Solidworks Circuitworks

[MarcosSuarez]

HI guys,

hope someone can give me a hint with my Circuitworks problem.

Our company try to use circuitworks with windchill.

Circuitworks use like Toolbox a own database, so whats the difference between toolbox and circuitworks?

With the new functionality in Windchill 10.2 – SolidWorks Workgroup Manager “Windchill File System” we can use the circuitworks parts in windchill but Windchill don't recognize them as toolbox parts.

The circuitworks parts are in the toolbox folder and we run the toolbox properties executable.

The parts are marked correct as toolbox parts but windchill don't reuse the parts who are already checked in.

so... The question is, when is for windchill a part = toolbox part? How realize windchill when to reuse the library parts and when not?

greetings marcos

[NeilA.Taylor]

Hi Marcos,

I am not a CircuitWorks expert, but I have done some 'playing' to see how it works with Windchill and it seemed to work ok, I don't think it has anything to do with Toolbox. As far as I am aware CircuitWorks is separate from the Toolbox libraries & functionality, and the library parts are not Toolbox parts - they are just libraries of normal SolidWorks parts placed in a certain location on disk. There is an internal flag within the SolidWorks part file that dictates whether it is a Toolbox part, and we use that flag to set the CAD Doc in Windchill to a specific type that has a specific icon for Toolbox part.

Toolbox is a database that is used by SolidWorks to generate components from the database information. CircuitWorks is a separate database and application and the database is a little different - it is more like an index telling

What I did...

• Imported the CircuitWork library files to a Windchill Library (the database file has to stay outside Windchill, but the SolidWorks parts should be imported).
• Configure CircuitWorks libraries paths to point to Windchill Library using the Windchill File System path.
• Then, when I import the electrical file (idx, idf..etc.) and create the SolidWorks board assembly, CircuitWorks retrieves the parts from the Windchill Library.

Like I say, I am not a CircuitWorks expert and I only did a quick test, so I may have missed something, but I am interested to know whether you manage to get this working.

Thanks,

Neil Taylor (PTC Product Mgt)

[MarcosSuarez]

Hi Neil

My problem is, I can't use the library parts I imported to windchill.

what I did:

- Import and check in circuit works Library Parts

- Then change the paths in my circuitworks (Options)

Components = C:\Users\suarezm\Documents\PTC Umgebung\Commonspace

PCB = C:\Users\suarezm\Documents\PTC Umgebung\Workspace

- then import the IDF file in circuitworks and click build model

Solidworks build a assembly, gibe them a number and the name of the PCB (from IDF Fle)

But Solidworks don't build up any models. No Circuit board and also don't use the components.

I mean almost the printed board should be created, but nothing. Just a empty Assembly.

Looks like i use the wrong paths?

Where can i check the correct paths?

I use the paths from the Folder "Commonspace" and "Workspace" Windchill created in our explorer.

greetings Marcos

/Edit

A couple of Minutes ago. I try to set the path to the Library in Commonspace in Circuitworks.

But this time, I don't just copy&paste the path. I did it over the folder Symbol in circuitworks, then you can search the path and click ok.

Result was, i get an error message "need absolute path"

In someway my circuitworks has a problem with the virtual path to the Windchill commonspace.

How did you solve this?

[NeilA.Taylor]

Marcos,

This should work. As per the private message I sent, please log a Tech Support call and let me know the number.

Thanks,

Neil.

[NeilA.Taylor]

Marcos,

This was issue has been addressed in 10.2 M020 (it was caused by a performance enhancement in related area). This is not to say we fully support 'CircuitWorks', but WFS should support the scenario where SolidWorks needs to retrieve files from a Commonspace location defined by a file path.

Thanks,

Neil.