Custom Job Processor Workflow

[jnewon]

Hey all.

I'm trying to work out a workflow to initiate the generation of drawings from outside the vault environment.

I have a sales team that would like to generate drawings on demand. 

Workflow:

1.  Sales team generates a configuration file (xls, txt, ...). This file will have project information and data to configure an automated assembly. This file will be placed in a network folder accessible to the job processor computer.
2.  (unknow) An automated way monitor folder for files and vault the configuration file. Change the lifecycle state on the config file to run a custom job processor job to:
   1. Copy assembly to sales project folder provided in configuration file.
   2. Sync Assembly to configuration file.
   3. Generate PDF
   4. Copy/Get PDF to sales folder. 

I know the work flow maybe over simplified. Just a way for the sales team to configure an assembly and generate files without disrupting the engineering team.

I was thinking the Power Jobs from Cool Orange might be configurable enough to accomplish this task. I don't know. Anyone with Power Jobs experience?

Would like to know if this is a viable path or not. Maybe a better way?

Thanks

jnewon

VaultPro2025

[mateusz_baczewski]

Hi,

I am not familiar with Power Jobs from Cool Orange, but I have done something similar at the company where I work, meaning handling the entire workflow. We have configurators available on our website. Each product order goes into the ERP system. I developed a standalone application that connects to the database and the ERP system to check for new orders. If a new order appears, it processes the creation of a new model based on a pre-prepared base model, generates drawings, uploads everything to Vault, creates items change states of models and item, and releases them for production.

So what you wrote is definitely possible. The easiest way to develop the application is in C# or VB, as there are the most examples, questions, and resources available.

[jnewon]

@mateusz_baczewski 

I appreciate your response. It's good to know if a workflow will work and get me to the end result. I don't like spinning my wheels in a direction that won't work. 

If you don't mind me asking, Do you use vault? Did you write an app that uses the vault and inventor api? How did you approach your project?

My current approach is to develop a manual workflow and then look at how to automate the different steps.  I'm currently making a configurable assembly that uses iLogic to read an excel file to drive the changes. The excel file will be generated by an configuration form used by the sales team.

Current Manual Process

1. Create configuration file, Saved to network location.
2. Create sales folder in local workspace. Move configuration file to folder.
3. Vault Copy Design Assembly to sales folder. Get files.
4. In inventor update assembly and drawings from configuration file. Save files.
5. Vault Check-in 
6. Lifecycle change to generate sales files (pdf, dxf, stp). Job processor work.
7. Get sales files from vault.
8. move files to network location.

Feel free to poke holes in my process.

Thanks

jnewon

[daltonNYAW9]

This workflow is similar to 'Vault Informed Design'. Haven't used it personally, but it seemed very impressive from the videos.

https://aps.autodesk.com/blog/autodesk-informed-design-api-now-public-beta

[mateusz_baczewski]

@jnewon 

Hi,

Sorry for the delay, but I’ve had a lot of work recently. Yes, in my application I use both the Vault and Inventor APIs. I used a project template for this, and I’ve attached a photo of it. Unfortunately, I don’t remember exactly, but I believe the project template installs with the Vault SDK.

In the project, I added a reference to Inventor.Interop, and from that point on I was able to use both the Vault and Inventor APIs. I’m not entirely sure whether the Vault API offers Copy Design functionality – I handled that via Inventor. That is, I automatically create new models for each order, save subassemblies, replace parts, etc.

In the model, I’ve defined all the parameters that control the model. It’s configurable in such a way that I retrieve order data from the ERP system, such as width, height, color, and so on. I change these parameters and run an iLogic rule in the model, and the whole model gets configured (maybe there’s another way, I don’t know).

Next, I create drawings, which are also parameterized so that views fit within the drawing, balloons are added to parts, dimensions are added, and from the drawing level I enter elements into Vault. This seems to be the only way to add items to Vault – I don’t think there’s an easy way to do it without using the Inventor CommandManager, but feel free to correct me if I’m wrong. 🙂

After adding the items to Vault, I change their state to “For Review,” which triggers the creation of files such as PDFs, DXFs, etc. The next step is to create Items, and after that I change their states as well – and in this way, the entire project is completed automatically.

Of course, throughout the process, a lot of information is saved to a database – error loggers, email notifications, and so on. This was my first major project of this kind, and it’s possible it could have been done differently or better, but for now, everything works correctly.