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Data Management for SW

Fellow SW'ers

We are looking at putting in a PDM solution for our 15 SW seats in the next 12 months, PDMWorks is obviously something that we are looking at with our VAR. Anyone have any constructive feedback regarding PDMWorks, or have any strong recommendations for any other DM software?

For background info, we do not indulge in many large scale, multi-site projects, so we would just need a solution that gives us control over our CAD data and potentially interfaces with our existing (bespoke)SQL based drawing's database.

Many thanks

Wurz

Reply to
wurz
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You really should look at DBWorks, it is written and developed for SolidWorks® so no adapters are needed. It comes with a free and open and customizable API so you can either use it straight out of the box and/or fully customize it to fit your present engineering practices.. Although DBWorks is focused on SolidWorks®, DBWorks is also integrated with AutoCAD®, Inventor®, ME10, along with the Microsoft® Office applications. DBWorks can also manage other file formats like PDF, IGES, FEA, SAT, HTML, etc... Unlike PDMworks, DBWorks is a databased based system and also unlike many others (like vaulted and name mangling systems), DBWorks does not interfere with standard SolidWorks® functionality. DBWorks has seamlessly blended their products, and added strengths where needed, creating a very graphical, easy to use interface. If you are looking at getting a PDM you really should take a look at it. You can go to their web page

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They can even give you a demo via Webex.

"wurz" wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@l41g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...

Reply to
blah

What is your current system for managing your data?

What kinds of data do you have to manage?

Does your drawings database manage SW drawings?

What kinds of legacy data do you have to incorporate?

Is you file server Windows or Linux?

What kind of network do you have in place?

wurz wrote:

Reply to
P.

P.

Current system - we just archive images (TIFFS) of drawings in an SQL database. There is no formal control over the CAD data, only the systems that the various depts have adopted.

The only 3D data to be managed is SW, although it would be *nice* to dump some of the legacy ACAD data in there aswell.

Fileserver is definitely Windows (corporate IT, gotta love 'em)

Network - V good question, that I don't have the answer to!

Reply to
wurz

PDM Works is OK and is pretty simple to get up to speed on . I kind of like the looks of DBWorks also, but haven't tried it yet. It is well documented and the people there will talk "engineer" and not "sales" with you.

Before you start installing demos you really should sit down and think through how you need to manage documents. If you can't figure out what you need to do manually, you will probably have a harder time figuring out what a PDM system will do for you.

Reply to
TOP

software?

multi-site

(bespoke)SQL

I would take a look at Activault..drag and drop ALL file types, sits on SQL and has a low TOC and a fast ROI

Reply to
rod

Dear Wurz

I have been actively reviewing SolidWorks related PDM at Solid Solutions for seven years now. Whilst many packages claim to offer affordable and reliable PDM support we are only happy to supply either PDMWorks or DBWorks to our customers. Whilst essentially very similar packages, a few differences exist that with certain customer requirements cause us to favouir one rather than the other.

As the differences are relatively subtle we would need to discuss your requirements and the extent of the legacy data and any customisation in order to say which would best suit your needs. Please feel free to contact me directly at snipped-for-privacy@solidsolutions.co.uk or call 07788

590419

Regards, Alan Sampson

Reply to
Alan Sampson

Alan,

Have you found any that are ready or near ready for 64 bit?

Reply to
TOP

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