Windchill Numbering Schemes / Bulk Renumbering

[TomU]

Looking for opinions on numbering schemes and bulk renumbering (probably at the database level).

We currently keep name, number, and filename synchronized. This means the file extension is included as part of the name/number. We don't currently use WT parts.

As we look at our business processes and also plan for future connectivity to an ERP system, we are considering making some changes.

Existing Objects

* Name --> Remapped to current value of "DESCRIPTION" (CAD Document custom IBA)

* Number --> Remapped to a sequential list of numbers + file extension (same as if it was originally auto number + file extension)

* Filename --> Leave alone.

New Objects

* Name --> Description (manually entered)

* Number --> Auto number + file extension (Same as Filename)

* Filename --> Auto number + file extension

Possibly add WT Parts for ERP Usage

* Number --> Same as CAD part but without file extension

* Name --> Description (Same as CAD part)

We would then send number (stripped of the filename until WT parts are implemented) to the ERP system.

The key concept here is to use the same number everywhere. CAD Part/Assembly Number == WT Part Number == ERP Number

Any opinions on this approach?

Any ideas on how to mass rename/renumber over a million objects?

Thanks!

Tom U.

[HugoHermans]

When you apply AutoNumbering, I agree with "

Regards, Hugo.

<< ProE WF5 - PDMLink 10.1 M040>>

[BobLehman2]

On 10/01/2014 06:18 AM, Uminn, Tom wrote:
>
> Looking for opinions on numbering schemes and bulk renumbering
> (probably at the database level).
>
> We currently keep name, number, and filename synchronized. This means
> the file extension is included as part of the name/number. We don’t
> currently use WT parts.
>
> As we look at our business processes and also plan for future
> connectivity to an ERP system, we are considering making some changes.
>
> *_Existing Objects_*
>
> ·Name --> Remapped to current value of “DESCRIPTION” (CAD Document
> custom IBA)
>
> ·Number --> Remapped to a sequential list of numbers + file extension
> (same as if it was originally auto number + file extension)
>
> ·Filename --> Leave alone.
>
> *_New Objects_*
>
> ·Name --> Description (manually entered)
>
> ·Number --> Auto number + file extension (Same as Filename)
>
> ·Filename --> Auto number + file extension
>
> *_Possibly add WT Parts for ERP Usage_*
>
> ·Number --> Same as CAD part but without file extension
>
> ·Name --> Description (Same as CAD part)
>
> We would then send number (stripped of the filename until WT parts are
> implemented) to the ERP system.
>
> The key concept here is to use the same number everywhere. CAD
> Part/Assembly Number == WT Part Number == ERP Number
>
> Any opinions on this approach?
>
Make sure your number is uniq after the strip. Make sure you know the
character lengths of your downstream ERP.
>
> Any ideas on how to mass rename/renumber over a million objects?
>
I would say use the API, but for a million use the DB. But I think you
might be better off with a little java app that does it using JDBC. You
could invoke SQL directly but I would think you would want to wrap some
error handling around this to see if you missed any.

> Thanks!
>
> Tom U.
>
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[TomU]

I'm really only pushing the data from the PDM system to the ERP system to make it easier to order and then track order history. There are many things that exist in ERP system that don't' exist in the PDM system, but they aren't used on any BOM's created by engineering. I believe we will have one block of numbers for use by engineering and other blocks for use solely in the ERP system (stuff not in the PDM system).

Does this answer your question? Am I missing something here?

[HugoHermans]

I think you should consider one consistent approach to identify your articles, whether or not CADdocuments are involved, whatever system you use to create them.

Regards, Hugo.

<< ProE WF5 - PDMLink 10.1 M040>>

[DarrenStorey]

Tom

Our current policy is what you describe as your aim, and I’m thinking hard about moving away from that completely.

Our system is completely overrun with examples where the numbers don’t match and it’s really hard to police. You might have well behaved process obsessed users so it’s not such a problem in your case. Currently I cannot trust with enough certainty when looking at the Windchill part number that the describing CAD Doc number matches or the filename matches. As for whether the number displayed on the drawing is correct you have to trust your designers and your design process. Windchill cannot validate this.

