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
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Thank you.