PDM info?

[PaulProe]

I am trying to figure out how to get all my data, files, drawings, documents under control. I 'played' with M-Files once when I received a complimentary try thru Alibre. That link broke when the company shuffling ensued.

In trying to do my research, I hit a some roadblocks

1) the search engine will not accept the term "PDM", it's too short. Tried M-Files, data management, etc in my site searches and still very poor luck in finding the threads in the recent past. Any suggestions for proper search terms to try and find the discussions on this subject

2) I see Max's recent poll on management and am unsure if this is just a filing/naming/path thing or is it a precursor to some type of PDM system?

3) Any suggestions on an open platform program to manage our documents, bills of material, etc. Would be great if it interfaced with Alibre.

Any suggestions on how to get all this mess under control. Trying to do it all in my head and remembering where everything is, isn't working anymore.

Thanks

Paul

 

[Cator]

Hi Paul,
I do not know if you can access it or if it is something for you but this is an add-on of the Alibre dealer for Switzerland already published in this forum ..
. I hope it is for you.
https://www.alibreforum.com/forum/index.php?threads/alibre-data-to-sqlite-drawing-database.22283/
Cator

 

[Mika]

2) I see Max's recent poll on management and am unsure if this is just a filing/naming/path thing or is it a precursor to some type of PDM system?

Whatever is it, I only afraid that it is going to be good in idea level, but without full sharpness. Just like that ”dynamic design library”, it is not library…it is a part generator.

 

[simonb65]

Whatever is it, I only afraid that it is going to be good in idea level, but without full sharpness.

The problem with file systems is that you either provide the ability to provide project/library/sandbox working directories or you implement a full blown PDM system.

The former enables all users to find and manage individual projects much better, but the user needs to define their own file structure ... which for almost all user will be different based on their business structure or logical organisational method of filing things.

The latter is not only complex, but then forces everyone to use a specific system, which in a business environment, is/may already defined for you and I for one do not structure my business based on the architecture that someone else defines, because that means my business is far from optimal and efficient. So, adopting 'yet another' bespoke PDM becomes a logistical nightmare, unless it's generic and flexible enough to be configured to suit my business model ... and that means big application, big investment, and lots of development time that needs to be spent on core 3D and 2D CAD functionality!

There is no one size fits all in this regards, but improving the current 'flat file' system and incorporating some notion of projects, libraries and potentially a current workspace is a massive helper in managing and allowing users to reference other CAD parts, reference documents, copy projects (use an existing project as a template for a totally new project but retaining external references, etc), move projects, etc.

I wouldn't expect 'Full Sharpness', because that's an application in it's own right. I would expect to be able to define a project, add parts to it, add links to other (any kind of extension) files, etc. Define a library path (which was read only), and reference part from that library. So a 'filing/naming/path' is the bare minimum of what is required, but that's still not going to be a trivial task and it won't suit everybody! Most pro applications I use don't even give you that ability, so whatever Alibre is currently planning, will be a big welcome step forward.

 

[HaroldL]

So how hard would it be and what's preventing the addition of some "File Location Settings" that the individual user could set. Something similar to what Luxion has in KeyShot. ( I think something like this has been asked for before, either here on the forum or as a suggestion in the now discontinued suggestion web site.)

As an example:

 

[simonb65]

@HaroldL , This is the 'first' steps that Alibre needs, but the KeyShot example is kind of different in that these directories are for elements of the application (like templates, colours, themes, etc in Alibre). Alibre needs ways of defining projects, i.e. groups of parts, assemblies, drawings, BOM,s, reference documentation, specifications, datasheets, etc. These all need to be linked and able to be defined by the user somehow.

Just defining directories is just one part of the problem. If you look at a programming editor environment, you have the kind of directory definition that are in KeyShot for common libraries, common includes, compiler locations, software development kits (SDK), etc. but within the editor you create a project which brings together everything for that project (i.e. source code, documentation, etc), then you have a solution, which brings together multiple projects. At present all Alibre has is an assembly to bring things together, but it only brings the geometry together, not all the other stuff.

Directory definitions in Alibre would then be things like the working project directory, library, etc.

I still agree that things like Colour, themes, etc would benefit from being able to specify the directory. Then in my case, that would be pointing into a directory inside the file structure that gets version controlled and backed up like all my other business files (like I can, and do, with KeyShot environments, materials, etc).

 

[HaroldL]

The file locations in KeyShot are for files the get used in the creation of a rendered image much the same way Hardware or standard parts may be used to create an assembly in Alibre. I should have used SolidWorks as a better example. It has quite a list of file locations.
The point I was trying to make is that if other programs can set up a way of defining file locations why can't Alibre. There have been others on the forum asking for this for a long time. It seems that in the past it gets investigated but nothing comes of the investigation. Maybe the latest that Max is undertaking will result in some form of file location assignment.

 

[simonb65]

The point I was trying to make is that if other programs can set up a way of defining file locations why can't Alibre.

I'd be confident in saying that following @Max 's poll, I would suspect that is what maybe in the pipeline.

Would be nice to hear some outline info on what is actually being proposed/considered. Would be good to give some constructive user feedback before a scheme is implemented. May save some dev time and any negative feedback when a solution is dropped on the users. Maybe Alibre has a user consultation group in place already (?) ... if they have, would be nice to be onboard those kind of discussions. In my experience, the tighter you keep users in the concept/proposal loop, the better and closer to a polished solution the new features are at first release!

 

[Mika]

If I understood right, V28 or something like that there is some "PDM" coming now. Any rumors yet, which kind of system it will be?