CAD Mngmt Archives - Page 2 of 5

Scania chooses Dassault Systemes’ PLM solutions

Dassault Systemes recently announced in a press release that Scania chose to invest in ENOVIA as their PLM for integrated production design, product development, processes and manufacturing. Scania is a company of over 32,000 people and is reported to be one of the world’s leading manufacturers of trucks and buses for heavy transport applications, and of industrial and marine engines.

Anders G. Lindberg, technology manager, R&D, Scania states, “the biggest difference [as a result of this investment in ENOVIA] for the user today is that we have a platform where we can construct in 3D from the start and make cross functional use in a whole new way. We also have other possibilities for parametric design, optimization tools and kinematics compared to our previous solution.” Lindberg also talks about CATIA by stating, “we realized that CATIA was still the best authoring solution for us.”

Dassault Systemes seems well positioned to suit the needs of large corporations. However, when one sees press releases that talk about being selected by such organizations, one may be left wondering about Dassault Systemes’ ability to adjust their business model to suit small to mid-size companies. What are the CATIA and ENOVIA adoption rates for smaller organizations? Among those small adopters, how many have positive and beneficial experiences?

Product Review: Template Wizard (2010)

Several years ago, I reviewed one of the earliest versions of Template Wizard, published by 3 Dawn Consulting, LLC at SolidWorksTemplates.com. Template Wizard is an application which fills a gap in SolidWorks functionality by creating the process to automatically generate document templates for drawings, parts and assemblies. Kevin Van Liere of 3 Dawn Consulting has provided to me a new license of Template Wizard for the purpose of this new review. This review is my own content without input of others.

The current version of Template Wizard is refined and more capable. Template Wizard gives the user the ability to create templates from scratch. Users may also create drawing templates from AutoCAD generated files. If the user wishes, they may use it to edit existing SolidWorks drawing templates.

User Interface

Template Wizard is an add-in that runs within the PropertyManager pane inside of SolidWorks. Selecting settings within the interface is similar to other functions that run within the PropertyManager. Users create new templates in a 9 step process. The process starts with a blank drawing sheet and ends with a fully functional templates for drawings, parts and assemblies. When creating a drawing template, some user interaction with the view pane is required to place objects and anchor points.

Installation

Installation is quick and painless. Just execute the downloaded install file, then start up SolidWorks. Template Wizard appears as a pulldown menu. The user will be prompted to enter a registration code (provided at the time of purchase) the first time before they create a new template.

Workflow

If a user wishes to create new templates, it is recommended that they create a drawing template first. As mentioned, Template Wizard takes the user through a series of steps. Once the drawing template is complete, it then allows the user to transfer applicable settings over to new part and assembly templates.

The order of drawing template creation tasks is fairly logical. The user is prompted at each step:

Drawing size, view projection, standards, units of measure, etc.
Border creation, margins, zones, border layer. Although Template Wizard does automatically create borders based on user choices, a nice function to include might have been the ability to choose settings that automatically follow standard ISO or ASME borders, based on drawing size.
Title block and custom properties. Title blocks may be created from existing title blocks or created from scratch using dozens of field blocks. This step is likely the most complex.
Establish tables and their anchors. This one function by itself may make Template Wizard worth its price. SolidWorks has anchors that serve as automatic starting points when the user inserts tables onto a drawing. However, this anchor functionality is somewhat under-documented and hidden. Template Wizard labels each anchor which allows the user to see where and what they are.
Fonts, bent leader length and tangent edge settings.
Save “Page Design”. One thing that I find confusing is the use of alternative terminology in Template Wizard. A page design means sheet format.
Establish the “next sheet” variable and save “template design”. “Next sheet” variable is a quirky SolidWorks setting that establishes the drawing template. Template Wizard uses this variable in a cleaver way to allow drawing templates to utilized a different sheet format for additional sheets of a multi-sheet drawing.
Create part and assembly templates, and the custom properties file. This reduces the effort of creating part and assembly templates down to a push of a button.

