This is a release we at InFlow have been looking forward to for a while. SolidWorks Corporation today unveiled PDMWorks Enterprise 2008. SolidWorks has done a great job of listening to what is going on in the field and improving an already strong product. We will be talking about the specifics as time goes on, but to give you a taste of whats new ...
Improved support of SolidWorks Configurations
This has gone from a weak spot for PDMWE to a true strength. The new version allows access to the structure of each configuration without launching SolidWorks. This information can also be used to create reports and BOMs.
Better control and management of Bills Of Materials(BOMs)
Multiple BOMs now be created for for an assembly. For example, you can have a separate BOM for as designed, as Manufactured, as Serviced, etc.
BOMs can be routed through work flow. This allows you to route them for approvals or distribution and more.
Using the PDMWE, multiple people can review and edit BOMs without installing SolidWorks. This allows non CAD users contribute to the BOM creation process.
BOMs can now include units of measure.
Improved Connectivity to External Systems
Many companies we talk to put integration to external business systems (ERP) high on the list of priorities. PDMWE 2008 makes a bigger piece of this task a configurable tool rather than a customization. Communication can be triggered manually, or via a work flow. Communication is done via XML files. This process is bi-directional. As an example, this capability can be used to send BOM information to your ERP system and get costing information pushed back into PDMWE.
Improved replication across multiple sites
PDMWorks Enterprise 2008 features faster, more powerful replication of design files across distributed organizations. It optionally replicates only the latest version of design files for faster, less processing-intensive downloads. New capabilities enable design engineers to easily find the current version of any part or project, eliminating confusion and errors.
Other improvements:
- Improved foreign language support
- Performance improvements
There is a lot more to discuss. More to come.
