When to check in a project to PDMWorks

[rockguy]

I have some time to play with PDMWorks again and I'm trying to get my head around the whole application and how it will work with our company and workflow.

I'm not sure when the best time to actually check a project into PDMWorks for the first time. We typically go through many revisions before a "conceptual" project ever become a "real" project. We don't really need to maintain the "conceptual" project revisions and for this reason I was think we wouldn't check our projects into PDMWorks until they became "real" projects in which case we would need to start maintaing the revisions. Does this sound like a reasonable idea? How do others deal with this?

Thanks

Rob Rodriguez CSWP
President: Northern
Vermont SolidWorks User Group

http://www.robrodriguez.com

(updated 1/30/06)
SW 2006 SP 3.0

 

[alexit]

You describe what we do...each user has local working space. This is for their junk and/or projects that died quickly. When a project receives the first customer review is assigned project number and each componenet is assigned un-released part numbers. This is the first revision entered in the vault.

 

[ctopher]

I check in every night, same rev ... unless rev needs to change. I do this for save/backup reasons. When complete with design, it is checked in and deleted from Working Folder on hard drive.

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

 

[PDMAdmin]

A few years ago, we created a PDM project after the design cycle was already underway. Today, we create a PDM project immediately, and the conceptual files end up becoming part of the project history.

 

[rockguy]

Ctopher,

So even if you have a project without a project or part #'s ( it may actually never become a "real" project) you are controlling it in PDMWorks. Then if it doesn't materialize you delete it from the vault?

Rob Rodriguez CSWP
President: Northern
Vermont SolidWorks User Group

http://www.robrodriguez.com

(updated 1/30/06)
SW 2006 SP 3.0

 

[kmarencswp]

PDM Admin has a good point for patent stuff and cheking in right away. It keeps everything for that project and proof of idea is always in your vault.

KM

 

[ctopher]

If it does not become "real", it still stays in the vault. When the part is created, a part number has already been assigned. If it is 100% known it will never be used again, the P/N is reused then overwrite the part in the vault.
Everything is controlled by revs and lifecycles. i.e. Prelim (numerical revs), In Check, Released (alpha revs), In Change, etc.

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

 

[BandH]

We have recently started using PDM/Works and our policy is to start all new projects in PDM/Works from day one. We use the following life cycles:
DESIGN (A, B, C...)
RELEASED (0, 1, 2....)
CONFIGURATION CONTROL (C0, C1, C2....)

The design stage is where we do all the concept work, parts may or may not have a part number at this stage. We generally leave everything at A+ however, and this is one of the main reasons for PDM, following a design review, we can check everything in at, for example, REV B, then make what ever changes we require. Anything that is changed will go to B+. This gives a very useful record of how the design changed, and also if we ever decide to go back to that level, the files are available. Before PDM, we used to have loads of temporary/second copies of files. Another advangtage of PDM is in renaming files, it will still maintain the link.

As said above, you can always delete/archive your files if they are not required.

Regards,

 

[Badwolf]

Check in the docs as soon as possible. Use the Working copy option if you do not need to keep a copy at a specified rev. I also find it easier to give each component its correct filename/number right from the start (no guff numbers).

 

[rockguy]

Thanks for the input guys. I think I'll try starting everything off in PDM and use the Working Copy option until it becomes a "real" project.

Rob Rodriguez CSWP
President: Northern
Vermont SolidWorks User Group

http://www.robrodriguez.com

(updated 1/30/06)
SW 2006 SP 3.0