Validating CAD Models

[artnmotion]

CAD ADMINISTRATORS

How do you validate your company's CAD models. (Validate = e.g. fully constrained sketches, no mating errors, etc).
I can't imagine you open every file (unless you work for a small company).
Sometimes this question comes up in audits.

Thank you.

 

[ShaggyPE]

Basically trust the experience of the user. New employees work will receive more scrutiny than a more seasoned employee (with a understood level of competence). Over time, the new employee's work will need less scrutiny.

This pertains to model and CAD practices. All designs receive full drawing check and design review.

-Dustin
Professional Engineer
Pretty good with SolidWorks

 

[emorel22]

Came up in an audit? What kind of audit? A vendor audit? I've never been through an audit where CAD models come up as a quality control topic. Personally, I won't leave a sketch undefined or under defined before creating a 3D feature, and everyone I know that models is the same way. The quality control usually comes in on the drawing check system.

E. Morel
M.E.

 

[SBaugh]

As a previous CAD Administrator for a large company there is great way to validate all the models. Like Shaggy says you have to trust the experience of the users.

Prior to my job being eliminated we were setting up to do in house training for everyone, especially those that were new. One problem I found is that most people that had been using SW for a long time didn't want any more training. Reason being they were used to doing their stuff their way and had no sense of the new features, nor did they care. Management wouldn't push the issue so in the end if Management is not behind you, then its a lost cause before you even get started. However if you have the backing of management due as much training as you can, send them to VAR training if that is an option and get them skilled in the use of SW. As the CAD Admin you should bring them up to speed on the new features as the new releases come out. As for poor modelling practices... when someone would bring me a model\drawing to my attention I would contact the person that designed and and show them what they did wrong, and show them a better way to achieve the some outcome, just faster and less intrusive to get to the end of the design. Of course you have to treat them as a child as some people become defensive. Its a balance of being a Tech support person (I did that for 8 years) and a friend just trying to make them more valuable as a employee.

One thing I did implement was the "Design Checker" when checking in models\drawings. There are a few things that the add-in lacks (like the ability to allow a yes or a no answer), but if you have models\drawings that are specific to a certain standard that you have created, then use it. If you have anything that can go one way or another then I would leave that area out of the "Design Checker". Check it out its a great tool to help hold a standard to your models\drawings.

I always thought being a CAD Admin was my calling, but I guess I was a few years too late for that role. Its better in a small company as I am now, because I get to make this my own design from the administration side versus a large company that had thousands of employees. The prior company I worked for I managed over 200 SW users from all over the country. That alone made it much, much harder. I hope your situation is more localized for you to concentrate you efforts to make your place better.

Hope that helps... kind regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP
Gryphon Environmental

http://www.2gryphon.com

"If it's not broke, Don't fix it!"

faq731-376

 

[ctopher]

We have audits with aerospace/military/FAA/etc with and CAD models and never had to validate models.
I have bi-weekly training classes so all users are up to date and work the same.

Chris, CSWA
SolidWorks '15
SolidWorks Legion

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

If you have SW Professional or Premium, you can use the SolidWorks Design Checker tool.

http://help.solidworks.com/2014/eng....html?id=5bf3a71fcf654c80b63f1496e262fbc8#Pg0

http://www.solidworks.com/sw/products/3d-cad/cad-standards-checking-and-drawing-comparison.htm

http://blog.cati.com/2014/05/how-to-use-the-solidworks-design-checker-part-1.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPSugHJIMRk