PDMworks or diferent PDM

[grunt58]

First off Im new to PDM and PDMworks...

This is what we'd like a PDM software to do.

We want to keep our library of parts locally on our machines and have the PDM software (on the server I guess) look to those local machines and update all the local machines say everynight at 9pm. We want to keep our library locally to speed us up. We would also like the PDM software to maintain a back up on the server in case we lose local hard drives even though the HD are in a RAID.

Can it do this or am I way off on how it works. I know PDMworks "lives" on the server and alows users to check files in and out but we want our library locally for speed reasons stated above.

We'd like to use PDMworks as we have SW profesional and it's basically free.

Any thoughts tips or links to how PDMworks works would be helpfull.

Grant
Applications Engineer
SW2008 SP 2.0
IBM InteliStation Pro M
Nvidia Quadro FX 3000
P4 3.4 GHz, 2GB RAM
XP Pro SP2.0

 

[smcadman]

With the way you want to a PDM system to work, what will happen if 2 users modify the same model (located on your drive). How will the system know who's model to use?

We have our PDMWorks on its own server and we get a project out of the vault and work on it locally. Many users can use the same model, but only one user can have ownership of it. Whoever has ownership is the one who can modify a part and check that model back into the vault.

Flores

 

[grunt58]

hhmmm yes we never thought of that. Normally that wouldn't be a problem as we work on projects on our own. If a part we sell needs updated it is usually assigned to whoever is free at the time so he would have the correct copy of those parts but I'm sure that is not always the case. Those files are updated and then overwriten on the server when completed and ok'd but never before then again thats not how it always happens.

I think our problem is we our a catalog co and have a thousand page catalog worth of CAD parts to deal with. Last time I looked we had 8 gigs of catalog parts CAD data. So we'd have to check that in and out with every project...


Any and all please advise....

Thanks!

Grant
Applications Engineer
SW2008 SP 2.0
IBM InteliStation Pro M
Nvidia Quadro FX 3000
P4 3.4 GHz, 2GB RAM
XP Pro SP2.0

 

[grunt58]

^Plus checking out of the vault all the projects we've done which I have no idea how many gigs that is.

Grant
Applications Engineer
SW2008 SP 2.0
IBM InteliStation Pro M
Nvidia Quadro FX 3000
P4 3.4 GHz, 2GB RAM
XP Pro SP2.0

 

[Bester2]

Grunt58,

Your biggest concern about working over the network should not be a concern. Currently at my work we use Smarteam. I have also used Interlink in the past. They both work in the same manor. For example I am currently working on a drawing that has about 1500 parts in the top level assembly. When I check out the drawing all 1500 parts are brought into my workspace(for this example they are just read only). My workspace is located in my "My Documents" folder. I have "locked" the drawing in the Smarteam database but all of the other files are available for others to modify or use a copy of them in their particular assembly. Now with this said it can take some time to check files into the vault if they are all new and huge. Yesterday I did a major check in to the vault and it took over 45 minutes including description labeling(that may be specific to my company).

I hope this eases your worries.

Brian

Brian
SW 2007 SP 5.0

 

[grunt58]

Brain thanks can you explain more?

Grant
Applications Engineer
SW2008 SP 2.0
IBM InteliStation Pro M
Nvidia Quadro FX 3000
P4 3.4 GHz, 2GB RAM
XP Pro SP2.0

 

[ShaggyPE]

what is your specific question regarding his explanation?

We use (much to my dismay) PTC Windchill as our enterprise pdm system. We also check our SolidWorks files into the same pdm.

Regarding your concern about your catalog of parts... when working on an assembly, you will have read only copies of standard parts on your local hard drive. When you check the assembly in, only the assembly gets stored, typically the read only files are deleted from your local workspace at that time. If a change is required on a standard component that you currently have read-only access to, someone else will receive permission to make those changes. Once those changes are checked back into pdm, you will need to re-get the new read-only version of the part.

To re-iterate, two users cannot have write access to the same part at the same time.

Hope this helps.

-Dustin
Professional Engineer
Certified SolidWorks Professional

 

[grunt58]

shaggy yes it did. I was unware of the read only status and that files would be deleted. Now that raises a question of how long would it take to check out 8 gigs of read only part and assembly files over a gigabit network (so i've been told thats what we have).

If this takes a half hour and we have to do this everytime I don't see that going over very well as we start a new project every couple days on average (plus we design for free differt topic altogether).



Grant
Applications Engineer
SW2008 SP 2.0
IBM InteliStation Pro M
Nvidia Quadro FX 3000
P4 3.4 GHz, 2GB RAM
XP Pro SP2.0

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

You wouldn't check out the whole 8GB library ... just what was needed.

