PDM Applications

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PDM Applications
by Matt Lombard
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What are we talkin about here?

• PDM Product Data Management
• PLM Product Lifecycle Management (generally
  means more money than PDM)
• Workgroup (small company with low budget)
• Enterprise (any company with over 100k to spend)
• MRP Manufacturing Resource Planning
• ERP Engineering Resource Planning

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CAD Compatibility

• A lot of PDM / PLM applications are not
  specifically focussed on CAD applications or
  other files that are largely linked with
  relationships (such as programming files).
• Here, Ill just try to focus on applications that
  work with SolidWorks files

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Why is PDM better than saving files in a network
location?

• PDM applications generally work by saving files
  to a central location called the vault usually
  located on a server.

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Why is PDM better than saving files in a network
location?

• Files in the vault can be copied to individual
  workstation, but the vault will only allow one
  person to have Write access to any one file.

part1.sldprt Write access for Buddy
part1.sldprt read access for everyone else
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Why is PDM better than saving files in a network
location?

• If you try to manage all old versions on a
  network manually, you will have a mess in short
  order, keeping this part with that assembly and
  the other drawing version

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Why is PDM better than saving files in a network
location?

• PDM applications generally do this by either
  renaming the file (so there are none of the
  conflicts in SolidWorks file references),
  separating files into different folders and / or
  using a database to assign an ID to files.

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Why is PDM better than saving files in a network
location?

• In the end, you wind up working on the files
  locally on your computer, which makes things
  faster.

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Why is PDM better than saving files in a network
location?

• not to mention real where used, BOM functions,
  search capabilities, reports, lots of stuff any
  engineering department needs which no manual
  system is going to provide for you.

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What are we talkin about here?

• PDM Applications fall into different types of
  categories

(bling) PDMWorks DBWorks
(bling-bling) Conisio
(mucho bling) SmarTeam ProductCenter
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What are we talkin about here?

• PDM Applications fall into different types of
  categories

PDM that runs without a database PDMWorks
PDM that uses a database (everything else)
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What are we talkin about here?

• PDM Applications fall into different types of
  categories

Not Multi-site PDMWorks
Multi-site (everything else)
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Heres the beef.

• PDMWorks Interface

Integrated In SolidWorks Task Pane
Integrated into the SW Open and Save Dialogs
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Heres the beef.

• PDMWorks Interface

Admin tool interface
In SolidWorks Explorer with eDrawings viewer
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Heres the beef.

• DBWorks Interface

In SolidWorks Task Pane, does not work in SW2007
yet
From Start menu, installed with all admin options
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Heres the beef.

• Conisio Interface

Windows Explorer interface
Workflow module interface
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Heres the beef.

• Conisio Interface

Assembly References showing Inventor files
SolidWorks Integration
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Heres the beef.

• Product Center Interface

Workflow module interface
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Screen shot from SmarTeam website
This should be saying to you Dassault / Catia
are deeply involved with SmarTeam
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SmarTeam is sold by IBM
This should be saying to you IBM is deeply
involved with SmarTeam
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Personal Experience

• The following is really just my opinion
• If you have fewer than 15 people, or have no IT
  department, get PDMWorks. Really.
• If you have fewer than 15 people, have IT
  support, and want to customize your PDM app, get
  DB Works.
• If your company aspires to big-time PDM, but
  cant afford it, get Conisio
• If your company needs Workflow, multi-site,
  customization, web interface, get Product Center

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Personal Experience

• The following is really just my opinion
• PDMWorks is simple to install and maintain
  (really)
• There is no database to maintain, install or
  license
• There is an API so some customization is possible
• Dont believe most of the negative stuff you hear
  on the newsgroup about PDMWorks
• Dont consider it if you need to do multi-site
  vaults

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Personal Experience

• The following is really just my opinion
• DB Works has an insanely loyal following
• It is not as easy to install / maintain as the
  acolytes would have you to believe
• Nor is it as easy to use as they say but it does
  look pretty powerful
• It doesnt appear to have an interface for use
  outside of SolidWorks
• It is reputed to be highly customizable
• Cost is within 1X of PDMWorks

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Personal Experience

• The following is really just my opinion
• Conisio is easy to use, but fast and loose on the
  administration
• Conisio was recently purchased by SolidWorks, so
  this might be the safest mid-range choice
• Works right inside Windows Explorer, and your
  Open / Save dialog, so it really is easy to use.

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Personal Experience

• The following is really just my opinion
• For higher end PDM with SW compatibility, I
  really recommend Product Center.
• I bought and implemented it in a previous life.
• Absolutely the worlds BEST tech support!
• This is not cheap software, but it is
  customizable with some programming experience.

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Personal Experience

• The following is really just my opinion
• If you are under duress from a larger company,
  you might consider SmarTeam, but it is hands down
  the worst PDM application I have worked with
• Worlds worst tech support
• Holds customers WAY back on SW releases
• Introduces lots of SW crash bugs
• Upgrades often require 30 days of consulting on
  site

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Final Recommendations
These numbers are estimates and personal opinion,
no scientific research has gone into this other
than my own personal experience with the products
and companies