CAD Manager Survival Guide

Dassault Systmes SolidWorks Corp.

CAD Managers Survival Guide

Goals:

Discuss a wide variety of aspects that make up a CAD admin

Discuss methodologies and best practices

What we will cover:

Finding stuff & Resources Computers and maintenance Getting more from your users Automating the process

Wrap-up

FINDING STUFF

Finding Stuff Your Computer

Windows Desktop Search (WDS)

Part of Windows 7

Use it find anything (Windows feature, files, emails, etc.)

Save Searches (Favorites) Network drives

Finding Stuff - Internet

Web search

Great research tool

Search providers Google
Search Options vs. Advanced

Google custom search

http://www.google.com/cse/home?cx=016654033819968531575:onjqpwfe1ta

Bing (aka Live Search)

Bing custom search

SolidWorks Help
http://help.solidworks.com

SolidWorks Customer Portal - Login Language support (English, French, German, Italian & Spanish)

Improved account creation process

Account types:

Guest (no serial #) with limited access Full (entitled) tied to serial # with active Subscription Service

Common authentication (Customer Portal, Forums, Beta, ) Remember Me Forgot My Password Change under My Profile

Resources - SolidWorks Customer Portal

Links My Support

References
Downloads Community Discussion Forums My VAR News Top Solutions

www.solidworks.com/customerportal

Knowledge Base
Search the KB

Enter a phrase
Search tips Narrow results
Data Source

Product
Problem area and more

Knowledge Base
Phrase Filter By:

Source
Product Area Sub-Area

Tie it all together

Knowledge Base
View the details

Search again
Give us feedback Next Steps

Discussion Forums
Interact with other users

Ask questions
Give you opinion Answer questions

http://forum.solidworks.com

Finding Stuff

Best Practices / Standards

Templates, templates, templates SolidWorks Design Checker

CONFIGURING SOLIDWORKS

User Rights
Power User / Admin Rights for:

Installation Manager

Copy Settings Wizard

Conversion Wizard SolidWorks Rx Task Scheduler

Vista (User Access Control) (Control Panel Option)

Setting and Options

Why is this important? Configuration vs. Customization

DO NOT DEPLOY WITH DEFAULT SETTING!

Do not require users to setup SolidWorks Document Templates File Locations (Tools/Options) If you customized anything, move it

SolidWorks Options
Types

System Options Document Properties

System Settings

Windows registry Copy Settings Wizard

Document Properties

Templates File Locations

SolidWorks Settings
Where they are stored

Initial install

Regedit

How to handle

Copy Setting Wizard General and user based Share (consistency) New releases

System Vs. Document

Templates, templates, templates.

Saving and Sharing Settings

Copy Settings Wizard (sldreg) Define settings and share with other users

Personalize (User Interface)

Templates
Document Properties

Custom Properties
Save As Template File Locations

Custom Properties
Metadata

Why is this important

Uses

Downstream application Workflow automation

How to access How to setup

Toolbox
Toolbox settings App and Tools/Options Shared Toolbox Set it up

Define standards

Properties and PN#s

Setting Sizes Protection Etc.

Common Files
Toolbox and the Hole Wizard

Select a Common Files location

Standalone vs. shared Different version

INSTALLATION

Installation Rules
Backup setting, programs, etc. All customized files (Toolbox, templates, etc.) should be shared and on a network Make a list and check it twice (do it right the first time) Always uninstall the old version and finish the cleanup

Install directory, Windows registry

Do a new install instead of an upgrade

Default values should be reviewed/shared each release Use of Anti-Virus applications
www.solidworks.com/swexpress/pages/sep05/TT_System_Maintenance.html

Distributing Software and Updates

Individual install from CD

Easy, not scalable

Installation and are a manual process on each machine

Deployment Application

Cost, setup Full control over all application

Administrative Images

Installation and updates are on the server only Installation and updates can be done on the client machines via a link or web page (no user interaction)
Create the Admin Image Administrator 1st Install Link or HTML page to start install Client on link or HTML page to start silent install (1st time only) Configure the Admin image Determine deployment method Update Admin Image for Service Packs

