SolidWorks:HEARD! - Episode 440 - Enterprise PDM Tips and Tricks

Enterprise PDM Tips and Tricks:

This podcast covers the various approaches, common implementation settings and other tidbits I have used over the past 10+ years of consulting on SolidWorks Enterprise PDM.  Topics covered:​

- Best practices for implementations

- Common Data Routing Approaches

- Linking ECOs with CAD data (different workflows)​

- Getting the most out of Tasks

- ​Optional interfaces

- Various add-ins and custom apps

Amazing to look back to 2001 when I first got my hands on Conisio, the former name of SolidWorks Enterprise PDM.  Back in those days the product was a 3rd party, had the same Windows Explorer interface but the SW interface was nothing like the fully integrated experience of today. SolidWorks' acquisition of ​of Conisio in 2006 has brought the product to the next level however successful use of the product is still very tied to proper setup in the early stages.

​The name "Enterprise" can come with some negative connotations in terms of implementation time and leaves many with the question, "How many months is this going to take to get working?".  This is typically far from the case but like any tool that is highly configurable, the phased approach allows it to address the Engineering-centric issues and then be grown to bring more neighboring departments into the automation fold.

Another challenging part of implementing EPDM can be determining the scope of control since it overlaps in functionality with many other management systems (ERP/MRP/PLM) ​within a company.  Today we will touch on some topics and details for common setup and configuration options in EPDM. ~Lou

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SolidWorks:Heard! - Episode 356 - SW2012 What's New - Document Management

SW2012 What's New - Document Management:

This podcast dissects the What's New PDF, outlining all the new features in SolidWorks 2012 along with other tips, tricks and tidbits in the new software. Topics covered in this show:

Chapter 11: SolidWorks Enterprise PDM

- Administration Tool:

- Menu customization and administration

- Full user name options

- Replication enhancements

- File Explorer & SW Add-in:

- "Browse to" changes

- BOM export enhancements

- Search extended into more dialogs (Open, Save-As)

- Version toggle for "Where Used"

- New and modified toolbars

- Product support changes (CAD, Microsoft products, 64 bit supported area)

- Performance updates (Templates and CopyTree)

- Web client for Editor licenses

Chapter 24: SolidWorks Workgroup PDM

- Metadata rebuilding

- The return of the vault browser in Windows Explorer (Vista/Win7)

- Pack and Go updates (progress bar and Cancel button access)

Document Management, covering chapters 11 and 24 of the What's New PDF, outlines changes/enhancements to the SolidWorks product line since the previous release.  If you have not done so, please download this PDF and walk through the areas that are most important to you.

The goal of this series is to provide a portable, audio version of the 2012 What's New, providing a quick way to evaluate new features that have been changed/added/removed in the SolidWorks product line.  We all fall victim to the "ruts" of using SolidWorks from release to release and knowing what's to come brings awareness early.

I will be releasing an additional show a week as well as the usual monthly Tech News shows (up to 3 a week) in order to cover the entire What's New PDF before FCS (First Customer Ship). Between the podcast, blog and other posts around the web, there will be no shortage of SolidWorks 2012 content to come!

Remember to check out the SolidWorks: Heard! Blog and to follow me on Twitter, Facebook and THE HEaRD!