Update Wizard

Though I have not tested this functionality, it is important to note that Template Wizard has a function called Update Wizard. This tool gives the user the power to update the sheet format of a whole bunch of drawings at one time. The tool even allows the user to find and replace specific text in the same way!

Purchasing options

Template Wizard is available through the SolidWorksTemplates.com website. Given the value and time-savings potential of Template Wizard, the price of US$295.00 seems reasonable. Visa and MasterCard are accepted for immediate delivery of the software license. Paypal, invoice and check are also excepted.

Findings

Template Wizard was created because SolidWorks does not provide a simple method for template creation. The process in SolidWorks is not well documented nor easily understood by new or some experienced users. Template Wizard allows the user to bypass the learning curve by providing powerful tools in a fairly straightforward process. However, even though Template Wizard is a great tool, it is not completely intuitive.

The user should read Template Wizard’s Help file before using it. Treat the Help file as a tutorial. The Help file gives the user information they need to make certain choices. For example, during the Title Block creation step, the user is presented with tons of choices. Those choices are defined in the Help file under “Pre-Designed Title Blocks” and “Title Block Elements”. I would like to see this information included within the Template Wizard’s workflow in the form of a preview window or something similar.

Where Template Wizard excels is in the fact that it breaks down the template creation process into a series of steps. Many of these steps are wonderfully automated, drastically reducing the time it takes to create a template. It even changes settings in SolidWorks itself to allow the user more flexibility in how they wish to save and use their new templates. As a byproduct of its workflow, Template Wizard also serves as an education tool. It teaches the user about what is needed to make sheet formats and templates in SolidWorks.

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Template Wizard’s value comes from the time and effort saved during the creation of SolidWorks templates. It is not an application that has a high reuse value. However, I do recommend keeping it installed (but inactive) on SolidWorks. This will allow the user to make adjustments to their templates over time, as needs change.

Template Wizard is not for that do-it-yourself person whose independent spirit and drive pushes them to create their own template and sheet formats. It is for the person or company that does not wish to spend a lot time creating, changing or maintaining templates.

BatchProcess 2 Product Review

For people that frequent the SolidWorks Forums and the SolidWorks area on eng-tips.com, the name Luke Malpass is likely familiar. Malpass is the founder of Angelsix.com and the author of several SolidWorks API books. He developed a powerful, yet simple SolidWorks add-in called BatchProcess. This add-in was recently updated as BatchProcess 2. The new version is fully integrated within the SolidWorks task pane.

What does BatchProcess 2 do? It allows the user to quickly perform and repeat complex tasks on any number of SolidWorks documents with very little set up.

Full disclosure

Before I get into more specific details and opinions, let it be known that Luke Malpass has provided me with licenses for BatchProcess 2. The licenses give me full access to the functionality of the software in real world usage. This allows me to write this review as accurately as I am able. No request for content within this review (favorable nor otherwise) was expressed or implied by Luke Malpass. The content of this review is solely my own.

User Interface

The user interface for BatchProcess 2 is unique in the SolidWorks realm. It seems to be vaguely reminiscent of colorful flowcharts. The interface is attractive and flows well with the workflow of the add-in.

Installation

BatchProcess 2 requires that Microsoft’s .Net FrameWork 4.0 and SQL Compact 3.5 are installed. The BatchProcess 2 installer will notify the user if these applications are missing. I have found that tracking down the correct versions of .Net FrameWork and SQL Compact on Microsoft’s website can be a cumbersome task, even when URL’s are provided. I realize that Microsoft controls the distribution of these files. Even still, it would be nice to have the installer be a bit more proactive in acquiring and installing all software required for BatchProcess 2. However, once the pre-installations are complete, [T]he BatchProcess 2 installation is a breeze [and it no longer requires the user to perform any pre-installations as of 6/18/2010]. The installer even activates BatchProcess 2 within the SolidWorks Add-ins list.

