Learning PDM

[VTmechie]

Has anyone used this PDM book?
HANDBOOK FOR SOLIDWORKS PDM STANDARD by Alar Jõgi

ISBN-13
978-1675710296

Or does anyone have any other ideas for learning PDM? I am trying to avoid paying for the expensive training with the reseller.

if someone has a recent training book and wants to sell it, please let me know.

[VTmechie]

There is a thread here on this question. The OP took the reseller course but still needs more resources. And the Jogi books didn't get great reviews.
https://forum.solidworks.com/thread/240404

Matt L. - are you looking to update your pdm bible any time soon? It has changed a lot since 2009.

I am feeling frustrated there isn't a lot of resources on this topic.

Here are some things I want to do:
-- Go from Rev numbers (prototype) to Rev Letters (released)
-- Create PDFs of drawings when released. (I got this to work some but not great)
-- Make small changes without changing Rev and re-publish PDF
-- Automatically add stamps where needed "FOR REFERENCE ONLY" etc.

[matt]

Matt L. - are you looking to update your pdm bible any time soon? It has changed a lot since 2009.

I am feeling frustrated there isn't a lot of resources on this topic.

Here are some things I want to do:
-- Go from Rev numbers (prototype) to Rev Letters (released)
-- Create PDFs of drawings when released. (I got this to work some but not great)
-- Make small changes without changing Rev and re-publish PDF
-- Automatically add stamps where needed "FOR REFERENCE ONLY" etc.

This is the thing I should start working on. I get a lot of questions about this. Thanks for the shove!

[jcapriotti]

@matt You wrote a PDM bible? How did I not know this.......and had thought about it myself but figured there wouldn't be much market for it.

[bnemec]

I am feeling frustrated there isn't a lot of resources on this topic.

Here are some things I want to do:
-- Go from Rev numbers (prototype) to Rev Letters (released)
-- Create PDFs of drawings when released. (I got this to work some but not great)
-- Make small changes without changing Rev and re-publish PDF
-- Automatically add stamps where needed "FOR REFERENCE ONLY" etc.

You mentioned PDM Standard in first post, I think your list is mostly EPDM/PDM Pro stuff. Which do you have?

[matt]

@matt You wrote a PDM bible? How did I not know this.......and had thought about it myself but figured there wouldn't be much market for it.

In 2009 I wrote an Admin bible. It was pretty thorough about PDMWorks. I think the few people who read it remember it mostly for what I said about PDMW (and Toolbox).

[jcapriotti]

Here are some things I want to do:
-- Go from Rev numbers (prototype) to Rev Letters (released)

How do you want this work? You can switch schemas in the workflow. For example, on release we use A, B, C, etc. During an ECO we use A.01, A.02, A.03, etc. For a certain type of document we even created a 3 tier revision scheme.

-- Create PDFs of drawings when released. (I got this to work some but not great)

What is the issue?

-- Make small changes without changing Rev and re-publish PDF

We have a separate workflow for "File corrections" that set the revision to the same level (increment by 0 when it goes back to release. It's only allowed for making minor model edits that don't affect the drawing visually.

-- Automatically add stamps where needed "FOR REFERENCE ONLY" etc.

You could handle this with a custom property linked to a PDM variable. Then a note in your sheet format linked to the custom property.

[jcapriotti]

In 2009 I wrote an Admin bible. It was pretty thorough about PDMWorks. I think the few people who read it remember it mostly for what I said about PDMW (and Toolbox).

Ah....now you get the joy of learning PDM Standard/Pro......give me a call....lol

[matt]

Ah....now you get the joy of learning PDM Standard/Pro......give me a call....lol

I did learn Conisio a while back, does that count?

[jcapriotti]

I did learn Conisio a while back, does that count?

Conisio, what's that?

They have all but hidden that name.......except in a few places.

image.png (5.11 KiB) Viewed 4238 times

[Diaval]

I would be willing to help contribute to a PDM "bible". I noticed that there is a SolidWorks FAQ area here. Maybe it would be good to start a SWPDM FAQ section?

I started to compile a comparison list of differences between Pro and Standard. And I'm sure that many of us PDM admins have learned a few tips and tricks that help with administration of a PDM system that we could share with others.

[bnemec]

Conisio, what's that?

They have all but hidden that name.......except in a few places.

image.png

I kinda wish I had the opportunity to work with Conisio before SW bought and integrated it.

[Diaval]

I kinda wish I had the opportunity to work with Conisio before SW bought and integrated it.

SW has made some good improvements with the original Conisio product. But it was a good product to begin with so it made it easier to improve. I've been working with it since it was first released as PDMWorks Enterprise. Some releases have been better than others over the years.

[jcapriotti]

In general I haven't had any issues with any particular release. My biggest beef is that it needs more functionality and the "What's new" is rather "thin" for what we pay for each year. I guess moot now that we are going to Windchill.

