Inventor Strategy-Standalone to Collaborative

[gcross]

I'm seeking any advice, do's & don't, or references to literature on Inventor strategy from you CAD gurus in small companies that work in Inventor with one or more people.

My department is expanding from 1 to 2 people using Inventor/Autocad (PDSU) 2015. I just want to try to avoid common misteps considering that I've worked as a standalone user on my own & now as an employee for many years.

We are not using Vault. Frankly, I've heard horror stories about Vault problems that has me leary of taking the plunge early on with only two people.

I'm setting up the file system & protocols now & have moved local files to our server (using 2014). So far, so good with small issues only with Content Center (see previous post). I'll migrate data files to 2015 after setting up the server with the more familiar 2014 version files

We mfr standard consumer products, many are modular & no assembly file is more than 40-50 parts. We create part, assemblies & asy drawings often using exploded views, lots of View Reps & Pos Reps. Parts are typically sheet metal, machined, or fabricated along with some relatively complex die castings.

We produce PDF, DWG, DXF & IGES distribution files for vendors & inhouse review. Also STL files for rapid protos occasionally. I use Showcase & 3DS Max occasionally but mostly Inventor to create BMP images used in marketing collatoral. All install instructions are done using Inventor.

Thanks!

Gary

[mercerc]

I wish the general community would have had more feedback on this then we have seen here.

But it sounds like you have some of the bases covered. Just to make sure look at the outlines here posted on our website. http://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/inventor-products/troubleshooting/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticl...

I understand your reluctance to use Vault and all I will say if you do ever entertain the option please include or hire one of our channel partners that have installed and configured multiple trouble free Vaults. This is not endeavor you want to do on your own, hence its reputation.

I would however advise against working on Inventor files while stored on a central server. This is a cause a number of issues with files and file corruption. Move the file to your local machine and work there. Then move them to the central location.

[jalger]

Hi Gary,

Early on is actually the best time to setup the vault. (you have less data to restructure).

The Vault can be Daunting if you don't understand it, and many people simply do not plan the Installations.

The best place to start is to decide how you want to store the data. (Access is easy since everything should be pathed to a "C:/Vault workspace".

So all of the templates, Design data, Content center files, and the project get stored locally but is protected and accessible in the network.

My advise is to get help setting it up, and get training from your local re-seller to make sure the Vault works for you.

Also don't jump to the higher level of vault until you need it (unless you can get a deal 🙂 ).

Start with the Base vault and see if that works, it you need more (Lifecycles, Revision control, ECO's), then you can bump it up.

If you you take nothing else form my post, Plan what you want and need before implementing anything.

Once your ready, get a demo, or have the re-seller setup a test run for you with your data (it will cost alittle more but it will give your piece of mind)

I hope this helps,

James

[gcross]

Hi mercerc,

I appreciate your reply on this.

I have been refering constantly to the Inventor Configuring Autodesk Inventor document but naturally, it doesn't go into too much detal f tell you what can go wrong or why.

I am very interested in your caution against working on Inventor files while stored on a central server.

Up to now I am not familar with any non speed related problems working on files when they are stored on a server without Vault.

My understanding is that files are loaded from the server into the local machine's RAM & worked on locally. Then they are saved to the server upon each save.

I realize Inventor's Xrefing file structure, if I can call it that, makes matters complex. This is especially so with deep nesting of subasy's.

What specific problems might we expect with two engineers working on files off the central server? Note that other independent folders on the server are also accessed by multiple other non engineering employees. I show our basic server drive structure below

Engineers access only

N:\Engineering\Cad Files\ all Catalog, Design Data, Materials, CC data & component libraries incl iParts

                                      ....\ all Inventor, Autocad, CAD Excel, Showcase, 3DS Max data file folders & files

Engineers & Management access

N:\Engineering\Eng Administration folders & literature\released distribution files (DWG/IGES/PDF), Content Center Libraries (here to keep them out of project path)

Thanks.

Gary

[LT.Rusty]

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@gcross wrote:

Hi mercerc,

I appreciate your reply on this.

I have been refering constantly to the Inventor Configuring Autodesk Inventor document but naturally, it doesn't go into too much detal f tell you what can go wrong or why.

I am very interested in your caution against working on Inventor files while stored on a central server.

Up to now I am not familar with any non speed related problems working on files when they are stored on a server without Vault.

My understanding is that files are loaded from the server into the local machine's RAM & worked on locally. Then they are saved to the server upon each save.

I realize Inventor's Xrefing file structure, if I can call it that, makes matters complex. This is especially so with deep nesting of subasy's.

What specific problems might we expect with two engineers working on files off the central server? Note that other independent folders on the server are also accessed by multiple other non engineering employees.

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Your biggest issue with having files stored on one server when multiple people are working with them is that now you have double the opportunities to break something.  (Actually, even more than that when you've got other people with access to the files that have no business even seeing them.)

If I access something on the server, and then the guy two cubicles over from me accesses it as well, then whose changes are going to stick?  You don't even have to be intentionally editing something for this to be a problem - you know how when you've got a library part you can't even change work plane visibility?  That's still an attribute that's persistent within the file, and if you're both using the file at the same time, then you're going to have a lot of screaming and frustration when changes occur.

Keep your working files on your own hard drive.  You can maybe set up libraries of read only files on the network, since those can't change in even the slightest detail and won't get broken ... but your working files HAVE to be separate from any chance of someone else even opening them at the same time as you.

If you don't want to use Vault for keeping your working files and your stored files separate (and I don't blame you - I only use it when I absolutely have to) then keep your working files on your local storage, and copy them back to the network for others to play with only if you make changes to them.