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AN_935005510-Marble
10-Marble
September 21, 2023
Question

Sharing data with client

  • September 21, 2023
  • 2 replies
  • 2650 views

Hello!

 

We installed windchill and are now exploring the possibilities how to use and configure our system. Before Windchill we made a pdf of each part and assembly and made manufactering record book for our customers.

We are now seeking the possibilty to have our electronics BOM seperate from our Mechanics BOM, where the "dummy" mechanic parts are just a representation of space required and the electronics BOM are fully defining the parts using WTParts. Meaning a complete E-BOM will be a mix of the two BOMs. The CAD drawing we earlier sent to our customers will with this solution only refer to dummy mechanical  parts.

 

How do I then share our WTPart structure with our customers to show the build up of an assmbly? We dont want to force our customers over to creo view to spin 3d models for retrieving data. I tried searching the community and reseller regarding this question, but I am not able to get any useful answers on sharing data that currently are shared by a Creo drawing.

 

If anyone could shed some light on how this is done in other companies I would highly appriciate.

 

Best regards Arild

 

 

2 replies

HelesicPetr
22-Sapphire II
HelesicPetr22-Sapphire II
22-Sapphire II
September 22, 2023

Hi @AN_9350055 

Similar question was asked few days ago.

Windchill Package can help to share data with your's customer

Try to check the help.

Using Packages to Import and Export Data

Establishing Package Content

 

As I know the package is not so user friendly and takes a while to collect all data what you need but it is official process that can have own workflow.

 

Our customers wanted easier tool but it is build on customization. 

New Wizard with specific requirements and logic that collects drawing PDFs from WTPart structure.. 

 

PetrH

 

A
AN_935005510-MarbleAuthor
10-Marble
September 26, 2023

Hi PetrH

 

Thanks for your answer and pointing to right direction. Do you know if there is some examples to be found somewhere regarding this?

Often after reading the help section, I have new and different questions instead of answers of my original questions 🙂

 

Should think this is something every company using Windchill needs to output to customers at some point?

 

Br, Arild

HelesicPetr
22-Sapphire II
HelesicPetr22-Sapphire II
22-Sapphire II
September 26, 2023

Hi @AN_9350055 

Check this video on youtube 😄

Windchill PDMLink 12 - Course 9 - Creating Packages for exporting data

PetrH

D
17-Peridot
Dobi17-Peridot
17-Peridot
September 26, 2023

Have you considered ProjectLink to share with customers?

You control what you share (and how) and can stop sharing at any point. 

We looked at packages for sharing with manufacturers but projectLink turned out to be more effective. The downside is that the customers need access to your Windchill licenses to get to the data. 

A
AN_935005510-MarbleAuthor
10-Marble
October 3, 2023

Hi Dobi!

 

Thanks for your input!

We haven't considered ProjectLink yet. Are you also using this as your projectplanner/GANTT or is this mainly used for sharing info?

 

Although, it seems odd. I see as an example John Deere using windchill. I guess you could buy a tractor without having to purchase windchill to axess your drawings and manuals?

 

Best Regards, Arild

D
17-Peridot
Dobi17-Peridot
17-Peridot
October 3, 2023

At my last company we set this up exclusively for external access either in the sharing only mode (like sharing models and drawings with manufacturers where they only consume data) or in the design collaboration mode (where an external company is also modeling and contributing to the effort). Just bypassing emailing drawings back and forth as revisions change was worth it. 

 

There is a licensing aspect to keep in mind. If you take advantage of ProjectLink for data access, then it's the external users that consume your licenses. Depending on what you need, a view-only ADU may be sufficient if they are only viewing/downloading published content. If you go the design collaboration route, you're on the hook to provide accounts and licenses for the incoming users. However, the price of the licenses (we calculated) was a fraction of the time savings and data integrity assurance. 

 

I don't know what all John Deere has for a setup but I imagine they'd probably have Thingworx for any sort of external access point. 

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