Dear Team / Experts / Professionals/Everyone,

We will try to explain our Workflow and we will appreciate any suggestions and comments and discussions to find a better Solution regarding subject line

Its regarding how to manage Solidworks Data or in fact any data while working in a design environment *(Of course with existing Software's and technologies that we already have with its maximum efficient use)

01) We create a folder named Machine 01

02) We create Part A, Part B, Part C

03) Drawings of Part A, B & C are created and saved in same folder with Same names e.g. "Part A".slddrw...etc(Initially we used to save drawings with a different folder structure but due to pack and Go issues we place it in same folder now)

04) Sub-assembly 01 is made with Parts A, B & C Saved in same folder with its corresponding "Sub-assembly 01" drawing.

05) Sub-assembly 02 is made with Parts D, E & F following above steps with its corresponding "Sub-assembly 02" drawing.

06) Main assembly is made with Two-sub assemblies 01 & 02 and its drawing is saved as "Main-assembly 01".

So our Folder "Machine 01" looks like

Part A.sldprt

Part B.sldprt

Part C.sldprt

Part D.sldprt

Part E.sldprt

Part F.sldprt

Part A.slddrw

Part B.slddrw

Part C.slddrw

Part D.slddrw

Part E.slddrw

Part F.slddrw

Sub-assembly 01.sldasm

Sub-assembly 01.slddrw

Sub-assembly 02.sldasm

Sub-assembly 02.slddrw

Main-assembly 01.sldasm

Main-assembly 01.slddrw

7. Now we want to revise Part A and Part D but both revisions should be maintained
8. What is the optimum aproach with respect to handeling (Part revisions) , (Sub-assembly-Revisions) (Top-assembly revisions) and (Drawing revisions)
9. If I change a small part in entire machine Should that Entire machine assembly, sub-assembly and their drawings be revised ??
10. What if shape of that part is changed and not just parameters, so my sub-assmbly and main assembly will not be consistent with same revision number ??
11. Kindly share your thoughts and ideas or suggestions as I think Solidworks Forum is the best place to look forward to.

    Sincere thanks in aadvance

Our Current Method

****************************************Scenario 01********************************************************

*01) We do Pack and Go to another Folder named "Machine 01_R1" (Keeping all components name same)

*02) Make changes to Parts A & D, Update the drawings (Add note R1 in drawings) save everything in new folder "Machine 01_R1" and exit

(So now we have 2 Folders of same machine with Two revisions R0 & R1.)

(For every Machine for Every Revision huge amount of data will be stored by every person )

****************************************Scenario 02********************************************************

*01) We do Pack and Go to another Folder named "Machine 01_R0"

   (We wont touch "Machine 01_R0" Rev R0 is archived)

*02) Just Update the Parts A & D in current folders

*02) "save as" Part A & Part D which will update all drawing references there itself, add custom property of Rev R1 to parts A &D.

*03) Open Part A & D drawings which will auto update due to save as command, add a Revision note "save as" "Part A_R1", "Part D_R1" which holds Rev R1 information

(But now I have no history of Rev R0 on my current parts)

(If somebody ask me to show the changes made in "Part A from Rev 0 to Rev-1" then I have to dig in the archives which are stored day,date and person wise)

(How can we keep a track of Revisions made) ?

****************************************Scenario 03*********************************************************************************************************************************************

01) Do not bother about revisions at all :-) :-P

(This makes life simple but in a long Run if Customer ask Spare parts of old design or record of older revisions and old design intent then we are in chaos)

****************************************Scenario 04*********************************************************************************************************************************************

1. Use Workgroup PDM (Which we have no idea about).
2. (We are not good with programming, neither we have time for typing codes and setting rules and admin regulations as frankly we do not want to be software administrators).
3. Is it a good idea to handle product data by design team?

   Or should there be a seperate team just to handle and maintain design data with programming skill set ??

4. We also are not sure about Workgroup PDM as we remeber to read somewhere that Workgroup PDM will stop after 2018 ? Is it so?

***************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

P.S. We ae not looking for buying anything like (EPDM or PDM) We started this discussion just to use existing softwares and technologies to its maximum efficiency so please pardon.

Thanks

Nikhil