New admin with a few questions

[S2Roush]

Here is my delima,I have been tossed into the role of taking care of and evaluating our CAD system and all its related software. My background is a Sysadmin mainly Windows and Cisco networks. What I need to figure out is this...We are running Catia v5r13, Smarteam, and See Electric. (I know this a mechnical site we do that also) Our previous admin has pretty much snowballed everyone here into think the system was stable and workingand has spent A LOT of money doing it. I have the ability to say dump the system and start over with something new or figure a way to make our system work. Is there someone here that can tell me or point me to a good place to get info on Pro-eng and any PDM software that works well with it and would not take me 6 months to get up and running properly. I have been searching the site and reading post to try and figure out if Pro-eng is the way to go or hash out our Catia issues. If you have any candid opions or hard facts one way or the other I would be glad to hear them. A few things to let you know in my case I have a LARGE budget for software, training, and consulting if I need it. I need to have a stable system that runs on Windows 2003, and XP (64 bit is going to come soon so I need to plan for that). Last thing is this, should I bother keeping the catia setup since it not stable and has not ever really worked 0r go with Pro-eng? I really need something that is Stable. Thanks for your input in advance and sorry for the long post.My bosses are all over me to figure something out one way or another.

 

[looslib]

What industry are you in and what do most of your competitors use?


What do you customers and/or suppliers use?


How large is your engineering organization?


What data management requirements do you have?

 

[S2Roush]

What industry are you in and what do most of your competitors use?

Aeronautics. Testing and design

What do you customers and/or suppliers use?

man I have no idea. Like I said 2 weeks ago I was told to dump the system or make it work. Just looking for ideas and opinions at this point

How large is your engineering organization?

9 people and all drawing stay in house

What data management requirements do you have?

again not entirely sure. I do know that we need to make sure that if a customer comes to us and ask for rev # whatever we have to have it availible. We also need to make sure that the designers have limited access to drawings once they are published.

 

[FishNut]

i feel there's no easy answer here. To make the right decision perhaps you and some of your top engineers need to take a look at several of the major packages, and have a rep/dealer come to your site and demo each. Make some of your own parts.

 

[eddie57]

We currently use Teamcenter Engineering (PDM) with ipem (ProE integration) for ProE. These are both a UGS (Unigraphics Product)but,seems to work rather well with ProE. we are using WF2. The Teamcenter is not all that difficult to install and the setup can be done over time. It gives you revision control, workflows, and assures that two people cannot modify the same file at the same time. I know this is a brief description but it is worth looking into. Good Luck

 

[S2Roush]

Good info guys. Thanks alot. I have just gotten the OK to get a consultent in this week to talk with myself and the engineers. After that we will see what my options are.

 

[looslib]

You have a large investment in CATIA. Dumping it for another CAD program will cost your company a large sum.


You really do need to find out what your customers use. If they are supplying data to you, then it helps if the data is in the same fomat. This is especially true if your company has a requirement to send data back to the customer.

 

[FishNut]

I got thinking about this topic again. I've never used CATIA, or smarteam, but isn't catia considered to be an excellent product? I'm quite sure the automotive industry (Ford, GM)uses it. Perhaps its a bunch of bad practices by all of the users thats causing trouble. What do you mean by instability?

 

[dojo]

As dassault systems developed Catia I would presume you have the right CAD package in house when you are working for aeronautics. Talking to the engineering and destilling what the needs for your company are cad wise is a good start to talk to cad suppliers so they know what optional modules you need (eg surfacing, mechanical analyses etc). I would invest in having a thorough study by your current cad supplier what is possible wrong in the setup, configurations, data management etc. You will be unproductive for a while for sure when you switch package and new suppliers WILL make everything look possible and better when you have sales meetings with them. (I also agree on doing a investigation what competiters, suppliers and end clients use btw)


Nick


Ps doesnt GM use unigraphics?

 

[S2Roush]

We do have a lot of money tied up in Catia,smarteam, and this new product called See Electric. Right now after doing LOTS of research and hitting up some great forums (like this one) I have determined two things...


1. The system was never properly installed, configured, or implemented. MSC came in and did about 80% of what we needed and then wanted more money to finish the job. That was our fault for not getting a good statement of work.