Installation Manager
There are two parts; Download and Install Download

Downloads all the components Determines what have and what you need

Install

Handles pre-requites and multiple install automatically Can be use with Standalone and Admin image installs

Look at the defaults Set and download off hours

Administrative Images
Keys: Part of the Installation Manager for SolidWorks 2008 Push on 1st install only Updates only to server

Clients automatically updated

Define the SWOption.sldreg file before starting the Installation manager

DATA MANAGEMENT

Data Management
CAD data is highly valuable asset for your company

This is the data used to create, document, and design products

Data management is vital for protecting your companies data assets and insuring design control For large assemblies, local workspace is a must! How safe is your data?

Why do I need PDM?

Control your design, dont let it control you SolidWorks Reference Search rules:
1. Uses any open document with the same name. 2. Searches the first path that you specify in the Folders list in the File Locations Options dialog box. 3. Searches the path in Step 2 plus the last folder in the path where the referenced document was last saved. 4. Searches the path in Step 2 plus the last two folders in the path where the referenced document was last saved. 5. Repeats Step 4 until the full original path has been appended to the path in Step 2. 6. Recursively searches the first path in the Folders list, then recursively searches the path where the referenced document was last saved. 7. Repeats Steps 2 through 6 for the other folders in the Folders list. 8. Searches the path of the active document, then recursively searches the path where the referenced document was last saved. 9. Searches the path where you last opened a document, then recursively searches the path where the referenced document was last saved. 10. Searches the path where the software last found a referenced document. 11. Searches the full path where the document was last saved without a drive designation. 12. Searches the full path where the document was last saved with its original drive designation. 13. Allows you to browse for the document yourself.

SolidWorks Data Management

Global Product Lifecycle Management

Enterprise Data Management

Workgroup Data Management

Personal File Management

COMPUTERS

Computer Configuration
RAM lots of it!!!!!!!! Operating Systems

3GB mode X64 vs. 32 bit Win 7 / Vista / XP

CPU Type and Speed Disks (speed, type, RAID) Video Cards Quality and type of hardware

Computer Configuration
Creating a Consistent Platform

Configure
Best practices (SWAP, contiguous , disk space, defrag, etc.) Test

Image
Updating (SUS, Auto Updates)

Application Delivery

Options Advantages

Forklift Test

Disaster recovery

System Restore

System Requirements & Graphics Cards

System Requirements & Graphics Cards

http://www.solidworks.com/sw/support/videocardtesting.html
Graphics Cards

Certified vs. Tested System vs. card driver Check all settings

Anti-Virus

Why its important Performance Turn off during install (not) Exclude SolidWorks documents

Network
Network Server Test and measure

How to Display Performance Logs as HTML Files

http://www.microsoft.com/serviceproviders/support/perfmon.asp

How to Use Network Monitor to Capture Network Traffic

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb%3Ben-us%3B812953

System Maintenance
Sharp end of the Windows stick

Treat your tools well (preventive maintenance)

Why

Reliability

Stability
Performance

How

Disk Defragmenter Clean-up SolidWorks Rx System Mechanic

Computer Benchmarks
Benchmarks

Performance Test (Passmark)

Anna Woods
SolidWorks Benchmark Windows Experience Index

Computer Benchmarks
SolidWorks Performance Test Share your Scores

TROUBLESHOOTING AND SOLIDWORKS RX

Reporting Issues
Why report issues? Performance logs

SolidWorks Rx

SolidWorks Rx Files

Software Tools
Diskeeper

Free vs. commercial application

System Utilities

Ace Utilities http://www.acelogix.com (Bad registry, temp files, etc.) System Mechanic
http://www.iolo.com/sm/freeapp/systemcheckup.aspx?brand=Default

Process Monitor (SysInternals)

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/default.aspx

Summary Know whats out there (resources) Be proactive Plan for success Support, expectations, and metrics

Questions