Hello
I want to create a part that will be used in several assemblies, on the other hand if I need to modify it during the life how can I be alerted that it is used in other assemblies and especially which ones?
To explain a little more:
I'm looking for a solidworks or PDM way (without the need to use it), which when I modify this part, first I have an alert that it is a part used in several assemblies and that second I am informed of the assemblies concerned by this modification of the part.
Thank you for your help.
Cdt
Fred
Hi Fred,
It seems to me to be a really ambitious way to use Solidworks and/or any other CAD software... especially if you don't want to use the PDM use case. (By the way, out of curiosity: why?)
Maybe with a modified macro that allows you to "unlock functions" and then check the database to alert you to use cases.
However, I see 2 or even 3 constraints:
- You have to think about blocking the functions on each 3d model when the design is finished
- It seems to me to be a bit cumbersome to set up
- (or not) ... Is it technically possible?
Otherwise, there is the "WhereUsed" of myCADtools which seems to work well. But I don't feel like that's what you're looking for
So, I'm for my personal culture 
2 Likes
Hello, being a PDM user I don't know of a solution to achieve your goals (maybe a more seasoned admin will find you a solution). Maybe a ticket to the hotline to ask them if it's feasible.
Then in the PDM in the "used in" tab you can see very quickly the assemblies in question.
And if you have an ERP in your company, maybe you can have this information directly and can serve as a checklist so you don't forget some.
Hello
It all depends on whether your piece comes from a library or from a pack and go.
In the 1st case just a right click rename should tell you where it was used (without validating the renaming)
If it is the 2nd case the part with the latest update will not be reflected on the other projects / assemblies, and in this case it is up to you to see if the modifications should apply or not; (simply that the 2018 project is very good as it is for example after day with revisions specific to each project)
As a matter of principle I prefer to use the project therme than the assembly, based on the principle that there can be several assemblies in a project, well ok we can talk about sub-assembly too. 
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There is no reliable way in my opinion (other than PDM) to tell where the coin is used and where.
Whereused for me might do the trick on a low base, but if too important it will surely start to lag. (for having tested very quickly, I quickly forgot about it)
By force of circumstances, for me, we must therefore proceed in the opposite direction.
If you start from a project that has already started, make the project read-only (parts and assemblies) so as not to modify a part that has already started.
If a coin is modified either index or new coin from it with save-under.
If needed as we macro index with original piece of a certain color (dark green for us) and description replaced by and the new index.
This allows when you open an old assembly (for copying or other):
1- To have it as it was when it was launched.
2- to visualize very quickly all the assemblies or parts indexed (in dark green) and to replace if copy by the new version.
Without PDM, it's the only method we've found to have the assembly as it was and visualize the parts to be upgraded.
It is quite simple to implement but requires a certain rigor.
2 Likes
Hello
Natively, there is no such alert in Solidworks PDM or Solidworks for that matter.
On the 3DExperience platform, joker but I think it's the same.
The only way is to use the "use case" functions to identify who is impacted.
Then there are the macros using SW events and PDM features to create this alert but it seems much more complex to me than making a simple use case.
Otherwise, another possibility, manage on Excel with a macro that queries the use cases via PDM.
1 Like
Hello @fred
Personally I don't understand why you don't want to use PDM use cases.
It is precisely done to allow this kind of problem to be managed.
The only limitation of the native use case tool in PDM is that it can't find anything when the use case is in a virtual assembly.
We made a special request in the report generator to find the use cases in the virtual assemblies (NB: unfortunately it was not 100% reliable in the 2015 version because EPDM sometimes bugs on some virtual subassemblies: they don't consider them. On a more recent version I don't know if EPDM still makes this kind of oversight)
1 Like