Configurable Solidworks model with Windchill 11

[vagarwal-2]

I am working with Configurable products in Windchill using Platform Structure module. I want to sync rules and expression to CAD assembly so that I can simulate CAD based on possible configuration. I am planning to use Solidworks for CAD modelling.

Can Windchill propagate Options, Choices, expressions, rules from Part Structure to Solidworks CAD model ?

[MarkLobo]

Vishal - Currently this is not supported. I'd be interested in some more detail on the use-cases you would like the Platform Module to drive CAD. Also, are you currently using SolidWorks configurations to drive variants in SolidWorks already?

Thanks,

Mark

Mark Lobo

Senior Director of Solutions Management

PTC

[vagarwal-2]

Thank you Mark.

We are working on Design and Sales configurator and there are multiple use cases where we need to define Rules and expression on CAD models. Some use cases are:

1. Propagating configurable objects from BOM structure to CAD using owner link. The CAD and BOM will be in sync.

2. When the user provide different configuration, the CAD model should show eligible components satisfying the configuration. The design engineer can simulate the configuration and validate in CAD itself before creating BOM structure.

3. Engineering To Order.

We have started the use cases with Solidworks that is the reason posted the question specifically for Solidworks.

Thanks,

Vishal

[pgunasekaran-2]

Hello Mark,

When we integrated the Solid works model which had multiple configurations, with Windchill via UWGM.  Windchill is creating the CAD structure corresponding to the active configurations alone.  Is there way like preference setting, etc... to publish all the configuration information to Windchill. or we have to perform any customization to read all configuration information from solid works.

Thanks

Parthi.

[pmooteri]

Hi Parthi,

In order to manage configurations, can you try out below preference, where it creates cad documents whenever user creates new configurations. In this way, all configurations will be treated as separate cad documents & structure will be created in Windchill.

Preference Management>Workgroup Manager Client>Family Table Instance Creation>Manage new model instances by default

Name :  Manage new model instances by default

Description :  Controls the default value for the Instance/Non-Instance attribute "PTC_IS_INSTANCE".

      No - All newly created model instances will get the value PTC_IS_INSTANCE=No. This means by default newly created instances will not be created as CAD Documents. One can set this value to Yes for any instance that should be managed as CAD Documents.

      Yes - All newly created model instances will get the value PTC_IS_INSTANCE=Yes. This means by default newly created model instances will be created as CAD Documents.

You can also check on "Independently Modify Instances" which is true by default preference by turning it off in combination to above preference.

Regards,

Pankaj Mooteri