Trying this again. What do you do?

[Anonymous]

When you have external files in MDT
When an external part is changed do you open and update the next assy's even if the
change is only minor or shows no visible change to the layout views? If you do update the
next assy files do you use a change order of some sort or just update and resave the next
assy file? If you update do you change the rev of the next assy dwg, in the layout only or
also the filename? Do you save the linked files separately or zip them together and rev the zip file?
>>>Any ideas or the way you do this would help>>
Thanks
Fred

[Anonymous]

Fred,

Try to keep it simple. If the change causes a rev by in whatever your
current system is, then you have a rev to all the drawings that the system
says should be rev'd.

If you have no system... then I would rev only the drawings actually
affected by the change. If the assembly changes "form, fit, or function"
then the assembly needs a rev. If the change is only something that
corrects an error to a detail, I don't feel there is a need to rev the
assembly, as it is not affected.

As far as archiving goes... I haven't seen anyone zip a file recently for
archive purposes. How you archive is something that should be a part of
your cad standard and shouldn't really be a question. It sounds like your
just getting started with MDT though and amybe the rules haven't been
sufficiently set forth.

I know if your just getting started, it's a whole new world. This may sound
like a copout (sorry to date myself) but you really have to come up with a
system that works in your particular environment. If you need help, tell a
little more about how your shop does things and maybe we can come up with a
way that would work for you.

Have fun,

Dave

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the input
In the past our dwgs have been 2D and no xref used.
We do mech. dwgs and have included the rev status in the filename.
The file is released and uploaded thru netscape to a holding dir.
When a change is required we request the file to be downloaded to us.
I have been the only one using MDT since R1 but only for models, for the past
year we now are using MDT for full design and dwg views. All the ways we have tried
have caused some problem when using linked external files, mostly the rev letter in filename and
having to download each file, thats why the zip file question.
Most people here think the paper copy of the dwg views is all that matters and if you can not see the change
don't rev the next assy even if model parts inside the 3D model assy changes.
Fred Stevens

[Anonymous]

Fred,

> We do mech. dwgs and have included the rev status in the filename.

I've seen this and it seems to work ok.

> The file is released and uploaded thru netscape to a holding dir.

Ok so far. Do you have seperate directories for projects? Or... Is it one
large directory for the whole shooting match?

> When a change is required we request the file to be downloaded to us.

It seems you work on your local hard drive then. This is probably best from
a speed standpoint, and you don't have to worry about the network dying
quite so much.

> I have been the only one using MDT since R1 but only for models, for the
past
> year we now are using MDT for full design and dwg views. All the ways we
have tried
> have caused some problem when using linked external files, mostly the rev
letter in filename
> and having to download each file, thats why the zip file question.

I think you may have more troubles with the zip thingy. If you use a
particular part on more than one piece of equipment, you will have trouble
when you have to do revisions because now you will have to do revisions to
every zip file that contains a duplicate of the detail in question.

I kind of think that it is best to have things in set places. You say you
have to download a file in order to work on it. This leads me to believe
you don't have access to the subdirectories that contain the original
details and yes, this will cause you a lot of trouble with xrefs. You
really need to have access to all the files. I don't think zip is an
appropriate solution though. Unless they zip them up for you before they
download them. Kind of a dynamic zip kind of thing.

You really need to be playing with real time data or things will get out of
control fast.

> Most people here think the paper copy of the dwg views is all that matters
and if you can not
> see the change don't rev the next assy even if model parts inside the 3D
model assy changes.

We're talking about data here, not a picture. Back in the old days a
drawing was no more than a picture. Today it's different (or should be).
We should be concerned that the data present in a drawing is true, correct
and current, no matter what the picture looks like. By updating the
assembly with a change to a detail you can now check whether the change has
affected any other areas of the drawing before it hits the shop floor. If
you ignore the benefits of this, it will cost you later.

And... while I'm thinking about it...

Have fun,

Dave

[Anonymous]

Dave,

The Rev works with 2D but causes problems with 3D and MDT.
When a file is uploaded it goes to one dir that is not acessable
directly by MDT, hence the problem of knowing which files to download
when an assy is required. We have tried multiple zip files but as you say,
changing "every zip file that contains a duplicate of the detail in question"
does not work (a duplicate will be missed)
Since the control of the released data files is with (as in the past with 2D files)
the designer will zip up all the required files for the top assy and upload only that zip file.
Now the real problem starts, when a detail or sub assy is changed the zip file needs to be downloaded,
(how can we tell a user if you want to change detail say 10-12345.dwg you must download EA10-12789a.zip?)
I have used the prefix 'EA' (electronic archive) added to our top assy dwg number, and put a rev letter in the zip filename.
This is now at a stage where more design is beenning done in MDT but still be opened in R2000 for info and with no real Cad standards
for 3D files. The statment you make "We're talking about data here, not a picture. Back in the old ...... will be very helpful in explaining
how MDT does drawings.>>>Thanks again...Fred