Windchill to manage Creo and Solidworks CAD

[cpipe]

Is anyone currently using Windchill to manage data from multiple CAD systems, specifically Creo and Solidworks data? I'm curious about the implementation, how well it works, any complications or ongoing struggles, and any great successes.

Thanks,

Chris J Pipe
Engineering Systems Analyst

[aahlberg]

I have been using WC for control of CAD files for both Pro-e and Salad Works ~ 2 years, it does work well. My only complaint is that WC does not support the newer versions of Salad Works soon enough. As you might already know SW users switch to new versions much faster than Pro users. I have talked to the WC bosses and I don’t think they get it…. Example WC 9.1 Work Group Manger will not support SW2012. You have to update WC to 10 to get this.

[BenLoosli]

The delay in support of WGM is typical across all of the 3rd party Cad packages that Windchill supports. PTC does not write any of them internally, they are all written by a contractor to PTC. They have been doing all of the WGMs since PTC added other Cad packages to Windchill. They delay is longer than most people want and should be written for more combinations. What is in SW2012 that the WGM for WC9.1 could not be modified to accept the files. I have the same issue with the AutoCAD WGM. IT upgraded to 2010 and lost our WGM to WC9, which only supported 2008. I do understand that PTC doesn't want to spend the extra money on having their supplier write new versions of the WGM for an infinite set of combinations, but maybe at least give us the WGMs for the currently supported WC versions (10, 10.1).

Thank you,

Ben H. Loosli
USEC, INC.

[AdamDorsch]

We currently use Windchill PDMLink 10.0 to manage SolidWorks and AutoCAD data in additional to our Pro-e data. Implementation is pretty straight forward, just install Work Group Manager. Only issue is as described above, having to watch what versions of SW or AutoCAD you are on.

One issue I have run into, and it is not consistent, is that for some users I have to install Work Group Manager from a DOS prompt as the standard install fails.

Thanks

Adam M Dorsch

CAD Supervisor

Alliance Laundry Systems LLC

[BrianSullivan]

Hello Chris

10.1 WGM is far far far better in stability and behavior than 10.0; Also SolidWorks ToolBox became supported in 10.1; Just tried it out recently and it seems to work well for our limited testing.

Agree on 3^rd Party, SoldiWorks 2012 supported, 2013 not until Summer with 10.1 M040.

I have implemented with a few accounts; Issues around the SolidWorks WGM primarily revolve around migrating the data into Windchill via the WGM. If you do not get your data in cleanly you will have issues……..

PTC Solidworks WGM User Guide is massively improved on highlighting what can go wring but it has a little bit more to go on what Symptoms end users would see.

1. Basically can not work initially in Large Assembly Mode, as SolidWorks would not tell Windchill all the references, as SolidWorks itself did not get them all. So later when you Add to Workspace (with Required Dependents) you would actually be missing a few files and SolidWorks would fail… 10.1 getting better at disabling Large Assembly Mode for Save to Workspace or Import, have not tested enough to Trust. You can use once all data in.


2. You need to make sure all your files are Up to date, say SolidWorks 2012 and Rebuild Assembly before Bringing in first time as well..

That would only leave Solidworks Options not documented, a few companies that have implemented set components to open Read Only in Solidworks to prevent files getting mark modified. Options/External References.

Options/Collaboration has the ability to give Solidworks Check Out capability in Solidworks, had a Solidworks Guru show me once but I have not figured out yet. That way Read Only until Checked out.

[krichardson]

Brian,

Are you still using SolidWorks with WC 10.1 WGM? We are in the process of test and trrouble shooting an pgrade here.

In WC 9.1 SW 2010, our biggest issue is the publish build adapters for Creo View. the HTML format is pretty bad.