Combining parts in Vault

[Anonymous]

Hello,

Due to a customer request, a component has been modified on an assembly.  Originally, this was to be with a new part number, and I created the component with a new filename/part number and checked it into Vault.

Now I've been asked to keep the existing part number of the old component, and just up-issue the drawing. Is it possible to "merge" the two components, so that the newly modelled one becomes the latest version of the old component?

Thanks,

Bill

[cbenner]

Are you talking about Inventor?  Autocad? ... what CAD package?  What versions?

[Anonymous]

Yes, Inventor (2011).

Bill

[cbenner]

I cannot think of any way to "merge" these items in Vault.  You will probably have to open the old part number drawing in Inventor, and do a model replace on the drawing with the new model.   If you need to keep the new model with both the old and new part numbers (if i understand what you are trying to do), you may need to make the part into an ipart, with a column for each part number.... or make a copy of it and give one the old part number.

I'm not 100% sure I get what you are attempting... is this close?

[Anonymous]

Hi Chris,

Thanks for the response.  I don't need to keep to new part number that had been allocated, only give the new part the old part number.

So, I have an old part A on revision C which I would like to keep the version history for.  I created a new part B, which should now be changed to part A, revision D.

I know I could rename and remove part A, rename part B to part A, and the drawing would update; however, wouldn't this result in the previous versions of the CAD model of part A to be deleted?  I would like to keep these if preferable.

Thanks,

Bill 

[swalton · Accepted solution]

No way to "merge" files that I know of.

If the part changes are not too complex, just update the Part A model and print.

If the changes are complex, is it truly a rev?  Will the new part fit on old machines?

When you loose that argument with the customer and the changes are too complex to re-model, try tricking Vault with Windows Explorer.

This assumes that part number = file name.

1. Rev Part A to rev D.

2. Checkout Part A.ipt and Part A.idw.

3. Make sure that the correct versions on Part B.ipt and .idw are in your workspace.

4. Use windows explorer to delete Part A.ipt and .idw

5. Use windows explorer to rename Part B.ipt and .idw to Part A.ipt and .idw

6. Open the new Part A.idw and replace the missing Part B with the new Part A.

7. Fix anything else that is broken in the idw.

8. Check-in.

9. Delete Part B from Vault.

Notes:

1. This may break any constraints that reference Part A in every assembly that uses Part A.

2. You may need to change the read-only permission on Part B.ipt and .idw in order to rename them with Windows Explorer.

3. If you used Vault Autonumbering to get the Part B part number, it is consumed and there is no way to get it back.

[Anonymous]

Thanks,

Using Explorer was the solution!  In my case, note 1 was n/a: assemblies automatically started using the new part; I hadn't checked in part B, so didn't need to change the read-only status (note 2), and hadn't used Vault's Autonumbering feature, so no worries there!

Thanks again for your advice.

Bill