cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 
cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

We are happy to announce the new Windchill Customization board! Learn more.

WTParts for PCB Library Components

FrankMenendez
1-Newbie

WTParts for PCB Library Components

The following question is directed towards those folks that have already implemented the following or are interested in doing so:

1. Create Product Structure (WTParts) for printed circuit board assemblies (PCBA's) using the ECAD Workgroup manager, and
2. Represent the PCBA's in Pro/E as well, maybe through an ECAD/MCAD process supported by the IDF standard. Regardless, there are Pro/E models for the PCB components.

Your input is greatly appreciated and a summary will be posted after a few responses have been received.

The question: (a critical decision must be made here) - Should both of the describing documents for a PCB Library component (the Pro/E model and ECAD generated CAD Document) be associated to the same WTPart? An example might be for a resistor, capacitor, connector or an LED. The Pro/E model exists and the ECAD WGM CAD Document exists for the same part number. The number of the CAD Document containing the Pro/E model contains a file extension.

How do you handle this today or would you if you are considering it (or simply have enough knowledge on the topic to share an opinion)?

Possible implementations of such a process may entail (please feel free to comment on these as well):

1. If numbering is different between the Pro/E models and the PCB library components in the ECAD WGM, maybe create unique WTParts for each. I envision that process causing more confusion than adding value but would be interested in reading other people's opinions on this.
2. The WTPart has an Owner link to the ECAD WGM CAD Document and a Content link to the Pro/E CAD Document. If the "describing" document is a WTDocument, then that association should be made as well. Therefore, all "describing" documents for the PCB component part number is linked to the WTPart that represents it in the system. The downside with this method is that the viewable must be manually specified.
3. Reverse #2: So the Owner link is the Pro/E model and a Content link is specified with ECAD WGM CAD Document - but this involves a manual process of changing the link type created by the ECAD WGM using the Pro/E WGM (that does work), or making sure order of operations is such that the WTPart is first associated to the Pro/E model and then the only link the ECAD WGM can implement is the Content link (must turn on a preference to select next available link of Owner is taken).
4. Just associate the WTPart to the WTDocument and the ECAD WGM CAD Document. But keep in mind that the ECAD WGM CAD Document for PCB components contain nothing - no attachments or data of any kind aside from metadata. Please remember, we are focusing on the PCB library components and not the PCB assembly, artwork or schematic - for these cases, we are associating all relevant data to the correct WTParts.
5. Reverse #4: Just associate the WTPart to the WTDocument and the Pro/E CAD Document. Obviously for this one, the Product Structure must be built from the CAD model, thereby losing control over the Product Structure in the PSE and Edit Structure interface. (Just FYI: with a preference set properly, a user can build product structure from the ECAD WGM assembly and then control that structure in the PSE, unlike the structures built from Pro/E CAD data)


I will summarize the responses and post ASAP.

Thanks,
Frank


This e-mail (including any attachments) is confidential and may be legally privileged. If you are not an intended recipient or an authorized representative of an intended recipient, you are prohibited from using, copying or distributing the information in this e-mail or its attachments. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender immediately by return e-mail and delete all copies of this message and any attachments.
Thank you.
1 REPLY 1

Frank,



Following is our deployment strategy using Mentor WGM:

a. WT Part Structure is created from the BOM (Schematic PCBA) when
checked in using the Mentor WGM.

b. Primary BOM and variant BOMs created at the time of check-in. Using
pre check-in hooks to create the primary and variant BOMs in the format
required by Windchill. After check-in, you will have the following CAD
Documents created:

a. ECAD Assembly (CAD Document) Primary - Contains the zipped project
directory, emn, emp, and hint map files as required by Pro/E

b. Schematic (CAD Document) - Contains EDA file for viewing

c. Board (CAD Document) - Contains zipped directory of the native
board files (Used to provide to the Tier 2 Supplier)

d. ECAD Assembly Variants 1..n - Each ECAD Assembly variant will have a
unique product structure.

e. ECAD Components 1..n



c. Owner links are created between each of the WT Part and the ECAD
Component (CAD Document)

d. WT part also has a content link between the WT Part and Pro/E 3D
part (CAD Document)

e. ECAD and MCAD designers communicate using the emn, emp and hint map
file outputs.



We are still waiting on PTC's response regarding a critical issue with
creating the owner links between the ECAD and WT Part.



Hema Jatla | Datafrond LLC - <">http://www.datafrond.com>
Top Tags