Classification Attribute values propagated by CAD

[OliverDroop]

It would be nice if certain attribute values could be published to classification attributes on WTPart.

AFAIK it is not supported to propagate attributes from CAD to WTPart classification attributes today.

Is this on the roadmap? Jennifer Pierron‌

Was this realized by customization somewhere?

I see two solution approaches as long CAD is not classifiable with the same nodes as WTPart as well:

1. Dedicated IBAs on CAD which are same IBAs as in classification
   1. Might lead to many different IBAs on CAD, most empty, dedicated filled on demand
   2. I assume up to 20-40 IBAs will be sufficient to cover all needs
   3. Requires a good nomenclature and standardization but would be relative simple
2.   CLASSIFICATION_IBA_VALUE_PAIR String IBA on CADDoc
   1. Concatenation of real CAD parameter by macro or relation THICKNESS=%THICKNESS%
   2. 1 designated IBA CLASSIFICATION_IBA_VALUE_PAIR with Pipe separated values Attribute Name=Value Pairs; e.g. THICKNESS=3|D1=400mm|POWER=220V
   3. What about units? Creo would support such. Other CAD system don't. mm/inch/W/V
   4. EPMBuild publishes these pairs to WTPart classification

[GregoryPERASSO]

We will definetively need this to use fully partslink

I prefer the solution 1 (simple and need to manage also Units as we mostly propagate dimensions from CAD)

today,

we do not use partslink, and our Classification is based on classic Wtpart subtypes

but we have customized the CAD to WTpart Attribute mapping. cause OOTB explicit mapping is one to one .

And we need to specify a different mapping by WTpart type and Organization

for example :

CAD parameter "diameter" can be mapped to:

-"external diameter" IBA for a Screw

-"main diameter" IBA for an axle

the limitation is our custo does not support reverse build,  but we have a custom data utility on WTpart IBAs that grey these IBA fields if a CADDoc is linked. And an specific icon that clearly identify to users Wtpart attributes that are mapped/driven by CAD.

Another approach where the CADDocument could be classifiable with the same nodes as the Wtpart (and why not linked also to CADDocument start templates parts -as  we have different start prt or asm files corresponding finally to specific Wtpart types/Classif Nodes ),

and then the Classif being transfered to Wtpart during the build process

can be an interesesting way

[GregoryPERASSO]

In addition

What can be also great is not only to be able to map Attributes,

but also Wtpart type and/or the Classification binding attributes

And use that mapping during the auto associate process to create a Wtpart of correct type and/or correctly classified

[OliverDroop]

This is possible today

1. Global Attributes: (Ensure attributes are created in UPPER CASE)
 
CLASSNODE – Classification Binding Attribute
ZINT – integer
ZREAL – real number
ZSTRING – string
ZREALUNIT – real number with units

2. Assign CLASSNODE as Classification binding attribute on WtPart object type and add classification constraint
3. Add ZINT, ZSTRING, ZREAL and ZREALUNIT to a classification node (CHIPSET)
4. Add CLASSNODE, ZINT, ZSTRING, ZREAL and ZUNIT to ‘CAD Document’ object type in Types and Attributes Manager.
5. Create a CAD Document in Creo. Open Parameters screen, add above created attributes and provide values.
6. Custom Check-in the CAD Document in Creo.
7. Click Next
8. Select ‘Auto Associate Parts to CAD Documents’ checkbox
9. Click Finish
10. The CAD Document with associated WtPart is check-in to Windchill
11. WtPart details page – (The attribute values along with the Classification Node name is propagated to WtPart. ZREALUNIT was passed as 0.0 m from Creo

)

[GregoryPERASSO]

Thanks OliverDroop !

[Sierra]

I don't really understand why you are wanting to push CAD attributes over to those created in WTPart PartsLink classification. That means you'll need to duplicate your classification scheme in CAD? Shouldn't you have one version of the truth and instead push your WTPart classification attributes back to your CAD? This is what we are doing (as well as having some attributes that are CAD to WTPart driven, which is easy), but WTPart back to CAD currently requires a customisation.

It wouldn't require a customisation if the followng was fixed: https://community.ptc.com/t5/Windchill-Ideas/Improve-Alias-and-Calculated-Attributes/idi-p/476634

[GregoryPERASSO]

hello

not necessary duplicate all classification schema,  but at least dimensional attributes .  if not defined and mapped from CAD, the user than need to manually manage it and update it  in WTpart....

regards

[BjoernRueegg]

It should be possible to classify also the CAD-Documents to transfer dimension attributes like @GregoryPERASSO mentioned. If you create a part family for screws, you need to create the family with all the different columns and values in Creo. You checkin all the CAD-Models, create the WTParts and refill all the different dimension (outer header, screw thread size, length, etc.) as classification for each WTPart. This is just not practical. Since the CAD-Model depends on these values it should also be classified in CAD and not just WTPart.  

[Sierra]

Seems dangerous to me, as there is no classification scheme to enforce that certain attributes are required for certain types of parts. You also need to ensure that the attribute name is created correctly to be recognised by Windchill.

How do you include material in this?

Also, do you tabulate this information on a drawing? I imagine Creo has functionality to do this, but if it's anything like SolidWorks it's extremely flakey.

[mschmitt]

Hello, I'm also interested in having such possibility to map classification atributes but in my case it would be with CATIA and not CREO. It seems that it is possible today but with Oliver's test, it seems the Real with Unit attribute hasn't been well propagated. Do you have more information on this?

[RaviM]

@OliverDroop 

Thanks for the solution. This should work.

I am also considering creating start parts (or standard master parts in Library) for the key parts which need to be classified. This will help to standardize the designs as well as provide the base attributes in the parts which will link up with appropriate part classification and attributes.