PDM references

[Darioun]

Hi everybody,

I don't know if someone here is using DBWorks as PDM instead of PDMWorks. It's a Gold Partner solution by MechWorks, an Italian Software developer.

Here we are starting to introduce SW with PDM as an operative instrument after a long period of testing.

We still have some problems though. One in particular s the fact that most of our designer and technicians develop projects putting the files on local hard drives, as accessing the server is too slow, specially with large assemblies. After the job order is closed all the files should be transfered on the server's archive thus loosing all the links in the PDM.
Inside DBWorks there's a script to track lost links but it's a very long procedure since it has to be done for each file in the project.
Does anyone face the same problem? What's the best solution? Except from putting all the files in the server from the first moment.

Our server actualy is a HP Proliant ML350T G3, maybe the machine has to be upgraded to use solidoworks?

Thanks

Luca Fontana

 

[kcarpenter]

Darioun,
Sounds like your network could use an upgrade, but without knowing it's speed/configuration as well as exactly how large your assemblies are it's just a guess. Some more details regarding your network environment and your assembly statistics would be helpful.

Kevin Carpenter
CAD Systems Specialist
Invacare Corp.

 

[Darioun]

About the network, there are 10 machines linked to it; 4 of these are usind SW and at least 2 of them constantly during the day.
Most of the other users are designing with Autocad Mechanical 2004.

As for assemblies the situation is much variable. Grossly I can say we have 3 kind off assemblies:
- Modules which are subassemblies with, maybe 10-20 components but may have many different configurations with as much as 70-80 linkages (total)
- Groups which are assemblies made by modules subassemblies. As far as we can we try to keep these designed with lightweight single parts instead of modules but this is not always possible.
- Plant Layout made by many different groups; the idea in this case is to put inside these groups saved as parts but yet again sometimes we need to access the possibility to refresh the layout changing the groups

We use many aluminium profiles so if the design is complete and not lightweight there can be a very crowded situation (many lines and surfaces).