Using IronCad in a collaborative setting

[bmckelvie]

I am starting a two person project where we will both be adding models to a main assembly on a network drive and want to avoid overwriting each others changes by accident.

 

The question is, has anyone ever used IronCad in a collaborative setting where more than one person is contributing to the model? If so how did you manage the models?

 

[tcooksey]

I am starting a two person project where we will both be adding models to a main assembly on a network drive and want to avoid overwriting each others changes by accident. 

 

The question is, has anyone ever used IronCad in a collaborative setting where more than one person is contributing to the model?  If so how did you manage the models?

37723[/snapback]

 

 

I have three seats of IC and we keep all of our project files on a shared network drive where any of us can work on the shared files at any time.

 

We typically do not make the files Read Only, as I might want to finish or rework a file that one of my employees started.

 

We usually save multiple files as we progress through a project;

 

PROJECT X-01.ics

PROJECT X-02.ics

PROJECT X-03.ics

 

Usually doing a SAVE AS, when we do a major design change, or if it has had several days of work.

If a file becomes corrupted or lost we don't lose too much, or we restore it from Carbonite.

 

I suppose you could have a READ ONLY folder and post files to there when you think you are finished.

You can always start a new file of revisions from that read only file, PROJECT X-04.ics, and save your own work to your own folder, then file it to your read only folder when you are done.

 

I think if you are just careful, and save multiple files as you go along, you should minimize any accidents.

Cloud backup and automatic drive backup also help minimize accidental deletion.

 

Good organization of your files is also a plus.

 

Does this help?

 

Troy

 

 

 

 

[bmckelvie]

Thanks, that is exactly what I am looking for, ideas on how to manage files when their is more than one person working on a project. We are planing on using the cloud based copy.com to back everything up, because it automatically makes a copy every time a file is changed so we can always go back and restore mistakes if need be.

Edited April 9, 2014 by bmckelvie

[Cary OConnor]

There are a couple of other ways as well but they may involve a cost. For example: If you are comfortable with a cloud based service, you could use something like GrabCAD workbench to upload and share files. This would keep revisions and users could view the files using their viewer. I believe this would work well for files without links (since I don't see the main assembly being updated in this process unless you manually put that in the standard practice working with the files).

 

Another option is an EDM system. This will manage the files and assembly structure with linked files better and you will have better visibility of who is working on what. These system may be more costly but work well. We have our own and a good Solution Partner version as well (http://www.ironcad.com/index.php/solution-partners-for-ironcad/ironcad-gold-solution-partners?id=102).

 

Another option is a SharePoint service. Although it doesn't know anything about the External Link structure, it would work good for revision control.

 

Those are just some thoughts. I would be happy to talk more details about these if you are interested.

 

Cary

[bmckelvie]

Thanks for the suggestions, they are all very interesting and I'm working my way through them. (I just signed up for grab cads free workbench trial to test it.)

 

The holy grail would be if we could both work on the same model in real time, but I'm sure that is still a little ways off. I found http://3drepo.org/ this morning, which looks very promising but is still in alpha.

[tlehnhaeuser]

Some input.

I have some customers working similar to Troy, the only difference is I tell them instead of making copies ( -1, -2, 3 etc..) I have them make backups ( -BU1, -BU2 etc.) And continue to work on the original file. What this does is allow any external links and drawings assocaitivity to be maintained better.

tom

[bmckelvie]

Thats a really good idea, I will use that

 

[ysinitsyn]

The main problem when using network drive for collaborative design by multiple people is:

Need to be always in touch with other. For example, you added several new parts in main assembly ("A" and "B") and saved it to server. At the same time, your colleague add to its copy of the main assembly another one new part - "C". This copy of assembly don't have your two parts. If the colleague save this assembly to the server, then the assembly will overwritten and will have only new part "C". This is a problem. All your work will be lost. For this case, for example, the PDM systems make the CAD document read only for others, when somebody opens it for editing.

Collaboration on the one assembly by several people is possible if you will use the technique top-down design, like skeleton models or master model.

In short, you create the main assembly as a template. Using sketches, points, axis, etc you mark the key dimensions of your design. Then spread, for example, copying the individual elements in a part or subassembly. And everyone works only with their files, filling their geometry.

http://grabcad.com/questions/top-down-asse...in-pro-engineer

http://www.cad-notes.com/master-skeleton/

http://www.mcadcentral.com/creo-tips-trick...t-n-models.html

Edited April 11, 2014 by ysinitsyn

[tcooksey]

Some input.

I have some customers working similar to Troy, the only difference is I tell them instead of making copies ( -1, -2, 3 etc..) I have them make backups ( -BU1, -BU2 etc.) And continue to work on the original file. What this does is allow any external links and drawings assocaitivity to be maintained better.

tom

37729[/snapback]

 

Yes that is a good idea.

We have had issues using linked parts from a master catalog ( getting accidentally changed or deleted ) and have not been able to use external links as effectively as we might.

 

Thanks Tom, always a wealth of good ideas!

 

Troy