PMI Assemblies

Now that we have defined the original use of PMI they have to replace the assembly AID (drawing) and follow suit with the PMI as the device.

As you can see below there is no reason to deliver a 3D model for this. The total purpose of a PMI is to deliver the model and documentation in one file. An assembly is so much different and only complete ignorance would overlook this one obvious FACT.

How do you release this file? It is not the native assembly file. No one would leave the file in a exploded format? So they has to be saved in a special format. How? Solidworks has an separate part and assembly files. If you are an experienced Solidworks user think this through. I am sure Oboe hasn't.

This is very important!!

Those that are assembling the parts have all the parts in front of them. They hardly need a 3D model to work with!



That, of course, is the obvious reason we don't need the 3D model but there are others.

1. You do not want to release a 3D assembly for proprietary reasons. A supplier has all of your IP (Intellectual Property) in one file?

2. You have to view the PMI directly, so you will need a computer with the native CAD system or viewer. No, we will not use a tablet. A well defined schematic assembly AID delivered as a PDF is all they need.

Large companies have planning departments that generate planning orders. These may be assembly instructions. Now manufacturing may go to the native assembly file and generate a planning assembly document, but it will be in the form of an easy to use AID PDF.

So the in-house manufacturing planning would go to the released assembly AID PDF and get the reference assembly file from the CAD system. The released assembly AID PDF would be used by other departments for purchasing purposes and future engineering reference. It is a much more user friendly format only requiring an Adobe Reader.

How would manufacturing planning access the native assemblies?

The optimum release would be in a single file. Sadly, that is the limitation of the Pro/e paradigm it demands that all parts are referenced. But we really want to break that associativity with the release assemblies. No one has thought of this due to the limitation of this incredibly dated 3D CAD paradigm with separate part, assembly and AID.

IronCAD or ZW3D can read the native Pro/e clone file into one file. Imagine how much easier that would be to create the necessary assembly instructions. ZW3D even has an integrated AID allowing complete projects to be in one file. This solves much of the PDM problems for manufacturing.

Checking, Design Review, Manufacturing and Data Extraction!

Here is an assembly AID PDF. It takes less time to generate than the above PMI.



I really laugh at putting a Parts List (No I will not call it a BOM) in 3D space.

PL or BOM?

Now Oboe calls the Parts List "The Bill of Materials (BOM) Table". It is bad enough to call the Parts List a BOM, but a table? You just have to shake your head.

BOM was an architectural purchasing document in the past. You can see how the PLM folks would get confused. But a Parts List, never mind, do I really have to define it. LOL

Don't they have any engineering professionals a Solidworks? I am available for consulting with 54 years design drafting experience. Remember draftsman were the engineering documentation experts. Drafting was in charge of "ALL" documentation. That is why I laugh at this complex convoluted process designed by those that have never even worked as a design engineer or draftsman.

I know I am going to get in trouble for this, but it seems the higher the college degree the further from the workaday engineering world they are. I never saw one MSME or PHD in any drafting room. An engineering degree does not prepare the engineer with the required knowledge of engineering documentation. In the past the young engineer was thrown on the drafting board under the wing of seasoned draftsman.

The Death of the Draftsman or “Where has all the talent gone?”

Educating the New 3D CAD Engineer

Should the New 3D CAD Engineer Learn Drafting?

In ZW3D or IronCAD, the native assembly comes into a single file. So much easier to work with especially for tooling or final assembly planning. These two programs offer a much more usable process.

3D CAD Single Model Design Environment



So there you go.

The PMI Assembly is a true waste of time and poor engineering documentation. 

"You cannot base your engineering deliverable
 on the native CAD file!"

If Oboe, others at Solidworks and probably the rest of the popular CAD vendors had professional engineers or draftsman on staff they would not come up with such silly unworkable solutions. This article was probably not even written by Oboe.