2. The users hate this product so much because it has never worked the way it was supposed to that they just don't care anymore. If something doesn't work they let it stay broke and tell no one. Big lack of proper communication channels there.


beyond that I am taking bid this week from Rand, INCAT and any consulting companies I can find to come in here and tell me what is wrong with our system. If that does not work. Then I will start looking at alternatives IE new software.


Catia is supposed to be stable and a good product. My initial thought was to dump the system and try Pro-E and maybe Teamcenter but I will go forward with trying to get this system stable.





Oh and DOJO not sure If I would brag about GM using Unigraphics....See I am a FORD guy and they use Catia

We don't want any

bruised ego's in here. J/K


I actually have both..GM Silverado and Ford Mustang Roush Edition. hence the name.


Thanks again everyone for all the info. I will be staying around to learn more as the Design Center is now my responsibilty so I am sure I will have plenty of questions.

 

[eddie57]

I think you are heading in the right direction. Catia is a solid product. And it can also be used with Teamcenter for PDM. Again Good Luck!

 

[looslib]

Ford uses Ideas, not CATIA. Ideas is now owned by UGS and is being merged with NX.


Chrysler uses CATIA.

 

[dojo]

Lovely edition ! Im looking if it is reasonable to get a stang over here (high road tax, gas etc). Always luved American cars ... maybe in 2007 (had a firebird and still restoring a '74 vette)


A bit off topic but i envy you for being able to drive and see all them old and new muscle cars every day

Nick

 

[S2Roush]

Ford uses Ideas, not CATIA. Ideas is now owned by UGS and is being merged with NX.


Chrysler uses CATIA.

Hmmm I was under the impression they used that for their interiors.


This is what I found on Reuters


"Ford launched CATIA V5 in 2003 and used it for Body-in-White development of the Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln Zephyr vehicle programs."


If I am wrong I humbly submit to your superior intellect

.

 

[S2Roush]

Lovely edition ! Im looking if it is reasonable to get a stang over here (high road tax, gas etc). Always luved American cars ... maybe in 2007 (had a firebird and still restoring a '74 vette)


A bit off topic but i envy you for being able to drive and see all them old and new muscle cars every day

Nick

Dojo if you are ever in the US and happen to be in Oklahoma let me know. I will take you to the track i race at and let you have a turn at the wheel. Nothing better then hanging out with a bunch of car nuts at the track.

check out our site <a href="www.fnsweet.com">Roush</a>
Edited by: S2Roush

 

[jnoval]

It is important to use a good PDM system. I would always use a PDM systema from sameproducer as the mcad-system.


For ProE use PdmLink or Intralink.


If the usersare verydissatisfiedwith the system. Try to let them visit another company where it is working.

 

[slashct]

Here is my 2 cents on what your facing and been through similar.

I would narrow down one vendor say PTC. I would than get one or 2 guys users that are positive and eager to suceed, and than implement a test project with them on the software and see what kinks or issues you will run into. Once you see this than do the full scale implementation. I know this sounds weird but there are several reasons to do so.
When you do your implementation the most important thing is getting management buy in (sounds like you have it) as well as user buy in. If these guys get into it and can do a project there is a better feel.
As well if you try and bite this whole deal off in one shot there is so much to concentrate on that you will miss items, if you do a preliminary program for say one or two projects there will be things that "we should have done this" or I wish for this...
People don't realize that the CAD implementation (as well as PDM) is most important, just loading it from the disk and not customizing it for your company is the biggest mistake that is made. As well in some cases it might be necessary to change how your company does things, yes change and we all know that people hate this!

 

[looslib]

Yes, after UGS bought Ideas, Ford did implement some programs using CATIA for a comparison. 3 cars that are in the "same" body family out of how many body families in the Ford/Lincoln/Mercury lineup alone.

 

[superdutynick]

It is important to use a good PDM system. I would always use a PDM systema from sameproducer as the mcad-system.


For ProE use PdmLink or Intralink.

I agree completely. We are using Team Center that has been customized for our company. WhereI used to work we had Intralink... Intralink wins hands down IMHO

 

[looslib]

Comparing Intralink to TeamCenter is not fair. TeamCenter is much more powerful and it is able to work effectivly in a global environment.


For similar systems, compare TeamCenter Engineering with Windchill PDMLink. PDMLink is alot more troublesome than =Intralink.