If you really manage your BoMs in Windchill, the ultimate truth about which document describes which part is defined by relationships between objects not whether the numbers match. Matching numbers are very familiar and reassuring to users but sometimes they tell a lie.

We are also considering using different numbers for parts/items and documents. I would love to hear from others who have experience for or against this approach.

Auto number parts and CAD Docs = nothing to manually keep in sync. – see attached

To support this way of working I envisage some work on custom BoM reporting. If the download/view link for the describing document is right next to the part number, there is no requirement to know anything but the part number in order to get the drawing.

Our developer has created a very flexible utility for all types of bulk admin task. We create reports, expose them in Excel and then have a set of tools for performing actions on items in the report, such as renaming, deleting ACL, deleting and editing OIR rules etc.

Regards

Darren

[HugoHermans]

Interesting scheme, Darren. Our situation (I don't have a nice picture yet), mostly driven from historical reasons:

• in ERP
  
  
  
  • Article (or Part): PartNumber - PartDescription
  
  
  • Technical Drawing: DocumentNumber - DocumentDescription
  
  


• in Winchill
  
  
  
  • WTPart: ERP-PartNumber - ERP-PartDescription
  
  
  • 3D CAD model: advised to have filename=number=name, PartNumber is an attribute!!
  
  
  • 2D CAD drawing: advised to have filename=number=name, DocNumber is an attribute!!
  
  

Regards, Hugo.

<< ProE WF5 - PDMLink 10.1 M040>>

[DarrenStorey]

Hi Hugo, thanks for sharing.

I'm wondering if you have justifications for repeating the same information in multiple fields, or if it's just for historical reasons?The fields are there, most are required, so we have to fill them somehow.

• It helps to group objects when searching.
• 
  

Hugo, may I ask you and others?..

• 
  
• Does your CAD drawing revision match the part revision?
• 
  
• Do you mark your physical parts with revision number?
• 
  

[HugoHermans]

Hi Darren,

See comments in-line.

Regards, Hugo.

[kkhune]

give proper document for this

[avillanueva]

I have written many versions of a rename/renumber script. Just a Java program that takes a list of object numbers and issues the reidentify method.  We recently renumbered all of our CAD objects to a new standard. I have written it for WTPart and EPMDocuments which also has the filename or CADName to deal with.  If you are working with EPMDocuments and alter the CADName (filename) and make that change at the database, the previous objects will not know what the new name is and be lost (like assemblies).

[TomU]

So if I'm reading this correctly, changing these directly in the database will break things but changing these via the 'reidentify' method will not break anything.  Is this script something you are interested/willing to share?

[avillanueva]

Here is a snipit I used for changing name field. You can also change object number. But as I mentioned, CADName or filename is another method:

QuerySpec queryspec = new QuerySpec(EPMDocumentMaster.class);
/*queryspec.appendWhere(new SearchCondition(EPMDocumentMaster.class,EPMDocumentMaster.NUMBER,SearchCondition.EQUAL,number.toUpperCase()+".prt"));
QueryResult result=PersistenceHelper.manager.find(queryspec);
if (result.size()==1)
{
prj.logger.info("Found master of " + number);
EPMDocumentMaster master=(EPMDocumentMaster)result.nextElement();
IdentificationObject identificationobject = ((Identified)master).getIdentificationObject();
EPMDocumentMasterIdentity identity=(EPMDocumentMasterIdentity)identificationobject;
identity.setName(name);
IdentityHelper.service.changeIdentity((Identified)master,identity);
prj.logger.info("Identity Changed");

Do you know how to write Java programs to run against PDMLink?

[TomU]

---

 Do you know how to write Java programs to run against PDMLink?

---

Nope.  I've modified and recompiled a few class files provided by PTC (afterloader hook, etc.) but I've never written one from scratch.