Need Managment Help

[rodbuilder]

I am an have stepped into a big jumbled up mess and I need some help. The company has 8 AutoCAD users on 2010 to 2000 and we have a mess with our drawings. We design custom material handling products and most jobs have 5 to 30 dwg files. Each job has a searies of units labeld A1, A2, A3, ...ect and the details for each unit would be A1-1, A1-2, A1-3, ...ect. One person may be working on A1 series while someone else works on A2 series. Let say unit A1 and Unit A3 connect together. One person will take the connection drawings say A1-3 and A3-5 and work on them and correct the fit. The problem is that now there are usually 3 computers with the same drawing number and revision on it, but they have different information and drawing in the file. I need some sort of software so that all our drawings will be located on a server hardrive and have to be checked out to be worked on, such as library style. What is out there for this, will vault work for me or do I need to look elsewhere? I want everyone to be able to view all the drawings, but not change the drawings unless they are checked in or open for editing. Is this clear?

[ReMark]

I think you're referring to engineering document management software.

[rodbuilder]

That could be what I am looking for, it sounds right.

[Ryder76]

Autodesk has a software called Productstream that is a revision control/management software. Vault is not a software for revision control.

[rodbuilder]

I really think I don't need revision control because each revision is a separate doc. "A1-1 rev1.dwg" is then saved as "A1-1 rev2.dwg." this will not change because this is the way the owner wants it.

[DANIEL]

I suggest setting up a server for your drawings and then require people to work from the server.

[ReMark]

Take a look at this (re: EDMS):

 

http://www.acssoftware.com/

[JoeC]

I suggest setting up a server for your drawings and then require people to work from the server.

 

 

I think Daniel may have the best suggestion, and it wouldn't require the use of another software.

 

We have our drawings on a server, and you are notified if someone else has the drawing open...read only status when opened...same as any other file.

 

This sounds like it would be a good use of Xrefs for each user to be working on their portion and put the drawings together to show their interaction, no?

[DANIEL]

This sounds like it would be a good use of Xrefs for each user to be working on their portion and put the drawings together to show their interaction, no?

 

 

yes, that what we do and what I would suggest. I would caution against using embedded references however.

[anna575]

Hey, I think engineering document management software is good for you. I also need this software. People rquires this type of software. I agree with your nice suggestion. I learned a lot of things about Software. Well Done...