[Slagathor]

Also look into DBWorks PDM. It is fairly affordable....at $800 base price, to $1250 for the full featured version. Extremely powerful (much more so than Workgroup PDM), but a bit of a learning curve.

 

[kellnerp]

Often, we need to make adjustments/improvements to an existing design while keeping all our data to manufacture our original design as well. To do so, we usually have to make a copy of the folder containing all parts, assemblies and drawings and make changes as needed. The problem is that we end up with duplicate part numbers we have to change manually, which can be quite time consuming.

This is a procedural problem. In SW:
Rule #1 -- Never have more than one part with the same part number.
Rule #2 -- Revisions are for small changes that don't change how a part will fit. New part numbers are for changes that cause the fit or function of a part to change.

Regarding Rule #2, the way to tell if it should be a revision or a new part number is to ask yourself the question, "If I put the new revision in a box with others of the old revision and somebody blindly grabs it and tries to assemble it, will it fit without change or modification?" If the answer is yes, it can be a revision, if no, and it is not interchangeable with the old revision parts, it is a new part number.

In practice, in your situation, you don't make a wholesale copy of an old assembly with it's drawings, you open the highest level assembly, save to a new part number, and then change what you need in the feature tree while saving with new part numbers. This is work and takes discipline. It also helps to have the option "Open Referenced Parts Read Only" checked. That will keep you from messing up the production documents. You could even make them read only in the file system to further protect released parts.

Use of the Where Used function in SWExplorer is also useful when changing individual parts.

You don't absolutely need PDM to accomplish what you are trying to do, but it sure helps. dbWorks is a good candidate for this as it allows you to keep your old directory structure and is easier to maintain and understand once setup.

TOP
CSWP, BSSE

http://www.engtran.com

http://www.niswug.org

http://www.linkedin.com/in/engineeringtransport

"Node news is good news."