I would like to know how you guys handle revisions to drawings.

My situation...

I have designed a fairly complicated progressive tool (for us).

Tool maker is debugging the tool and needs some clearance in a pressure pad. I open the assembly, open the pressure pad part, make some minor changes and save the part.

I now need to revise the drawing and make a new DXF file for the WireEDM guys to use.

We are a Non-PDM environment (Windows folders/sub-folders across a network onto a server).

Problem #1 is I don't know what the file name for the drawing is. (we rename the drawing file by adding the Detail# and sheet size). So, I open the assembly drawing and look for the Balloon#. Once I have that (not always easy because of stacked balloons, but it gets me close enough) I can open the drawing file.

Problem#2 After making changes to the part file I open the drawing file and the changes magically appear before my eyes. I need to record the changes in the revision block. What were those dimensions before they changed???

I have a work around for #2 as I always save every drawing as a PDF and can open file explorer and dive several level down to find the PDF and open it. PITA Now I either need to print the old drawing, write the before numbers down, put the PDF on my other monitor or flip back and forth to see before/after numbers. PITA

What do you guys do for revisions?

Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Rick