Attaching specifications to drawings

[snaMQ3JD]

Hi!

So my company is planning on using an empty part file as a placeholder for specific processes (e.g. hardening/coating etc.) so that this empty part file can be reused across different assemblies. The empty part will have a uniqe article name and known location and an associated document (.doc/.pdc/.ppt/.xls) explaining the process

Is there a way to automatically assign the document as a sheet when creating drawings?

Thank you!

Regards

Siggi

[CGBenner]

@snaMQ3JD 

Hello.  I'm not sure I am following the workflow or desired outcome completely.  Can you sort of break this down into what you foresee as the steps and what the final output looks like in your mind?  That would help people here to help you fine tune it.

Thanks!

[sigurd.naess]

Hi @CGBenner !

(forgot to login, i'm the OP 😅)

I've made a flowchart that i hope better illustrates the workflow

To better communicate with our ERP system, we need a "process" (e.g. hardening, coating etc.) to be available through the BOM

The solution we have come up with is to:

1) A part that requires additional processes  is promoted to an assembly

2) This assembly contains the original part file (geometry) and any additional parts that represents a process 

NOTE: these "process parts" are empty .ipt files 

3) The "process parts" will be named and stored appropriatly so that they can reused if the same process is needed elsewhere

4) This new assembly file (that is actually still a single part) will now contain BOM information that can be accessed by an ERP system,

5) Each of the "process parts" will have an associated document that explains it, e.g. detailed coating instructions.

6) When creating 2D drawings we would like to capture this document as sheet 2,3,4....... depending on the number of processes

7) the advantage as we see it we can simply update the process document if needed, and the drawings would then automatically catch the latest process doctument

8) Also becasue the process is represented in the BOM we can easily track if the process has been completed by ticking it "as recieved" in our ERP system.

if Inventor have better ways handle processes, please let me know 😄 

Regards

Siggi

[chris]

you can just add the documents to your drawing templates. For example, at my previous company for all weldment drawings, the first page was for the GA and ballooning, the second page was for the BOM and then pages 3,4,5 were all scanned or imported documents for welding procedures, prep procedures, paint specs, etc. you didn't have a detailed dimensioned sheet until sheet 6. And if for some reason you didn't need those pages, you just deleted them upon opening a new drawing template

[sigurd.naess]

hi @chris !

I don't think that will work in our case

In our ERP system, the .ipt/.iam files are the information carriers, so we really need the "process information" in the BOM

[chris]

can you share an example of one of the process info parts? If I did what you were talking about, I'd just model a piece of "paper" and then map the image or extrude the text and then just add it as a regular part view in the drawing as a BOM member

[sigurd.naess]

Hi @chris 

What you are illustrating is basiclly what i'm after (and i'd be saving myself the trouble of making additional .pdfs)

I will check this out!

Thanks!

[ldutkaTUZ58]

If you right click on the item's name (either the assembly's or part's name), you get a pop up and see "Create Note" click on that, and a notebook pops up. Is that something you had in mind?

Les

[sigurd.naess]

Hi @ldutkaTUZ58 !

Not quite, the notebook would not provid a link to the BOM

Part of what we want is for the process to be its own "entity" so that it can be tracked in our ERP system 

Currently to my knowlege Inventor can only add this infomation as notes or through the "finish feautre", but same problem....cannot "track" the process in ERP system

So the best solution we have come up with is to create a "process part" that holds all the information for the process. 

Regards
Siggi