The Javelin Technologies Blog

In SolidWorks Enterprise PDM 2011 many of the commands that I used from the right-click menu, in Explorer Vault view, were moved to SolidWorks Enterprise PDM menu bar. I missed being able to right-click and quickly “clear the local cache”. Luckily in SolidWorks Enterprise PDM 2012, menus can now be customized to include my favorite commands, including adding “clear local cache” to the right-click menu.
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When Enterprise PDM is set up to use the Windows Active Directory for user logins, the EPDM users’ passwords will match their Windows passwords.  But what about the special “Admin” user account?  This special account is automatically created for each new vault and cannot be deleted or renamed.

With EPDM set to use the Windows Active Directory, the “Admin” user password cannot be modified in the EPDM Administration Console on the user’s workstations.

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When using the Copy Tree function in SolidWorks Enterprise PDM, the parent variable values are copied with the files. If a file being copied is at revision 3, then the copied part will also be at revision 3. If it is preferred that the new part starts at first revision, then some changes need to be made in Solidworks Enterprise PDM Administration. Read More »

Accidental deletions, viruses, hardware failures are just a few things that can damage or destroy your vault data. Without a well structured back-up scheme, recovering data after a calamity can be difficult if not impossible.
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Do you see blue folders when you browse to your vault view?

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Why is EPDM green you ask? Well, let me tell you!

• EPDM can remove the need to print preliminary drawings that need to be approved. When I worked as a mechanical designer without EPDM, I would print stacks and stacks of drawings (sometimes many times) before the entire design was approved. Since EPDM uses electronic notifications, we can eliminate the need to print a copy of a drawing that needs an approval. Only an automatic email would be sent from the designer to the approver stating that a file needs their attention. The approver can then access the file with a hyperlink and view it within the EPDM vault. The approver can then approve it or send it for changes all without ever thinking of printing the file.

• EPDM can also remove the need to print released for production prints that would be used by manufacturing.  Once the drawing is approved, EPDM can automatically create released for production prints in PDF format for example, which can totally eliminate the need for any paper to hit the production floor. All the production personnel would need is a computer with EPDM to view all of the drawing information.

Before working for Javelin I was a Mechanical Designer creating mobile equipment, and assembly machinery using SolidWorks 3D CAD software. I loved working with SolidWorks but did not have the luxury of being able to use SolidWorks Enterprise PDM software for file management. On more than one occasion I spent countless hours populating data over and over again, reattaching links to files that had been moved, and producing shop floor drawings of projects that I worked on in weeks past!

To show you SolidWorks Enterprise PDM can make life a lot easier when designing with SolidWorks I have created a Guide which describes 12 file management issues and how using SolidWorks Enterprise PDM can solve them. I’m sure that some if not all of my file management issues will be familiar to you!

Click here to download the SolidWorks File Management Guide

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Wayne Hewison, Certified SolidWorks Enterprise PDM Professional, discusses the advantages of the user interface in EPDM, and how easy it is for new users to become familiar with the PDM environment. He also explains the Vault Replication tools designed for businesses who need data management but have multiple office locations.

Javelin Technologies QuickStart implementation and training programs have been designed specifically for customers look to implement the SolidWorks Enterprise PDM system. QuickStarts have been refined after helping hundreds of customers with data and document management issues.

Watch an interview with Wayne Hewison, an Applications Consultant with Javelin, for more information on a typical implementation process from the Javelin Services Team. Wayne also answers a commonly asked question from our customers regarding how to create a new assembly based on an existing design.

Check out this short video on SolidWorks Enterprise PDM to learn about the new features available in the 2010 release.
SolidWorks® Enterprise PDM simplifies the process of managing design changes while improving product reuse by integrating within SolidWorks, AutoCAD®, Autodesk Inventor®, Pro/ENGINEER®, and Windows® Explorer. Click here to learn more about the product.