Detection of import features in PDMLink

Proe_LD · ‎Sep 08, 2017

Is there any way to detect and tag CAD Components (Created for Example by Creo) that have import geometry in them. The import geometery can be from STEP, IGES etc.

To expand on this, identifying components in the database ( PDMLink) that are shrinkwraps.

RandyJones · ‎Sep 08, 2017

@Proe_LD wrote:

Is there any way to detect and tag CAD Components (Created for Example by Creo) that have import geometry in them. The import geometery can be from STEP, IGES etc.

To expand on this, identifying components in the database ( PDMLink) that are shrinkwraps.

I don't think OOTB this is possible. From Windchill you can tell what type of caddocument you have (prt, asm, drw, etc), what its relationships are, and what the Authoring application is. However the types of features contained in the models are not part of what is stored.

One possible way would be to create a Creo Parametric toolkit (or possibly jlink) listener that would scan for these types of features upon save. If found then create, designate, and set to an appropriate value, a model parameter. That model parameter can by mapped to a Windchill parameter which would then be "detectable" from Windchill. Of course this solution would only affect new models or new versions of existing models.

Proe_LD · ‎Sep 11, 2017

Hi there Mr. Jones,

Thank you for putting forth your comment. My PDMLink behind the scenes knowledge is a few revisions back, so forgive me if I am not speaking the current lingo.

So far, my research tells me that this will not be a "Windchill" only task.

Addressing your last sentence. If an efficient toolkit,jlink,json etc. app could be created to identify a subset of features ( in my case , and for right now, the interest is in imported geometry, and shrinkwap) it would most likely have to run in Creo Great.

Then there is the question of where to store the results. It seems as though there are more options available during the save/checkin from Creo to PDMLink. Parameters associated with the CAD object for example. There are also aditional metadata parameters associated with a linked WT Component.

It is on that linked WT Component that I find an interesting possibility. On an Approved ( therefore normally locked for editing without making a new revision) component there is this interesting subset of parameters (Attributes) that can be changed. "Edit Common Attributes". Is this the only place to edit attibutes for "Approved" components?

So, I think there is a workflow that would allow the addition of parameters/attributes to the CAD and linked WT components to track imported geometry and shrinkwrap features. Furthermore with a set of "CAD worker machines" historical components in PDMLink could be updated with this information.

Who is willing to look into this, or whom shall I approach? Roughly how much time would it take to get it working ? Lastly, how much would it cost?

RandyJones · ‎Sep 11, 2017

@Proe_LD wrote:

Hi there Mr. Jones,

Thank you for putting forth your comment. My PDMLink behind the scenes knowledge is a few revisions back, so forgive me if I am not speaking the current lingo.

So far, my research tells me that this will not be a "Windchill" only task.

Addressing your last sentence. If an efficient toolkit,jlink,json etc. app could be created to identify a subset of features ( in my case , and for right now, the interest is in imported geometry, and shrinkwap) it would most likely have to run in Creo Great.

Then there is the question of where to store the results. It seems as though there are more options available during the save/checkin from Creo to PDMLink. Parameters associated with the CAD object for example. There are also aditional metadata parameters associated with a linked WT Component.

Most likely you would create a CAD object parameter and this could also be mapped to a WTPart parameter also.

It is on that linked WT Component that I find an interesting possibility. On an Approved ( therefore normally locked for editing without making a new revision) component there is this interesting subset of parameters (Attributes) that can be changed. "Edit Common Attributes". Is this the only place to edit attibutes for "Approved" components?

The "Common Attributes" are the wtpartmaster attributes. Changing these affects all versions. Probably not a good place for "I have imported geometry features attribute" because that is version dependent. ie the next version of the cad model may not have imported features.

So, I think there is a workflow that would allow the addition of parameters/attributes to the CAD and linked WT components to track imported geometry and shrinkwrap features. Furthermore with a set of "CAD worker machines" historical components in PDMLink could be updated with this information.

You could absolutely do this. There are a couple of ways of back populating legacy data without iterating it. Obviously NOT PTC supported.

Who is willing to look into this, or whom shall I approach? Roughly how much time would it take to get it working ? Lastly, how much would it cost?

There are several consultants active on this forum. You should look for one of them or maybe start with your var.

ScottMorris · ‎May 28, 2019

Hi, just stumbled into this question and curious if you ever found a solution. To me it sounds like a great way to ModelCHECK. I am not an expert on MC, but this sounds easy enough for it to record import features and set the value of a CAD parameter which is associated with a WC attribute.

Proe_LD · ‎May 28, 2019

MC can be used for part of this, but the issue is still the detection. Modelcheck does not have this built in.