Projects

As with any batch application, before any batch activity can be started, the user is required to select the documents that are to be affected. In BatchProcess 2, this is done by building a project (a list of documents). Single files, whole folders, open and recently open documents may all be quickly added to the project. This may be accomplished by clicking on the appropriate button in the Import Document into Project List row.

Projects may be saved and loaded for repeated use across multiple sessions.

Project Toolbar Strip

Once a project is built, there are functions in the Project Toolbar Strip that allow the user to add associated documents (assembly components, drawing references) and remove specific documents in the project. Other toolbar tools are also available.

So far, my favorite toolbar tool is the powerful Print button which will automatically print all highlighted documents from the project. Other tools allow the user to open, preview, and check-in/out files in Enterprise PDM.

Jobs

For more complex tasks, BatchProcess 2 has a multi-layered job building tool. What’s a job? A job is a list of tasks that execute on every document within the open project. Jobs may include tasks for:

Complex printing options
Custom properties (add, delete, or modify)
Exporting models and drawings into dozens of file formats (such as DXF, IGES, STEP, PDF, etc)
Drawings templates (reload, set, or replace)
and the execution of API macros

Once a job is created, it may be run. While a job is running, other activities in SolidWorks are generally not possible. This is because a running job makes changes directly to documents within a project. For example, if a job task says “Open”, then each document is visibly opened within SolidWorks.

Once a job is complete, BatchProcess 2 provides a detailed report of the completed tasks for each document in the project.

Functionality improvements

I’ve noticed that BatchProcess is constantly being improved. New functionality is added regularly. For example, BatchProcess 2 has a new minor release pack that allows the user to send all jobs to any other instance of BatchProcess 2 that is running on the network. With this new feature, a CAD administrator can install one extra copy of BatchProcess 2 on a server and have all other seats send their jobs to that one to do their work.

There is one apparent drawback with BatchProcess 2. There is no access to BatchProcess Help within SolidWorks. Users have to go to the BatchProcess website to view a written tutorial. Malpass has stated there are plans to integrate Help at a later date.

Purchase options

Currently, the only purchase outlet for BatchProcess 2 is on the BatchProcess website. Purchases are made in British Pounds. There are two product options available. Option 1 is a one-time purchase of BatchProcess 2 for 235.00 Pounds (about $345 as of 6/1/2010). Option 2 is 525.50 Pounds (about $775.00 as of 6/1/2010) and includes BatchProcess 2 with one year maintenance. Maintenance includes minor and major updates to BatchProcess for one year, and preferential handling of technical support requests.

With the US Dollar being so strong against the Pound right now, this is a great time for American companies to buy this product. However, I would like to see a North American purchasing outlet for the BatchProcess line.

Findings

I found time and labor is saved when using BatchProcess 2 in real world scenarios. The time it takes to set up and run a job on many documents is almost incomparable to the time spent manually completing those same tasks. Particularly, I’ve found the Project Toolbar Strip printing function to be very useful.

One function that I didn’t get to test yet is BatchProcess 2’s execution of API macros. Hopefully I’ll provide a supplemental report on that at a later date.

With BatchProcess 2, a ROI report should very easy to create (even with a currency exchange rate to consider). Simply compare how long a user takes to complete a series of tasks on a batch of documents with how long those same tasks can be completed in BatchProcess 2.

Overall, BatchProcess 2 is a good SolidWorks add-in that has accessible functionality and may provide significant cost savings for many SolidWorks users.

