Creo Illustrate - Workflow for Updating SBOM?

[MaxR]

May anyone please provide a recommended workflow for updating SBOM?
Currently we import PVZ files into Creo Illustrate to produce operation steps and associated graphics and annotations.

This works very well until we receive a new updated PVZ.

When the new updated PVZ is imported, many of the links break requiring graphics and annotations to be rebuild.

For example, importing an updated PVZ where a sub-assembly has a new revision results in broken links and requires all graphics and annotations for each operation to be rebuild.

[agarland]

Hi,

Could you give a little more detail on your workflow, ie; are you using the 'Link' option when importing the source data?

Are you working in a Windchill environment?

Also is it only the children of an updated .asm part that are marked as missing link and is that asm the top node?

This may help us understand what is happening a little better.

Thanks

[MaxR]

Thanks for looking into this, Agarland!

> are you using the 'Link' option when importing the source data?

   Yes. We are using the Link option when importing. We are not really concerned whether this is a manual or auto update of the links. What we are concerned about is the graphics for operations break if this link is broken.

> Are you working in a Windchill environment?

  Nahh... that would be too easy.

> is it only the children of an updated .asm part that are marked as missing link and is that asm the top node?

  It is NOT the top assembly. We bring in a top assembly that has a revised sub-assembly. All links to components in the revised sub-assembly break.

[agarland · Accepted solution]

I would recommend using the 'Replace Part' option in structure edit mode.

Select the parent node with the missing link in the sBOM, then click on Replace Part in the ribbon.

Then simply select the replacement part in the eBOM and hit Apply.

This should replace the parent and child nodes, depending on what exactly has changed of course.

Hope this helps.

[MaxR]

Thanks, @agarland! Looking into this now. 

[BR_10228331]

Contains a list of <pair> tags, each <pair> defines a part replacement.
Each <pair> includes exactly one <oldsbom> tag followed by exactly one <newebom> tag.
<oldsbom>
Contains an sbomidpath attribute that defines the idpath to the sBOM instance to replace its eBOM part.
Example:
<oldsbom sbomidpath="/3/0/10"/>
<newebom>

[MaxR]

hi @BR_10228331 , I don't understand.

[BR_10228331]

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@MaxR wrote:

hi @BR_10228331 , I don't understand.

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I will tell you in details check your PC.

Dunkin Runs on You

[MaxR]

Thanks, @BR_10228331! Looking into this now.

Updating sBOM Files (ptc.com)

[TomM]

Hi,

do I understand it correctly that if I want to replace a subassembly with an updated version of it and retain the sBOM structure and part placement/colours, etc. in illustrations, I need to export the structure update files, then open them in notepad and manually add tags and type which parts should be replaced, deleted etc.?

Ok..I'm not sure yet, but it seems that the update files functionality is an equivalent to "replace part" and just deleting parts using GUI of Illustrate, am I right?

How can I replace a subassembly with  another one containing partially the same items (parts) and have all illustrations update without having to rework all the illustrations which included the subassembly? In other words - I have a huge assembly which comprises several linked subassemblies. I changed the sBOM structure, deleted some items, combined some children parts, etc. I created 100 illustrations. I obtained a new version of one of the subassemblies, which is basically the same but contains some new items. Now I would like to replace the whole subassembly with new one and NOT have to rework everything that made use of the old version of the subassembly. How can I achieve that? @agarland 

[TomM]

Another similar question.

I have several assemblies and subassemblies in c3di file. One of subassemblies has a couple of lower levels and I changed its structure to better reflect assembly process. Now a new revision comes for said subassembly, but higher level assembly which contains it has not been updated.

I wish to update the c3di file with said subassembly. Now, if I import it as separate file and use "Replace Part" it screws with the whole structure and literally replaces it making this route useless. Even if I replaced each and every single part separately (not as a single "Replace part" action but replacing each bottom level part with its counterpart or via the "structure update files" option) then when the top level assembly pvz file gets updated it's going to revert changes as well, am I right? 

After working extensively with Creo Illustrate for the past several months I come to the conclusion, that it's nice for static assemblies with limited amount of options for subassemblies and rare and miniscule updates. However working with it doesn't seem to be sustainable on corporate level...

[MaxR]

@tom We use Replace Part and then recreate all Figures from scratch.

[TomM]

It's useless...:( 

I believe PTC has to come up with a better way of structuring pvz files and way of updating c3di files. Otherwise Illustrate becomes useless in a long run.