The functions of PDM Studio

The automation of recurring processes relieves your employees of tedious routine tasks, prevents manual errors, creates open spaces and thus increases efficiency and quality.

This module has enormous potential for time savings through possibilities such as the automated filling of properties such as part numbers, the provision of neutral formats such as PDF, Step or DXF, convenient copy assistants, the control of printing and plotting jobs or a time-controlled provision of data. Another feature is sheet metal part and production list management.

All content is customisable and can be put together graphically without programming skills. No expert skills required.

All types of documents (CAD, Office, images, etc.) can – even depending on the type – be divided into freely definable lifecycle phases such as ‘in processing’, ‘in review’ or ‘release’. Each document has its precisely defined status and is monitored throughout all lifecycle phases.

PDM Studio also supports the user with a system-supported and secure release process. Access for specific users is controlled based on their document status. Plausibility checks ensure the quality of documents to be released.

Find out whether and where a component is used. This allows you to estimate what effect a change will have and to decide whether you can continue to develop the component in a compatible fashion or whether the modified component should be further kept on file under a new number. This feature has a great optimisation potential. Easily integrate the existing libraries or create the new ones with little effort. Use the classification tools of PDM Studio and quickly access standard parts via a list of characteristics.

PDM Studio documents all past document states. Earlier versions can be accessed at any time, including their life cycle phase and any existing comments. For example, it is possible to quickly and conveniently determine the condition in which a component was installed at a particular point in time. The mapping of comprehensible and consistent revision history is particularly important for professional quality management. PDM Studio provides wizards for this purpose and enables selective revision even within complex structures.

Each document may include additional information such as supplier specifications, manuals, images or emails. PDM Studio allows you to link all related documents together. All relevant information can be viewed at a glance.

PDM Studio can manage not only CAD and CAM data, specifications, change requests, parts lists, etc., both centrally and in relation to each other. The key features and data of PDM Studio can also be integrated directly into the Edit panel of your Office applications such as Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF.

With this function, all information belonging to an article/item can be grouped - whether CAD data, PDFs with specifications, Excel spreadsheets, images or documentation. The master data of the article / item (e.g. article / item number, description, in-house/external production) is also recorded, so that users have all relevant information quickly at hand. Of course, a synchronisation with the ERP system is also possible.

You can assign a document in PDM Studio to any number of articles / items: This is advantageous if, for example, you use one and the same manual for several articles / items. It avoids redundancies and significantly reduces the time required for updates. You can also assign an article / item status (available, blocked, invalid, ...) to categorize your articles/items and handle processes transparently.

Documents used in several projects often produce redundant data. PDM Studio prevents this by providing a project and folder structure that can be used for repeated storage of documents, even though this is the same document. This combines the filing structure learned by many users with the clarity of a document.

Search for master data directly in PDM Studio using your geometric data. Find out whether this component already exists in the same or similar format and take advantage of the resulting benefits:

• Avoiding duplicates reduces administration costs and effort.
• Better use of the existing data increases productivity.
• Reduced component diversity reduces costs.
• Combining the same or similar parts in production or procurement improves the cost structure.

The so-called PartKeeper can be used to export filter results for certain documents to Excel. Their metadata can be conveniently edited and supplemented there. By re-importing the information, even bulk data is quickly and easily updated in PDM Studio via batch processing. PartKeeper is also available as a separate tool if mass data is to be optimised before it is imported into PDM Studio for the first time.

Drawing numbers or names can be assigned in PDM Studio according to definable rules. This ensures consistent and unambiguous nomenclatures. The requisite data and rules may consist of:

• Mandatory fields that require data input
• Data that is automatically generated by the system, e.g., the user who creates the document
• Permitted selection lists of predefined terms
• External programmes such as data transfer to an ERP

PDM Studio can be set to different languages:

• Chinese
• English
• French
• German
• Polish
• Portuguese
• Spanish

Additional languages can be added very easily with translation tables. This means that PDM Studio can be quickly and easily adapted to local conditions and user acceptance increases considerably.

This module is based on the Microsoft .Net standard and can be programmed with the "Visual Studio" development environment. Functional upgrades can thus be implemented quickly and easily according to individual customer requirements. Low adjustment costs over the entire term lead to a high level of investment security.