Solidworks Enterprise

[LSPSCAT]

My company is thinking of implementing solidworks enterprise both to manage drawing files and general company documentation from quotes to calculations in a general folder structure? Any thoughts/experience? Currently have around 20 engineers, probably 20 more engineering staff/design drafters/sales who would be contribuiting to the system. Probably 40 viewers in terms of manufacturing personel and supervisors. The company is probably split 70/30 with a majority of drawings produced in AutoCAD and the balance in Solidworks. Current file system is only basic folder structures with no real database.

 

[Nella95]

The company I was at (before they laid off 80% of their staff) - used SolidWorks with Enterprise. It was cool as anything when they were exhibiting the Enterprise product - however, the SolidWorks portion proved inconclusive before I was let go.

 

[NomLaser]

We use PDMWorks Enterprise and it's pretty nice. We have our ECN process integrated. We have the document workflow setup and when you submit a part it automatically informs those that need to approve them through a PDM Inbox similar to Outlook.

PDMWorks Workgroups is basically a document storage vault with revision control. You don't get the workflow for ECN's and documentation like you get in the Enterprise.

We like it and it has helped with keeping history and automated the ECN process so there isn't so much physical paperwork floating around sitting on someone's desk. I would highly recommend the Enterprise for medium to large size companies.

 

[macduff]

Make sure you do all your homework/research. This is a huge task to take on, and make sure you have upper level managements support. If you do not have everyone,s support, it and you will fail. It's a great piece of software from what I've seen of it, just make sure everyone's on board.

Good luck,

Colin Fitzpatrick (aka Macduff)
Mechanical Designer
Solidworks 2009 SP 3.0
Dell 490 XP Pro SP 2
Xeon CPU 3.00 GHz 3.00 GB of RAM
nVida Quadro FX 3450 512 MB
3D Connexion-SpaceExplorer

 

[LSPSCAT]

Our workflows come in two forms - Overal project flow is macroscopic - across several departments with somewhat of a handoff in between - sales engineering - engineering - manufacturing. Internally, once the project resides in a department there is usually a sole design engineer and draftsperson with very little interaction with a secondary designer or draftsperson. Any insight to the effectiveness of the workflows using a single owner. I think it can be effective, however, it will mainly be one person responsible for a bulk of the documentation. The problem now is lack of discipline and consistency in enforcing documentation and what is considered proper and necessary documentation....

 

[LSPSCAT]

I am concerned about the commitment from management and their understanding of the utility of it. I have been with the company for a little over a year and my initial reaction is that there is probably a lot more important work that should be considered and adopted prior to this. Drafting standards, calculaton standards, design standards to name a few...However, the promise of this implementation is that it could be a real game changer....It is an older company that is actually doing quite well..however, over time things just have not kept up on the technology front and now even basic research, development, and basic product standards seem to be falling behind. I would almost attribute to the fact that some are just worn out and possibly been around too long with little outside influence. People have seen drafting boards come and ago, old IBM CAD workstations running god knows what..., then AutoCAD for a while, and now some other unknown software. I think too many failed promises from management also have soured their appetite for change.