Working with SolidWorks toolbox components in Windchill

[rdattilo]

Version: Windchill 13.0

Use Case: I couldn't check in a migrated file into Windchill, as it contained a SolidWorks toolbox bolt, & it told me it lacked a unique name, which I guess it would. How do people deal with them in Windchill?

Description:

Hello; 

       We are new to Windchill, but still using SolidWorks as our main cad software. My question concerns toolbox components. I just tried to check a new file in, & it took issue with a stud that was came from the SW toolbox, saying that it was not a unique name/ item etc. Has anyone dealt with Windchill & SolidWorks toolbox components, & how is it dealt with? 

Thanks in advance for any input; 

Rob D SW 2021_Sp5

[lhoogeveen]

Here's a Windchill 13.0.1.0 help page about how to configure Windchill with SolidWorks Toolbox for an admin to setup your SolidWorks Toolbar library. If this is already complete all the Toolbox CAD files should be in Windchill (presumably in a library location where most users can't check them out). If this is done correctly, using Toolbox with an assembly should just add the existing Toolbox files from Windchill to the user's workspace. We are currently getting a fake error message when placing toolbox items, but we think it might be related to using SW 2021 Toolbox CAD in SW 2023 (not sure).

Users can just click OK and everything works.

When you import files from outside Windchill to Windchill, you will need to resolve file name conflicts before checking in. If you create a custom workspace view, you can add the 'Compare Status' column. This column will give you a red icon for any file name conflicts, and you can also sort by this column to bring the file name conflicts to the top of the list. A Windchill admin can add this column to the default All view or create a new view for all users if desired.

If you wish to replace the conflicts with the Windchill version, you can use the Update command with Download (not Reuse!). Download will download the latest file from the Windchill Commonspace and replace the local file. Reuse (recycle symbol) will reuse the local CAD in your workspace and update it's metadata.

I believe there's some Windchill preferences for whether it defaults to Download or Reuse. We've set this to download by default.