DriveWorks

Product Data Management - DriveWorks Pro Integration with Enterprise PDM

Product Data Management is a topic that we are often asked about. And because DriveWorks is so good at generating documents and data automatically, we wanted to make sure that for those companies that are interested in managing all those files that we could provide an immediate solution.

DriveWorks Pro can be set up to automatcially integrate with SolidWorks and SolidWorks Enterprise PDM to securely store all documents created by DriveWorks in the design process.

An example of how it works

1. Say you configure a cupboard in a browser, using DriveWorks Pro Live. You fill out the form including quote number, customer name, materials, dimensions etc...

 

2. When your design is complete and you click 'Release', DriveWorks Pro Autopilot starts working in the background to generate the new files.

 

3. As DriveWorks Pro Autopilot creates all the files, these are sent into the SolidWorks Enterprise PDM Vault.

 

4. When this is complete, you can open up the location where DriveWorks has saved the files: you can see the drawings, models, parts assemblies have all been automatically been checked in to the EPDM vault.

 

 

 

 

As you can see, when you configure your design on the web and click go, everything in the background has been created and checked in.

It's really easy to set up, via the settings screens in DriveWorks Pro. Just enter: Vault Name, User Name and Password, etc - and then DriveWorks takes care of the rest.

To see all of this in action, check out the EPDM Integration video on the DriveWorks Pro website.

You can also read more in the DriveWorks Pro HelpFile  

How To: Rename a Project in DriveWorks Pro

You make your project and use it a few times, then for one reason or another its name has to be changed. This is simple enough and this short guide will take you through step by step to show you just how easy it is:

Once a project has been created it can be renamed quite easily. This involves usign a combination of Windows Explorer and DriveWorks Pro Data Management Tool.

1. Ensure the Group that contains the project to be renamed is not open in any DriveWorks application.

2. Locate the project files for the project to be renamed in Windows Explorer

3. Rename the project files to the name to be given to the project

Both projects must be named identically. Take care not to include any extra spaces or remove the . in between the file name and extension.

 

 

 

 

4. Launch DriveWorks Pro Data Management Tool, login to the group and select the Projects stage from the Task Explorer.

5.The old project name will be displayed in red (missing) in the projects list. Right click on the missing project and select Change Location.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6. In the Browse for New Locaion dialog, browse to the location where the renamed project files exist.

7. In the same dialog click the file type drop down and select All File (*.*)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8. Select the renamed project file (ProjectName.driveproj)

Your project now has its brand new name and is ready to use!

Answers to the majority of your questions can be found in the DriveWorks Pro Helpfile, however if you do have any other questions, contact DriveWorks at support@driveworks.co.uk

 

New DriveWorks Configurator Project Online - Conveyor Line

Go to our DriveWorks Live sample project site and see the great new example that has been added.

With the new Conveyor Line project  you can design:

• the number of sections to be used.
• the width and height and length of the conveyor sections.
• whether it's straight or curved.
• even whether it's used for heavy, medium or light duty.

Just design your product, enter your details (including your email address) and coming your way shortly after, will be quote details and  PDF drawings of your individually designed custom conveyor!

New DriveWorks Configurator Project Online - Industrial Stairs

Another sample project is available! This time for industrial stairs.

All these projects show just how flexible DriveWorks can be in creating custom products for so many different industries.

Check out our Industrial Stairs project on the DriveWorks Live site to decide:

 

 

 

1. 1. The pillar to pillar distance.
2. 2. The height of the stairs.
3. 3. The step width.
4. 4. The number of floors the stairs will span.
5.  

 

 

 

 

Enter your contact details to view a quote created online there and then.

Make sure you enter your email address to recieve the quote details and drawings in PDF format too! This project shows just how easy and quick it is for non-engineering staff to configure custom designed products!

 

 

 

 

 

A New DriveWorks Sales Configurator Project Online!

Start by filling out the contract details, then add line items to show how multiple products can be added to one order/specification. You can select from standard items or custom items too.

DriveWorks Sales Configurator

Make sure you enter your email address so that you receive the results - a Quote that reflects the items specified and a PDF of any custom lintels configured.

