LOCKING DRAWINGS

[methoni]

Having created an inventor drawing of a sheet metal part i now wish to e-mail the drawing (idw) to a sheet metal fabricator.This fabricator can view the drawing using 'Autodesk inventor view'. The problem  is how do i lock the drawing sent to the fabricator so that it cannot be changed,copied etc. Of

course using the inventor view. prints can be made of the part and this is acceptable but unauthorized changes,copyright infringments are not..how do i safeguard the integrity of the drawing.

Any suggestions please .

[conklinjm]

While there may be a way to lock an Inventor Drawing, we generally print all our drawings into .pdf format for both internal and external usage.  This allows anyone to quickly look at the drawings without having to have access to (or having to open) Inventor/Inventor View; furthermore, it ensures that only the engineering department can modify the original Inventor assemblies, parts, and drawings.  For revision control, the older .pdf file is archived when a new version is created.

Is there a specific reason that you require sending the Inventor Drawing to your vendor?

HTH

[dgorsman]

Printing to DWF is another possibility.

Legal disclaimers and contracts will handle liability issues with regards to unauthorized changes, when properly prepared and reviewed.  Taken to its logical extension you can set up your work process and disclaimer wording to provide that only the wet-ink signed/engineer stamped version of the drawing is the drawing of record.  In some industries such archives are mandatory with hard copies being stored for several decades.  Even when not mandatory they can provide some additional protection if there is the possibility of personal injury or intellectual property problems later on.

[mrattray]

PDF is the typical industry answer. Of course, nothing can actually stop somebody from forwarding the document wherever they want, but it (PDF) does deter (nothings impossible if the persons in question are motivated enough) changes and extraction of additional information.

[methoni]

Thanks for the reply.

In fact thats what our department does is send to the fabricators our drawings in pdf format, however due to the nature of what we manufacture

which involves thin sheet metal it is sometimes difficult to read the drawings particulary in A3 format ( lines when printed tend to  merge together)

 i know that we can use different line thicknesses etc and to also enlarge areas of complexity but it was our intention to send to the fabricators the inventor files (drawings) which they could then print off to different  scales or indeed view  using inventor view thus zooming in to the areas of complexity.

Of course sending them the files run the risk of copying etc etc

Hope this clarifies the situation.

Regards

[mrattray]

Have you tried playing with these options?

[mcgyvr]

You can always print PDFs to a different scale/paper size too..

And IMO if you can't read a printed drawing/pdf or whatever it is you didn't size the sheet properly in the first place. 

Its just poor drafting IMO to just cram everything onto a "A" size sheet if you can't read it when printed..

I always send PDF and a STEP file.. 90% of the time they just use the step file and can always open it up and get whatever dimension they need.. The drawing is just for tolerances/notes,etc..

Hence why I can't wait for 3D PMI where you can just sent one 3D model that has notes/PMI information right in it.

[methoni]

 All your suggestions are valid.

One of the big problems is that most fabrication  workshops do not have the facility to print larger than A3 , In our office we have a AO printer but would rather the fabricator print out the drawings.So much for the paperless office,it does not yet exist.

Regards  

[mcgyvr]

---

@methoni wrote:

 All your suggestions are valid.

One of the big problems is that most fabrication  workshops do not have the facility to print larger than A3 , In our office we have a AO printer but would rather the fabricator print out the drawings.So much for the paperless office,it does not yet exist.

Regards  

---

Then it sounds like you need to adjust your drawings so that when printed out on an A3 sheet they are readable.. 

"locking" sounds like the least of your problems..

[blair]

In Adobe Acrobat, you do have the option to print "Poster" which will break the print up over an number of pages that you can tape back together. So a "C" size print will be printed over 6 pages of 8 1/2 x 11 paper.

[blair]

something like this