Turn Toolbox parts into regular parts

Management of Toolbox parts can be a headache, especially if they are used in a PDM/PLM environment. There is a little known fact that may help some CAD administrators with their Toolbox file management issues. By default, any files from the Toolbox are flagged with a hidden property called “IsToolboxPart”. To make SolidWorks forget that a part is from the Toolbox, this property must be set to “No” for each individual file. SolidWorks has a small utility buried deep in its folder structure that does just that. It’s called “Set Document Property”.

setdocprop

To access it, run the file at this location “C:\Program Files\SolidWorks Corp\SolidWorks\Toolbox\data utilities\sldsetdocprop.exe” in most cases. Once the program is open, it’s fairly self-explanatory. Good luck!

SolidWorks is talking to the Internet

SolidWorks communicate to the internet all the time. Most users may not even realize just how often this happens. There is a Community heading under the SolidWorks Resources tab in the task pane. This area has links to the Customer Portal, User Groups, SolidWorks forum. It also has an RSS feed labelled Technical Alerts & News. I’m not sure how often this feed is refreshed by SolidWorks. There is an option to turn it off if it happens to be unwanted or generating errors (due to the lack of Internet access).

talkicon — Click to see System Options window

In Tools pulldown>Options>System Options>General there is a toggle setting labelled Show latest news feed in task pane. Simply uncheck its box to turn off SolidWorks’ RSS feed reader.

Another similar option that some may wish to turn off is just underneath the RSS reader toggle, labelled Enable performance feedback. This feature is needed once in awhile to help SolidWorks Corp understand why SolidWorks crashes. However, I think most users would rather just have this turned off.

Unless a computer has serious limitations, neither of these settings should cause performance or stability issues if turned on.

(Thanks to Charles Culp for bring identifying these settings in a recent SolidWorks Forum discussion.)

Office2PDM review (E!PDM for MS Office)

The power of SolidWorks Enterprise PDM has given many users streamlined solutions for CAD file management from within the CAD applications. Enterprise PDM is also capable of managing documents which are not CAD. Unlike its support for CAD applications, Enterprise PDM interface is not available within other types of applications, such as Microsoft Office. Office2PDM by Extensible CAD Technologies has changed this. Office2PDM is an add-in for Microsoft Office that offers access to Enterprise PDM functions within Word, Excel, PowerPoint and even Outlook. I recently got a chance to see a demonstration of Office2PDM.

With Enterprise PDM, beginning a change to a MS Office document usually involves closing the Office application (or at least closing the document to be changed), opening the standalone Enterprise PDM application, navigating the vault to the location of the document and then reopening the document from the vault. Office2PDM allows this to occur within the MS Office application. A side pane includes information about the MS Office document’s local version, revision, status and workflow. Many Enterprise PDM functions are also available, including access to any version of the document.

officepdm7

Enterprise PDM vault functions are also accessible from the menu ribbon within each MS Office application.

Ribbon Menu

Additionally, each document’s data card is also accessible from within the MS Office application.

officepdm9

Within MS Outlook, Office2PDM includes a lite version of the Enterprise PDM Dashboard. This add-in is not limited to documents handled via Office2PDM. It shows information about all documents in the vault. One example for its use may be a manager who wishes to see what documents are currently in a workflow. Also, reports about document status may be generated and emailed without the use of an Enterprise PDM license.

Speaking of licenses, for each user of Office2PDM, one Enterprise PDM Contributor level (or above) license is also required. However, this license is only used temporarily when specific tasks are underway. This helps keep Enterprise PDM licenses free and readily shared among more users.

For all this functionality, the price per Office2PDM license seems like a good value. For 15 concurrent licenses, its at about $200 per user for the first year; maintenance each year after would be under $50 per license.

If a company wants to leverage their Enterprise PDM install to cover non-CAD documents, Office2PDM appears to be a safe bet to save money. It will streamline use of the Enterprise PDM vault for MS Office documents. It may also allow small companies to put off investment into bloated PLM applications until a later time. Use of Office2PDM in a larger company may allow its Engineering Department to control their internal documents, such as test protocols, procedures, and reports without getting tangled up in the corporate PLM. Though Office2PDM isn’t for all situations or customers, companies that can use it will benefit.