The Challenge
UCAP Power (formerly Maxwell Technologies) needed to integrate their PDM vaulting for CAD designs using Engineering Collaboration for an engineering and design team who only had experience with local and network-shared storage of design files. Zero Wait-State worked with engineers and the Agile admin team to develop a configuration for EC that augmented and supported the needs of the team. Capturing the required outcomes accelerated acceptance of the new tools and vaulting in Agile. As in many companies, there are a variety of Custom Properties in CAD files from different dates and through merger and acquisition history. UCAP Power needed to develop processes and tools to assist in the preparation and the ad hoc migration of existing design files from local drives and network shared drives into Agile, thus linking these various files to existing Part records in Agile. In addition, they needed to implement better access control and security management for Agile PLM. Roles and Privileges that were designed and deployed presented serious challenges in maintaining and managing user accounts. Finally there was a need to track and disposition quality defects and non-conformances to improve overall product quality.
The Solution
The Zero Wait-State team setup and configured Engineering Collaboration 3.3 for SolidWorks to work in harmony with the processes and needs of the team. We introduced SolidWorks Property Tab templates to easily update historic CAD files to have consistent Custom Properties and to ensure proper mapping to existing Item Records in Agile for ad hoc migration. We updated SolidWorks Part and Assembly templates to reflect the processes and practices across the team. These new templates were then used to enable new SolidWorks design models to be started in Agile Create window for full integration with PLM from their inception. Solution Pack PX was configured to enable synchronized attribute values, such as Descriptions, to automatically update from Item and Change Order records to the Design Folder and subsequently into SolidWorks Custom Properties.
The Benefits
With the help of ZWS, UCAP Power was able to benefit from a Central PDM vaulting for CAD files, resulting in reliable backups. In addition, Version and Revision history and control linked with their PLM change process. This empowered collaboration throughout the business process with access to PDF and 3D neutral files available to other teams without having to request these viewable files from the design team. It also simplified updating CAD files to enable ad hoc migration into Agile, improving consistency in CAD file Custom Attributes. The new templates that ZWS created enabled Agile start parts and ensured all users are leveraging the latest templates for new design files. With the Solution Pack PX the Revision controlled attributes updated automatically from Agile Change Order or Part record attribute edits to the Design Folder in Agile. Mappings from Agile to CAD enable these attribute edits to update the Custom Properties in SolidWorks. The bottom line for UCAP Power: greater visibility, fewer costly errors and faster innovation cycles.
The Challenge
After completing several earlier Agile PLM implementation efforts, Endress+Hauser (formerly Kaiser Optical) had reached a point where only incremental changes were being made. However, to handle specific technical challenges, outside advice and assistance were required.
The Solution
Zer Wait-State provided Endress+Hauser with regular access to our Agile PLM implementation specialist with both pre-arranged Q&A sessions and ad hoc support via email. The topics for sessions these ranged from workflow process refinement to SQL script development.
The Benefits
The flexibility of this approach was well suited to the needs of the Endress+Hauser situation, fulfilling the company's desire for both technical support and strategic partnership. All services were provided within a flexible, low-overhead T&M project.