[Diaval]

In general I haven't had any issues with any particular release. My biggest beef is that it needs more functionality and the "What's new" is rather "thin" for what we pay for each year. I guess moot now that we are going to Windchill.

I can definitely understand the frustration about how long it takes to get much needed functionality. If you weren't moving to Windchill, what would be your top 3 most needed features?

[VTmechie]

We have a separate workflow for "File corrections" that set the revision to the same level (increment by 0 when it goes back to release. It's only allowed for making minor model edits that don't affect the drawing visually.

image.png
image.png

Jason,
Thank you for your help with PDM. I am working on the "file correction" workflow issue with revs. Currently the rev increment works with the regular work flow but not the file correction workflow. I understand what you mean by inc. by 0. But currently the rev is incremented in the state and not the transition. I am guessing I need to change this so it increments in the transition?
Thank you,
Jennifer

[jcapriotti]

Jason,
Thank you for your help with PDM. I am working on the "file correction" workflow issue with revs. Currently the rev increment works with the regular work flow but not the file correction workflow. I understand what you mean by inc. by 0. But currently the rev is incremented in the state and not the transition. I am guessing I need to change this so it increments in the transition?
Thank you,
Jennifer

Yes, Inc rev is on the transition, along with the increment by 0

[VTmechie]

Hi Jason,
How do I make a separate loop that makes number Revs for design? Then when I am ready to release, switch to Letter Revs?
Thanks,
Jennifer

[jcapriotti]

Hi Jason,
How do I make a separate loop that makes number Revs for design? Then when I am ready to release, switch to Letter Revs?
Thanks,
Jennifer

Something like?

Release: A,B,C
In progress: A.1, A.2, B.1, B.2, etc.

Or just 1,2,3,4 during concept but switch to A,B,C on moving to production?

[VTmechie]

Something like?

Release: A,B,C
In progress: A.1, A.2, B.1, B.2, etc.

Or just 1,2,3,4 during concept but switch to A,B,C on moving to production?

This one: 1,2,3,4 during concept but switch to A,B,C on moving to production

[jcapriotti]

For concept I set the revision variable, but elected to not "increment revision" to create the label. That's preference if you want the label, we just added to the letter component. In this workflow, the numeric component is set on the state "Concept". If the review gets rejected, I set variable to next revision.

Both "Work in Process" and "Released" have the Alpha revision component set. The "Release" transition has the increment revision action. The "Revise" transition has the "Set variable" for updating the revision on the data card to the next letter.

Then your revision history looks like this with only revision labels on release.

Get version...

[berg_lauritz]

This tutorial from Javelin, does that help?

[mattpeneguy]

This is the thing I should start working on. I get a lot of questions about this. Thanks for the shove!

As the PDM admin here, I volunteer to help shove you!
It was a hard fought battle to get it up and running, but I still can't get the drawing to pdf thing to work because apparently there's 2 ways to do it and I chose poorly....more like ignorantly...
Today, I've been trying to upgrade PDM to 2020, but the installer is asking me for some MS library, or to run the full installer...I try that and it won't accept the installation directory.

[AlexB]

This one: 1,2,3,4 during concept but switch to A,B,C on moving to production

I had to set up something similar in a test vault while we evaluate moving to production. Our scheme is complicated from a programming perspective. Prototype is AA, AB, AC and then released to numeric 00, 01, 02. If we need a prototype between production revisions, we move back to alpha (BA from 00, CA from 01, DA from 02).
This means I had to increment each revision for both production and prototype updates to the workflow but I got it working. There are quite a few temporary states, which I'm not a huge fan of, but it seemed necessary.

This is just a feasibility workflow to get the concept working in my sandbox vault so take that with a grain of salt.

[jcapriotti]

I had to set up something similar in a test vault while we evaluate moving to production. Our scheme is complicated from a programming perspective. Prototype is AA, AB, AC and then released to numeric 00, 01, 02. If we need a prototype between production revisions, we move back to alpha (BA from 00, CA from 01, DA from 02).
This means I had to increment each revision for both production and prototype updates to the workflow but I got it working. There are quite a few temporary states, which I'm not a huge fan of, but it seemed necessary.

Nice workflow. There seems to be big jumps in your prototype revisions. Your history shows an AA then a later jump to DA. Just curious about the logic there.

We have letter releases (A, B, C) but we have inwork revisions that take the current revision and adds a numeric. New files start at +.01.


C (Release)
B.01
B (Release)
A.02
A.01
A (Release)
+.03
+.02
+.01

[AlexB]

Nice workflow. There seems to be big jumps in your prototype revisions. Your history shows an AA then a later jump to DA. Just curious about the logic there.

Yeah, our documentation requires that we start a new prototype primary letter after each numeric release. It's a bit convoluted but achieving change is Sisyphean task.

An example history would be:
AA
AB
AC
00 - Released
BA
BB
02 - Released
03 - Released
DA
04 - Released

[jcapriotti]

@AlexB I see now....it just throws my brain because you have the opposite we have for release.