 

[Bester2]

Grunt58,

My check out process does not take any time at all. Only a few seconds at most. The check in takes a little longer because I make Smarteam look at all of the parts in my assembly to see what ones are new and need a description added. I could keep track manually what parts I created or check them in as I create them to speed up the final assembly checking in time.(In fact I may make this a new rule for me!!) If all of my parts are revisions it only takes a couple of seconds to check in. Say for instance you are working on a 6000 part (250MB) assembly. And you need to add an existing part to the assembly that is not already in your workspace (on you local drive). You would then search the database(commonspace) for that part and most likely attain a copy of that part if you do not want to make any changes to the part or check the part out onto your local drive if you plan to make changes. If you decide to check out the part other people who use your PDM system can see that the part is under revision and who is revising the part. I am a firm believer in a good PDM system. But like any good tool, training is a necessity. Realizing how the system operates is very important to the success of implementation.

I hope that this helps a little.

Brian
SW 2007 SP 5.0

 

[finisher]

Grant,

If you want speed I would suggest designing directly on your LAN, not locally, AND without using any kind of database manager and its associated overhead. That's how we work in our two man environment. We also avoid the commonly seen practice of designers working with temporary, multiple, redundant, non-official instances of assemblies.

finisher SW2007 SP3.0

 

[grunt58]

CorB
True we wouldn't need all 8 gigs. If we go to a PDM sounds like we'll have to change how we design. Currently we get a rough idea in our head and just start pulling parts in then replace components as we needed. We'll have to start with a better plan and only check out a handfull of components. Seems resonable but i can already predict my bosses response....

finisher
Thats how we work now over the network. Currently there are 4 users with plans to add 1-2 more in the coming months.
Our current team has been sucessful in maintaining our CAD database with only minimal errors like accidetally modifiying the original component etc.. We're affraid as we grow and get new users this wont be the case.

I have a call in to our VAR and probably will do a tech talk and lay out our concerns and questions see what they say.

Please add any tips or comments as this is all new to me and my company. We would appreciate all the help we get.

Thanks again for your help.


Grant
Applications Engineer
SW2008 SP 2.0
IBM InteliStation Pro M
Nvidia Quadro FX 3000
P4 3.4 GHz, 2GB RAM
XP Pro SP2.0

 

[grunt58]

I just talked to our VAR. He really cleared up how PDMworks works.

I didn't realize you guys where saying you check stuff out on the fly while designing (basically how we do it now) and that it will put a read only "temp" file on my local HD and when im done I will check my project assembly back in updating anything that changed.

Sounds like excatly what we want and need.

Grant
Applications Engineer
SW2008 SP 2.0
IBM InteliStation Pro M
Nvidia Quadro FX 3000
P4 3.4 GHz, 2GB RAM
XP Pro SP2.0

 

[Cheeseburger]

Grant ...

It sounds like you've been able to get away with out using a PDM system because your group have been used to working a certain way. As you increase the size of your group ... you'll be pulling in people who work differently.

From my experience working with a PDM system is like working from a component catalog. You pull what you need and nothing else. If you need something else, start flipping the pages through the catalog until you see what you like.

If you're nervous about checking-in all these parts ... don't be. Unless you modified the part file you won't have to check these files in. Only the newly created assembly file will have to be checked in.

Just because you've checked out a part doesn't mean that you have to check it back in. This is a concept that I've had to hammer into some people's brain where I work.

Cheers,

Brian

Brian Mazejka, CSWP
Documentation Control Manager
Microline Pentax, Inc.

 

[KENAT]

Not familiar with PDM works but used Intralink with Pro E and have been looking at teamcenter/express.

Basically you had it kind of backwards but seems you have it sorted out now.

Given that you have SW PDM Works may be the logical choice but there are other options.

Teamcenter for instance claims to handle virtually all standard CAD formats.

KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...

 

[grunt58]

The thing that was totally over my head was the checking in and out of the vault and where files were kept.

We should be good as far as checking parts back in. A designer shouldn't need to update any of our standard catalog parts while working on there assigned project. The only thing they should have to check back is is the newly created project assembly and maybe some new custom parts. Ocasionaly we modify our standard catalog parts but at that point it becomes a new part file and saved as a custom part for that specific project.

cheers does sound good right now I could go for a beer....

Grant
Applications Engineer
SW2008 SP 2.0
IBM InteliStation Pro M
Nvidia Quadro FX 3000
P4 3.4 GHz, 2GB RAM
XP Pro SP2.0

 

[Standing]

Grant,
I like to take ownership in the PDM/Workgroups of parts I am changing. That way when I check the assembly back into the Vault it will only check in files I have ownership of. Now if I am working on an assembly for a couple days and then find I need to make a change to a part I will recheck it out taking ownership at that time.
Here is a FAQ for you to look at:
PDM Rules to Live by: faq559-1227


Bradley
SolidWorks Pro 2008 x64, SP3.0
PDMWorks Workgroup, SolidWorks BOM,
Dell XPS Intel(R) Pentium(R) D CPU
3.00 GHz, 5 GB RAM, Virtual memory 12577 MB,
nVidia Quadro FX 3400
Use SolidWorks BOM
e-mail is Lotus Notes