Parametrically identifying 3D model(s) on drawings

[MikeLockwood]

Hello

We're considering how to optimally identify 3D models on drawings and standardize.  A variety of ways have been used over time including:

- parametric fields with Windchill attributes in drawing title blocks

- parametric fields with Windchill attributes in drawing view notes

- parametric fields with Windchill attributes in drawing general notes

note: This also relates to having system-generated (Windchill publishing) PDFs and neutral 3D files (generally STEP) toward using technical data packages.

Interested in how others do this. Would appreciate any suggestions / lessons learned.

note: This is one of many steps we are taking toward MBD/MDE.

We created attached diagram as part of this exercise.

[joe_morton]

This is something we've been working toward as well. 

We use the part number as the beginning of our model filenames. Engineers like to add some _description usually after, so we use a relation to extract the part number from the filename. Example: 123456_my_part.prt -> part_number = 123456

Our drawing formats then display that parameter in the title block. This generally works really well for simple cases where there is 1 model in a drawing, and the links work well in Windchill too. 

A big challenge is similar parts. Engineers like to control those with a table, and have a single drawing to define them. From the Windchill side, we require a WTPart to represent each Part Number so they can be used in BOMs. We link each WTPart to the model. The downside to this is on the change management - we use only 1 revision for the entire drawing, so if any part tied to the drawing is revised, everything must be revised. We keep the revisions the same across model, WTParts, and drawing.

In your diagram, I see you had a fixture example where multiple part numbers would be controlled all in the same drawing. You might want to investigate changing that to support  MBD/MBE. Ideally, each part should have its own drawing. 

[BenLoosli]

If we have similar parts to be shown on a drawing, then we make those parts in a family table.

If the parts are similar but different enough that they cannot be in a family table, then they get their own drawing and revision history. These may be additional family tables or stand alone parts.