Would like to start to use WTParts - need tips, tricks, customizations... so everyone will be on board

[jwagh]

We would like to begin to use WTParts in WindChill at our company.

However, we've been using WindChill and ProE/Creo for over 20 years with it. If there is a lot of extra steps without a lot of benefits, there will be a push back.

I've done some research and have noticed that people are implementing this many different ways.

I would love as much help on this as possible. To start, I would like

• Tips and Tricks (Setting up, implementing...)
• Changes in Processes (releases, creating Cad parts, managing the WTParts)
• What you see are the biggest benefits and pitfalls of WTParts?
• How do you create naming restrictions for WTParts?
• Do you integrate WTParts with any of your external systems? Why and how?
• Any good links to training videos, presentations, documents that would help me in a straightforward manner?

Thank you!

[broth-2]

My reply's below annotated with (BR)

• Tips and Tricks (Setting up, implementing...)
  • Think through your soft-typing throughoughly as it is difficult to convert types later.  You may require a separate softtype if... (BR)
    • A part is used in a way that requires different access control (BR)
    • There are required attributes which are different from the required attributes of another type (BR)
    • There is additional logic required in the object initialization rules for the type (IE numbering or attribute validation) (BR)

• Changes in Processes (releases, creating Cad parts, managing the WTParts)
  • If no change is your business process is required, it is just important to understand the types of wt part associations (owner, content, contributing content,  contributing image, calculated), and collect the parts and revise the parts accordingly during your process (BR)

• What you see are the biggest benefits and pitfalls of WTParts?
  • ability to define different "views" ie. design/manufacturing, sbom, mbom, ebom (BR)
  • Homogenous structure between differing data types, especially cad/ecad data which is not supported by wgm (BR)

• How do you create naming restrictions for WTParts?
  • Object Initialization Rules, Windchill Help Center has great instructions around OIR's (BR)

• Do you integrate WTParts with any of your external systems? Why and how?
  • There are many ways to do org exports and other spreadsheet type exports of structures but the primary ways to do these types of integration are ESI and Info*Engine (BR)

• Any good links to training videos, presentations, documents that would help me in a straightforward manner?

[jwagh]

Thank you for your input!