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Inventor without Vault?

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Message 1 of 28
jshipley
2822 Views, 27 Replies

Inventor without Vault?

Does anyone use Inventor without (some sort of) Vault?

 

I'm talking about a workgroup with at least 5 people or so.

 

We are starting to implement Inventor here and know that we need to implement some sort of Vault system, so we are gathering information on some different systems.  Currently we are just saving the files 'on the network', which we know is not a good long term solution.

 

I just want to see if most people use some sort of Vault system.

 

Thanks,

Jim

27 REPLIES 27
Message 2 of 28
mcgyvr
in reply to: jshipley

As long as you can guarantee that 2 people will never need the same files open then you can continue all you want without Vault..

(2 Inventor users here without Vault.. But are moving to it soon cause our communication about what files we have open sucks)



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Inventor 2023 - Dell Precision 5570

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Message 3 of 28
BMiller63
in reply to: jshipley

no vault here.

 

We have several users, but seldom hit the same files at the same time.

We save all work to the network, but we have a very strucutured filing system which is key (no moving files around or duplicating them because we can't find them,etc)

Message 4 of 28
jshipley
in reply to: BMiller63

wow - how long have you been working this way?

 

-not being critical, I've just been under the impression you sort of 'had to' use Vault...

 

Thanks

Message 5 of 28
mcgyvr
in reply to: jshipley

I've been 2 users and no Vault for about a year now. Like I said the only problem is when more than one user opens/edits the same file. If thats not going to happen the you really don't need/nor want Vault. Using Vault will add time to your processes. Opening/checking in/out,etc.. all takes time.



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Inventor 2023 - Dell Precision 5570

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Message 6 of 28
BMiller63
in reply to: jshipley

 


@Anonymous wrote:

wow - how long have you been working this way?

 

-not being critical, I've just been under the impression you sort of 'had to' use Vault...

 

Thanks


 

I think it just depends on the kind of work you do. Our designs are pretty self contained. So users don't step on one another very often. It does happen, but when it does we always know who is working on what, so we just stop and sort it out. It's never been more than a 5-10 minute issue with us.

 

We have a very defined revision scheme and a very defined filing system, and I think that saves us a lot of headaches that others run into.

 

Your impression that Inventor users must use Vault might come from a reseller or AD telling you that, but for many it's not the case.

 

Message 7 of 28
BassEngineer
in reply to: BMiller63

I used to work for a reseller and most of our customers were NOT using vault with their cad application...whether ACAD or INVENTOR. 

Message 8 of 28
jshipley
in reply to: BassEngineer

Have to admit I'm surprised by the answers.  But this is good info.

 

We have approx 30 engineers here, all using AutoCAD Mech. (noone using Vault).  And we are just starting to use Inventor, but it is gaining traction quickly.  I don't want to end up with the same mess we have with Autocad drawing files on the network, with Inventor.  But I don't want to add an unnessary layer of complexity either (if we don't have to).  My HOPE would be that Vault would not be that much of an intrusion.

 

Jim

Message 9 of 28
BMiller63
in reply to: jshipley

 


@Anonymous wrote:
My HOPE would be that Vault would not be that much of an intrusion.

I set up a test vault and put it though the paces to see what it helped and what it hurt. I'm sure that for many places Vault is a must have, so it's worth taking some time to figure it out for yourself before implementing it company wide, IMO.

 

Message 10 of 28
DarrenP
in reply to: BMiller63

i agree test it out first

DarrenP
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Message 11 of 28
BassEngineer
in reply to: jshipley

If you have 30 engineers I recommend using Vault....if not make sure EVERYONE has a full grasp on how Inventor projects work.  I doubt there is a company out there that doesn't have "broken" asemblies in Inventor if they are not using vault.

 

Are you guys using XREFs?  If you have broken drawings (dis-associated XREFS) in ACAD Mech, most definitely get vault installed when moving to Inventor. 

 

 

Message 12 of 28
BMiller63
in reply to: BassEngineer

 


@pernicious wrote:

  ...I doubt there is a company out there that doesn't have "broken" asemblies in Inventor if they are not using vault.