'Seeing Is Believing' - DriveWorks to attend CADD Edge event

What's Happening: 2011 CADD Edge User Group & Training Event

When: 26th-27th October 2011

Where: MGM Grand at Foxwoods, Connecticut

 

Meet the DriveWorks team attending the 'CADD Edge User Group and Training Event' in Connecticut. If you design or configure Same but Different products, then the event is a fantastic opportunity to find out if the Design Automation software created by DriveWorks could help you save time!

Anyone attending the event, has the perfect chance to be able to come and talk to a couple of our DriveWorks experts. They know the product inside out. You can ask questions, find answers and  discover the power of DriveWorks! You can see how the various products (Xpress, Solo and Pro) work, and really get to grips with how easy it is to set up and run.

Not sure if Design Automation is for you?  You have to see it to believe it, so make sure you are there!

Do come along to the DriveWorks booth at the CADD Edge event, meet the team and realise that it's true what CADD Edge have been saying: 'Seeing is Believing.'

 

 

 

Configuring Custom Solar Panels with DriveWorks Solo

Configure Custom Heat Exchanging Solar Panels with DriveWorks Solo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEVMXn4VE_0

 

This project is also available to download from the DriveWorks Solo website. Double click to install and open up inside SolidWorks.

 

DriveWorks Concept - Specification Flow - Who What & When

Specification flow is a powerful feature in DriveWorks that gives the DriveWorks Administrator the ability to customize the DriveWorks specification process. (ie rules for what happens and when it happens).

When a project is first set up in DriveWorks it is created with a default specification flow which guides a specification through four basic states - Running (i.e. filling out forms in the specification), Saved, Pending, and Completed.

Each one of these states has links to other states to move from one state to another. For example, a specification in the Saved state can be moved into the Running state, and a specification in the Running state can be moved into the Pending state (by clicking Finish), or the Completed state (by clicking Release). These links between states are called transitions.

Each state also has certain operations that can be performed on it, but which do not move to another state, for example, a specification can be deleted, or copied.

 
The Specification Flow can be customized in DriveWorks Administrator to meet your own specification and Work flow needs.  

Example Uses
There are lots of reasons why you may want to look at customizing your specification flow, here are a few examples.

• You may have a quoting process which involves generating a general-assembly drawing - all before releasing to manufacture and before the full manufacturing information is generated.
• You may have additional requirements during the specification process such as copying a document to another machine which otherwise would involve complicated macros.
• You may simply want to change the text that is displayed on the "Finish" button to something like "Quote" 
• You may want to set rules that determine that a Sales Manager can see all specifications generated by your distributors, but only let each distributor see their own specifications.

You can read more about Specification Flow in the ONLINE documentation file
http://docs.driveworkspro.com/?ProjectEditorSpecificationFlow.html

 

 

 

DriveWorks Implementation Guide

Setting up a Sales Configutor for Distributors and Sales people to use? Or automating your SolidWorks models and drawings? The DriveWorks Pro ONLINE documentation site is full of really useful articles, whether your are just looking at the possiblities of automating, if you have just bought DriveWorks software, or if you are an experienced user.

Take this article for instance - DriveWorks Implementation Guide

The article covers the steps that are involved in setting up and enhancing a DriveWorks project.

It starts by covering what is involved in getting started with DriveWorks Pro Administrator and provides guidance on maintaining an implementation/project going forwards.

Using DriveWorks
There are a few simple steps

• Setting up
• Running/Specifying
• Generating Outputs

Who Implements DriveWorks?
The most successful DriveWorks cases are those where a DriveWorks Champion is appointed from within the company.

Ideally, this should be someone with good knowledge of the company's products as they will be documenting the product and company rules that will be brought into DriveWorks and which will be used for automating the design process.

Implementation Methods
Products, designs and data constantly evolve. So unlike a custom written solution, DriveWorks needs to (and does!) allow for change.

When implementing DriveWorks it is important to remember that nothing has to be set in stone on the first day. The use of DriveWorks and scope of work will change as the users become more familiar with the features of DriveWorks.  This is normal, and should be factored in.

Implementation Plan
Regardless of the Implementation Method selected, the steps involved in setting up a DriveWorks implementation generally follow:

1. Decide on the product to be automated.

2. Decide what information and input fields are required on the user forms.

3. Decide what outputs are required

4. Decide what data is required or can be re-used.

5. Determine the rules required to automate the product.

6. Test.

7. Add the detail to the project
 
8. Deployment

All of these topic are covered in depth in the ONLINE article.