WTpart CAD Doc links...why so many?

[GregOlson]

Would anyone like to share real world uses for these links (what type of data and why you choose the link you do)? I have read PTC definition and the definition on this site...still kind of foggy. I understand Owner and Calculated (easy), but the others....? Lets say I have a fixture that I want to asociate with a part that uses that fixture, what link would I use to represent that? This would help with down stream notification of what fixfture to use and for the engineer to know when revising that they need to look at changing the fixture to match the new part version.

[GregoryPERASSO]

Hi Greg

- owner link is the main CADDoc link .. .used for associating the 3D model (prt or asm). This link will permit to synchronise (formaly known as "build process") the CAD structure to the WTpart structure (ie eBOM) in term of levels and quantitites. Will pass also the Creo View viz to the WTpart and some attributes that you want to synch.

- Contributing image and Image:

use for creating "alternative Rep" of a WTpart. For example electrical harness that you can't design as a flexible part. If you create a single CAD part for each harness routing, you can associated each of them to the same WTpart. (for example the flat harness as owner link, and the other ones as image link). this link permit also to synch the WTpart structure. Whatever the prt you use in your CAD strucutre, the WTpart quantity will be correctly updated in the BOM...

Image only drive structure, contributing can pass attributes also

- Content: used mainly for drawings or other CAD rep that you do not want . Contrary to the calculated link. you can control the exact revision of drawing to link to a specific revision of a wtpart.

but what do you mean by a part that "use" a fixture ? you mean use as a component ?

regards

[GregOlson]

Greg,

We are new to WTParts and it will be a while before we start using for BOM structures to push to our ERP system. What I mean by use fixture, is just creating a link so when someone wants to know what fixture to pull out of the stockroom to build a particular weld assembly they can look into Windchill for that info. Currently we spend the time to show the fixture on the actual weld print.

Thank you both for the information.

[GregoryPERASSO]

Greg,

if your future target is to build BOMs from CAD, use the owner link for the 3D model

and Content for Drawings ....

even if you choose to not synch yet the WTpart BOMs and send to ERP, you can easily find the Part number in the related Object table.

or from the "other side", from an ERP partnumber (if = to your WTpart number) find all related Doc or Drawings

regards

[JenniferPierron]

Gregory,

Thanks for your help explaining the role of the different link types.

Greg,

As Gregory mentioned, you need to decide if you want to drive information on WTParts or not.

If not, then you should only use Content link. The other link types will push information to the Part or Part Structure.

This area is very configurable (and thus can be complicated); but I suggest you investigate:

If you NEVER want to push information to the WTPart, only allow your users to make Content links. This can be acheived by:

a. Getting rid of Contributing Content choice by setting EPM Server Preferences > Build Service Preferences > Contributing Content Attributes to " ". By default it is set to pass all attributes.

b. Disallowing your CAD Documents to create any type of Product Structure Links with Operations > Auto Associate > Disallow Product Structure Links By Type/Sub-Type.

If you are trying to prevent other link types to appear, look at the related preferences:

- EPM Server Preferences > Build Service Preferences > Contributing Image Attributes to " "

- Operations > Auto Associate > Disallow Structure Links By Type/Sub-Type (to prevent Owner)

Thanks

Jennifer

[BjoernRueegg]

All the link types are documented in the help:

http://www.ptc.com/cs/help/windchill_hc/wc102_hc/index.jspx?id=CADxPartDoc&action=show

The table "Characteristics of the Association Types" shows the different link types. Every link type has some specialities like Gregory already explained.

Regards

[HugoHermans]

Hi Greg,

We have WTParts connected to are welding CADdocuments (to stay in your example), and other WTParts connected to fixture CADdocuments. On WTPart level, the 'where used' of the welding assembly leads you to the fixture toolings, and eventually other toolings.

To avoid confusion, we created a new softtype for tooling-WTParts, so we can associate an other icon to it.

OK?

Regards, Hugo.