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Another PDM question

Another PDM question

Another PDM question

(OP)
I work for a small company, 150 employees. We have 9 design engineers 7 using AutoCad 2d and 2 using SolidWorks including myself. I have been thinking seriously about installing a PDM system for SolidWorks even though our SolidWorks database is relatively small. There is no doubt over the next few years SolidWorks will become the standard for all of our design work.
Currently we manage our documents manually using unique job number names within a file/folder structure. SolidWorks has been an eye-opener for my boss...In AutoCad one drawing with hundreds of defined blocks for individual details, (one job, 1 file)... In SolidWorks each detail is a separate file so one job can easily have several hundred files...
My question is this: What PDM system would be recommended given our current limited SolidWorks usage (but soon to grow significantly)? One that is not an overkill to start with, but also one that we wont grow out of in 5 years? I will probably be administering the PDM system, so it needs to be simple. Also, we have thousands of AutoCad and related documents that we may or may not want to add to the system.

Thanks,
Tom…

Tom Malinski
Sr Design Engineer
OKay Industries
New Britain CT

RE: Another PDM question

PDMWorks, for your size company and amount of users. It works great!

Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 05
AutoCAD 05
ctopher's home site (updated 06-21-05)
FAQ559-1100
FAQ559-716

RE: Another PDM question

I second Chris's notion...  I was in your position about 4 years ago.

Pete

RE: Another PDM question

(OP)
Thanks guys, I will contact my VAR for more info..
Tom...

Tom Malinski
Sr Design Engineer
OKay Industries
New Britain CT

RE: Another PDM question

PDM Works is the way to go - importantly it is updated with every release of SolidWorks e.g. SW 2006 / PDM 2006

RE: Another PDM question

Yes, SolidWorks PDM\Works is the way to go. We have been using it for 5 years. Put 1,000’s of SolidWorks drawings and models. We have also been putting in 100’s of word documents and Excel files. No plans to change ever.

Bradley

RE: Another PDM question

(OP)
Do you guys store emails related to jobs in some way within PDMworks

Tom Malinski
Sr Design Engineer
OKay Industries
New Britain CT

RE: Another PDM question

No, we have to use Lotus Notes. I have enough trouble just creating backup copies. You can put text in a Word doc that is located in the tree of a SolidWorks model.

Bradley

RE: Another PDM question

I have on occasion copied the emails, Excel/Word files, etc into the Design Binder of the SW file.

Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 05
AutoCAD 05
ctopher's home site (updated 06-21-05)
FAQ559-1100
FAQ559-716

RE: Another PDM question

It would be nice if we could view the files in the design binder of a SolidWorks file, without leaving PDMWorks.  So often we discuss here where we want to put design info.  I would like to be able to use the design binder and design journal more, however, we would pay a price of having to take a copy out of the vault everytime we needed to view design info.  Would be much simpler if we could access (by that I mean just view) the files within a SolidWorks file, within PDMWorks.

Pete

RE: Another PDM question

Its been requested many times.  I'm hoping to stir others to do the same.  I would also like to be able to save notes on files that would pop up at either copying out or taking owvership to remind people of things that need to be changed.  If this is a revision management tool, then something like this would be very handy.  We keep a separate list of items to address when going through early beta/production of our products.  Having this list in PDMWorks would also be nice.

Pete

RE: Another PDM question

There is a way to attach files. I don't have PDMW available right now.
But, look in help, there is a way to attach any type of file to SW files in PDMW. I have done it, but can't remember exactly how right now.
For email, open email, save as (new name), go to PDMW, somehow attach. Should be in help.

Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 05
AutoCAD 05
ctopher's home site (updated 06-21-05)
FAQ559-1100
FAQ559-716

RE: Another PDM question

yeah, I know about attachments, I just don't want to have to manage extra files - I think it defeats the purpose.  If the deign files were embeded in SolidWorks files, then the SolidWorks file would be the only one you have to worry about - it becomes the central point of information.

Pete

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