I was wondering; is it advisable (and if so, why) to allways have an “end” state for all your Vault files. Like normal part files and assemblies go trough under editing, waiting for approval, released for example. Also with some tasks like export when released.
But we have some client/project specific files like layouts, or some client side products that we engineer our projects around. Which never ever leave the under editing state.
It rubs me the wrong side a bit, but how do you guys do this?
We have a variable called ‘Item Type’ and the files you described are given the type ‘Reference Geometry’. These files transition directly from the initial state to the final state. Does everyone remember to transition them? No. But the option is there.
We design equipment for use in large industrial settings (power plants, refineries, etc). We often receive (or have to model) a lot of customer geometry to verify clearances for our equipment. All of this geometry, whether parts or assemblies is given the ‘Reference Geometry’ item type. Right now in our vault there are about 5000 files of this type. Only 700 of them have been transitioned from the initial state (CAD WIP) to the final state (APPROVED). They live in an ‘Engineering’ area of the vault that other departments don’t have access to, so they can’t really cause any issues. We also use very little in-context design so even if someone did modify these files, they wont break things.
Concept - Early concept models/drawings for devleopment and prototyping.
In Work - Work in progress to be released on an ECO.
In Review - Work in progress being internally reviewed for issues.
Approved - Review complete, waiting on final PDF generation.
Release - Released to engineering (Not necessarily manufacturing, that’s a whole other discussion.
Inactive - Parts that are replaced or retire but still needed for service replacements.
Obsolete - Not to be used, not under service or replaced due to safety issue.
Other states
Reference - Models used for reference that don’t have part numbers and don’t require revision control. Things like "Walls, floors, tools, etc. that we may need to show in our assemblies.
Cancelled - New files that were no longer needed but left in system for history.
Correction In Work - Model changes without an ECO, limited to ficing mates, adding configurations, etc.
Correction Review - Review of the correction to make sure users aren’t making changes they shouldn’t.
Thanks for the replies guys. Reference seems a good one for those components. And I think I’ll add a Layout Approved state for our layouts, perhaps I’ll have to monitor those. But there’s a chance we might migrate to a more PLM suite solution in the next two years. So.. I wouls like to have a have a state vs state rule when it happens. So when State X in PMD (read variable or custom property) then State y in PLM (whatever solution we get to use).