I know of one, and I'm sitting there right now! Smiley Wink

 

Message 13 of 28
Dennis_Jeffrey
in reply to: jshipley

I have a customer with 12 seats networked on 22 workstations. They have steadfastly refused to use Vault. However, I will be installing Vault on their systems next year when they move from 2011 to 2012. They are currently using the Shared project with local Desktop content. However, this would be a nightmare situation if they had slower servers.

 

If you are just implement IV, then here's my recommendation:

 

1. Make sure you structure your data files correctly see: http://teknigroup.com/AU2007 for information.

2. Implement Vault on install, and BEFORE training. This way, new users learn to use it in the beginning.

 

Feel free to contact me directly for more details and some free help.

Please mark this response as "Accept as Solution" if it answers your question.
____________________________________________________________
Dennis Jeffrey, Author and Manufacturing Trainer, Autodesk Inventor Certified Expert
Autodesk Manufacturing Implementation Certified Expert
Autodesk Silver Manufacturing Partner

Subscribe to the free digital "The Creative Inventor Magazine" now available at: http://teknigroup....

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Message 14 of 28

Broken assemblies are not "cured" by using Vault. Proper data management and a good project file is the key.

Please mark this response as "Accept as Solution" if it answers your question.
____________________________________________________________
Dennis Jeffrey, Author and Manufacturing Trainer, Autodesk Inventor Certified Expert
Autodesk Manufacturing Implementation Certified Expert
Autodesk Silver Manufacturing Partner

Subscribe to the free digital "The Creative Inventor Magazine" now available at: http://teknigroup....

XP64 SP2, GeForce 9800GT-1GB, Driver: 6.14.12.7061, 8GB Ram, AMD Athlon II 3.2 Ghz
Laptop: Win7-64 Pro, 4GB, ATI Graphics on board, 2012 Ultimate, IV2011 or 2010 Pro, all SP's
Message 15 of 28
slphantom
in reply to: jshipley

We have never used vault at either of the two companies I have worked for that use Inventor. all our jobs have a job number so everything to do with that job is filed under there.

We have a standard library that you copy the models from to your directory.

I just did an automatic with another designer I did the top he did the bottom as sub assemblies no problems. we each use unique names for the models like I did the cylinder bores gage station so most of my models file names began with 'cyl'

You just have to have communication.

Scott
win 11 64 bit
Nvida GeForce RTX 4000
Inventor Pro 2023
Space Explorer
Message 16 of 28
jshipley
in reply to: slphantom

Thanks guys for the info.  It sounds like Vault is the way to go for the long haul.  Knowing us, if we don't use it, things will be a mess - as they are with all of the AutoCAD files.

 

Thanks,

Jim

 

 

Message 17 of 28
Artifix
in reply to: jshipley

"...Knowing us, if we don't use it, things will be a mess - as they are with all of the AutoCAD files."

 

I recommend, as stated by others, you correct the mess before implementing something like Vault.  It tends to cast things into concrete, your mess may very well become a permenant problem...

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Message 18 of 28
Zenjashi
in reply to: jshipley

I actively participate in the construction of assemblies with numbers of people by using a shared partition. We have yet to have any true problems. This method all really depends on how much you trust the people you work with, however.

IV2011 Professional 32-Bit
Message 19 of 28
browarny
in reply to: BassEngineer

I'm pretty new to Vault. We try to implement this since 3 months.

 

Just three people working on project, no big deal, but before the Vault we always have the bproblem with different versions of files.

 

When inplementing Vault for me, the main problem wasto put old projects into Vault database, so if you are just starting with

Inventor, its worth to start with Vault, especially if you have 30 people working.

 

Don't forget about other Vault functions like:

 

Managing file history,

Copy Design (IMHO very useful tool)

advanced searching

 

I think it's worth trying.

 

 

--
Best Regards
Grzegorz Korpan
MG Engineering
http://mg-engineering.pl/

IV 2011 Professional
iCore7 950 12Gb Trip-Channel, GeForce GTX470, 1GB
2 x 80Gb SSD RAID0, Win7-Prol x64
Message 20 of 28
hoser_71
in reply to: jshipley

I agree with the previous posts that a good folder structure and processes are key to clean files with or without the Vault.

 

No one has mentioned that there are a few workflow processes that are easier to do in the Vault.  For me, Copy Design, renaming, Automatic DWF's, and the Where-Used functions in the Vault make having it installed worth the extra steps. 

 

Joe B

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