DRAWING WORKFLOW AND MANAGEMENT

[PG_Tips]

Hi All,

I am looking for ideas to manage drawings. As shown on the image attached, we have a huge number of combination for a single product. Each combination will have its own drawing and it will be a standard drawing. Now the problem I envision is editing the drawings, in future if there is something that needs adding to a drawing, we will have to check out every single drawing and edit them. this is not practical at all. Other idea I have is to create a single drawing for 1m3 and 2m3 tanks. have multiple sheets with different combinations rather than multiple drawings. for every new project copy design the drawing and delete the sheets you don't require. this reduces the number of drawings to checkout and check in but will still require the designer to go to each sheet and make changes. if anyone has a system in place or if you have new ideas, please help me.

[johan.degreef]

Maybe you can use 1 model to model all varieties (model states), In 1 drawing you can change model state too.

https://www.engineering.com/story/all-about-inventor-model-states-part-1

https://www.engineering.com/story/all-about-inventor-model-states-part-2

[PG_Tips]

I had looked at this option but since there will be a lot of versions, I thought it would be too difficult to manage. Can inventor handle 30 to 50 model state versions? 

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! 30~50 should be fine but it depends on the variation and how big the Primary Model State is. When these 50 Model States are fully elaborated (consumed by drawings or assemblies), the part file size with 50 Model States will jump 50 times. It is because each Model State is like a mini file within the file. 50 Model States equate to 50 files.

Many thanks!

[PG_Tips]

so this would definitely not be the way to move forward then, have you got any suggestions on what I can do for better workflow and ease of modification please. 

[johan.degreef]

Try with assembly and subassemblies. Try to have as many standard (reusable) subassemblies, so those detail drawings stay the same. Let's say the manhole is always the same, sometimes you need 1, sometimes you need 2, but the drawing and subassembly of the manhole does not need to be modified, when you switch from 1 to 2 manholes.

[PG_Tips]

I am planning to do a version of this with the sub-assemblies. Now the main assembly will have a lot of versions and is there a better way of cataloguing the drawings? My idea is to do it excel, have every single combination and assign a drawing number to it. All the drawings will not be created and only drawing created will be when we get an order of the combo. Is there a better way to do this as managing the catalogue seems tedious.

[johan.degreef]

Do you have Vault, because maybe Vault can be your catalogue provider in a way...?

You have the "used by" and "used where" properties.

[PG_Tips]

yes, we do have vault but how would you manage drawings that are not created. So if a product has 100 variation then we would realistically only have drawings for a few ones that gets commonly ordered. how would you go about creating a naming system for drawings. Also how you you manage the drawings that do not exist but may do in the future, what naming system do we keep in place. Lots of questions but I cannot find anything online other than using a different cataloguing system.

[johan.degreef]

I know there is a numbering system in Vault, It I might see not all the details you see, but I would start with drawing 001  and go on from there and add them as needed 002, 003

Maybe a numbering scheme per product. Just my 2 cts