Multi-user collaboration

I have only 2-3 users working on a project in the same facility
connected with a LAN, and we want to make sure we don't edit the same
files at the same time.

We've tried using Groove filsharing workspaces and CVS subversioning
software borrowed from the software development industry. Neither of
them are really made for this and so don't work too well.

I understand how to lock files, etc., but ideally I don't want to
load/save files from the web or a network drive because (I think) it
will always be slower than a local copy. How are people getting around
this?

 

PDMWorks is designed to solve these problems.

I worked for a company who tried to use CVS with SolidWorks it is a
complete waste of time. CVS does not work at all well with binaries,
it's great for programmers.

There are alternates other alternates to PDMWorks, check out the
SolidWorks partners for PDM systems.

John Layne
www.solidengineering.co.nz

 

Thought I'd put in a good word for Solidwork's built-in collaborative
tools.

We recently completed a project with 4 designers working simultaneously
on the one product, taking advantage of Solidworks' ability to
get/release write access to parts.

We needed to do a little extra set up to make it work (turn on
collaborative options, drag collaboration icons onto the standard
toolbar etc), and we needed to call each other frequently to say "can I
have write access to part x, which you have open".

We also did a couple of other things to make multi-user work less
complex, ie. we had one part containing central geometry such as common
axes etc that we would insert into the top of the feature tree of most
parts. Furthermore, most parts had a common "assembly origin" (much
the same as if you're designing a tail light, the part origin is
usually on the firewall of the car).

I liked the ability to reload changed parts as others were working, and
see their assemblies evolving alongside mine. I also like the ability
to hot-swap, meaning swapping parts with another designer to solve a
tricky area/detail, then swapping back to continue development.

There are all sorts of caveats, but the end result was a very rapid,
stable development. Sadly I think that ProE is far ahead of Solidworks
in this area, but there is still potential for creative Solidworks
users to achieve the same end goal - a collaborative project.

A quick word on network vs local part editing. We have a fast network.
It works. To be honest the slowest thing about working on Solidworks
models is the tiresome rebuilds.

Regards,

Anthony