Jumping the Corporate Ship (looking for advice) 1

[BodyBagger]

I have been laying the ground work for a long time and I think I'm ready to make the leap into self employment and working from home. Seeing as I will be starting out on a limited budget, I will not be able to purchase a PDM system for a while and I was wondering what suggestions everyone has as far as running a home business without the PDM system. What's the best way to maintain the file system? For a while I'm going to be running SW2007 & 2008 to build up the client list. Hopefully sooner rather than later I will be about to work with just a single version. So I guess I'm looking for advice and suggestions from those who have already made this jump. I already have a dedicated home office, copier, fax, scanner, Dell Precision 670, and a small client list.

 

[rsg61]

pdm works can either be a help....or just get in the way. i have always found the best way is to create a template for folders that u will use for each project i.e

1 assemblies
2 drawings
3 parts
4 superseeded

this makes it easier to find files, aswell as organising ur files!

http://swcontractor.co.uk

 

[TheTick]

PDM for a one-man show seems like more trouble than its worth. Just organize files into folders.

Store old files in zip files to keep them from getting sucked into SW assemblies by accident.

Learn to use SW Explorer and Save-as and Pack-and-Go to rename all the files in an entire assembly (i.e. change a rev or date stamp suffix in a file name).

 

[Theophilus]

I name each revision of a project by date and description (if necessary). So I have a client directory in which are the various project directories in which are the various revision directories. So a revision directory might look something like "080216 Render" or such. When I know I'm going to launch into a major revision, I open the "master" assembly of the project and then select File > Find References > Copy Files and create the new directory. Close the assembly and open the newly-copied assembly in the new directory. Every few weeks I back up the progress to a DVD--make two copies of each DVD--one for storage on-site and the other for off-site storage. I run dual WD Raptors with RAID 1 configuration (drives are mirrored)--and back up critical files from the RAID set up to a third internal hard drive each night.

PDM Works--if you're not patching into someone else's network all the time--wouldn't pay for itself. (I don't see how it would be useful.)

Good luck with the new endeavor.



Jeff Mowry

http://www.industrialdesignhaus.com

What did you dream? It's all right--we told you what to dream.
--Pink Floyd, Welcome to the Machine

 

[fcsuper]

If you are alone, then there are a variety of options. PDMWorks is available, but check out all of the Gold Partners and get demos.

Matt Lorono
CAD Engineer/ECN Analyst
Silicon Valley, CA
Lorono's SolidWorks Resources
Co-moderator of Solidworks Yahoo! Group
and Mechnical.Engineering Yahoo! Group

 

[BodyBagger]

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. I must say that I am quite nervous about the transition but I won't know if I never try, so WTH. If it does not work out, there always "working for the man" again Keep the suggestions and or pitfalls coming if you have them.
Thanks again

 

[Rocko]

Did you think out your health insurance? This is a major financial burden to people going out on their own.

 

[Bio88]

I didn't quit my day job and I contract at night - very much alone (except for the ghosts...) lol. I am going to get a whopping tax hit at the end of the year. I have heard of health care savings accounts...? Did not research though...good luck.

 

[TRAILDUDE]

I have been contracting / consulting for 6 years now. I have not had a need for PDM. I just organize all files into specific folders by job and client. I make regular back-up s on DVD or CD every month (I usually backup my entire work folder each time). This has proved to be very beneficial to some clients, as they have come back to me months or years latter asking for copies of the files.

Health insurance insn't as big a deal as I once thought. Even with my rowdy, accident-prone, or once invinsible kids visiting the emergency room often. Try Humana.

There is a lot of work out there if you know where to look. It may not always be what you are used to doing, and it may not always be "engineering" work, but whe you are a tiger hunting in the jungle sometimes you will eat almost anything.

Being on my own is the best job I have ever had. In a society where job security is a thing of the past, private contracting seems to be the most secure thing for me. At least I can see a hiccup or problem coming and I can do something about it. Also, I don't have to worry about finding a new job every few years since I am always looking for jobs. The good thing is, once you create a reputation for yourself, most of the jobs come to you. At least that has been my experience.

Good Luck!