Setting up PDMWorks

[Steven566]

Hello,


I recently started at a new company and they would like me to implement PDMWorks. I don't really know much about it.


Is there any advice that you could give me for setting this up?


Are there specific things that need to be considered that the tutorial might not cover?


Are you happy with it?


Thanks in advance.

Steve

 

[Steven566]

I should add that the company designs and manufactures large air coolers, with probably 200 parts per cooler, including fasteners.


I would also like this system to work with a system called ProfitFab, which tracks the cost of producing the air coolers. I do not know how to ues ProfitFab, but I am going to learn very soon.





Steve

 

[Steven566]

So no one has any advice?

 

[ttraser]

Steve,


Sorry, just read this forum. Did you already set up your PDMWorks? I have found it to be very useful, weather you use the workgroup or the enterprize editions. Both allow you to add properties into each model that enable you to search and easily modify files.


First look at the way your company handles it's data, i.e. changes, models, drawings, etc. You can set up rev control for these which is very handy for small companies without a doc control dept. Also, look at they way you utilize fasteners. Personally, I feel these don't get changed, only created, thus, they do not need to be in pdmworks nor rev controlled, only to be located in a central area that all have access and are pointed to.


Hope this helps, if you have any questions, please post them.


Good luck with the install.

 

[SSLaser]

I found the design library a good place to keep fasteners; SW tells PDMW not to rev. control items in the design library. In the VaultAdmin, under Standard Libraries tab, make sure the location(s) is (are) listed.


One item to think carefully about: thechoice betweenusing the latestrevision or "as built" revision upon check out. I've found that using the latest revision makes sure that there are no old revisions checked out of the vault, then subsequently checked in as the next revision over the current in the vault.


Unfortunately, you can't globally set this for all users (I think). Right click in your vault tree, click PDM Workgroup Options > Command Defaults tab > under Check out / Open look for Retrieve references.


Whatever you do, make sure it is consistant accross all users. Speaking from experience...

 

[m4rtin]

I have two questions related to setting up PDMWorks:

1) is PDMWorks Workgroup VaultAdmin the only place where I can make new projects? Or is there a possibility to make new projects(new folders in other words) trough my SolidWorks Professional 2008 PDMWorks ad-in as well?

2) is there a possibility to disable this "default save in folder for Open and Check Out"? It is so annoying that when I check out a document just for viewing, SW saves a complete copy into this sw folder(see image). I would like that when I open a document from Vault, it does not save a copy anywhere other than a temp folder. How to accomplish that?