Introduction to PDM using Vault integration

00:10

Welcome everyone to this introduction to Product Data Management.

00:17

Product Data Management comes down to three things: Data, People, and Process.

00:25

Data is all about managing the files and metadata that make up the source code for a product or project.

00:33

People is about the challenges engineering and non-engineering staff have while developing the product.

00:41

And process is about the challenges with maintaining standard procedures throughout development.

00:48

The capabilities of a PDM have to fulfill the needs at three levels.

00:54

At a user level, it must have a good search engine that enables you to easily find parts to be reused.

01:01

It must permit concurrent design and the use of files from a multitude of sources.

01:07

It must be able to track files' relationships and allow you to organize your projects.

01:14

At the process level, a PDM must provide the following functionalities: Publishing and viewing, content management,

01:22

lifecycle and revision management, approvals, and change management.

01:29

Finally, if used at an enterprise level, it must allow for advanced security settings, reporting functionalities,

01:37

web-based and remote access, multi-site replication, and the possibility to integrate other enterprise applications.

01:49

As you can see from the graphics, the traditional infrastructure of a PDM is that of client server,

01:56

meaning that the client application is installed on a user's desktop or notebook computer,

02:02

and that application connects to a server application to store and retrieve data and documents.

02:11

The Autodesk Vault family of products is a comprehensive PDM solution that allows you and your engineers to better manage your project,

02:21

product, and design data tracking during the entire development lifecycle.

02:28

So why do customers choose Vault as a PDM solution?

02:33

To start with, a PDM and the CAD applications connecting to it must be tightly integrated, which is the case with Vault.

02:43

The reuse of engineering knowledge is another aspect which Vault provides from its entry edition, i.e. Vault Basic.

02:52

Vault is also very easy to set up for connecting global sites using a variety of replication methods.

03:01

Finally, various options are available to connect Vault data to ERPs, CRMs, and other enterprise level data systems.

03:13

So let's look at these reasons one by one, starting with a tight PDM and CAD integration.

03:20

As you can see,

03:21

all the main products in Autodesk's range integrate with Vault via an add-in that is installed by the Vault client.

03:30

Vault also includes a synchronization functionality for transferring files to and from BIM 360 Docs and Fusion Team.

03:39

Finally, many non-Autodesk applications such as Microsoft Office,

03:44

SolidWorks and MicroStation benefit from an add-in to store data in Vault.

03:52

We move then to the reuse of engineering knowledge and the main functionality to achieve this is Copy Design.

04:01

Copy Design enables users to create new design objects by copying existing data within Vault.

04:10

Let's have a look at a short video that describes it better than just screenshots.

04:20

Autodesk Vault 2020 continues to improve copy design in Vault workgroup and professional,

04:26

directly in response to your feedback through the Autodesk community.

04:30

The quickest way to create a new design is to start with an old one.

04:35

Autodesk Inventors and Multi Document file structure adds complexity to copying designs.

04:41

Vault makes copying Inventor designs simple.

04:45

The Copy Design function in Vault 2020 has seen significant improvements both to the user interface and workflow.

04:52

The Copy Design function itself is now a modeless dialogue box,

04:56

allowing you to interact with the Vault client at the same time as copying a design.

05:01

In the main grid of the Copy Design dialogue, switch between tree, flat list,

05:07

and folder view or use the shortcut keys to quickly toggle between views.

05:12

You can now edit the new copy file name, folder name, or folder destination directly in the Copy Design grid,

05:20

or use Find and Replace to edit multiple entries at once.

05:24

When using a standard numbering scheme,

05:27

you can now add a numbering scheme column to the main grid and you'll see the new file name after you run the copy operation.

05:34

New in 2020 is the option to remove linked data, such as attachments and BOM objects, during the copy design process.

05:43

Additional options to check duplicate file names and folder permissions during the process of copying a design,

05:49

and limiting the copying of old versions makes it easier than ever to work fast while maintaining your company's data management standards.

05:58

Autodesk Vault 2020 continues to build on your feedback from Autodesk ideas, forums, and beta community with these usability improvements.

06:07

With the third reason of choosing Vault, we enter enterprise requirements.

06:13

Many enterprise level companies have engineering centers across multiple locations,

06:19

whether it be in the same country or on several continents.

06:24

When that is the case, requiring the users to connect to a single server isn't an option for performance reasons.

06:32

Replication allows the setup of a Vault environment which has two or more different locations that can even be in the cloud,

06:40

and users will not have to spend time downloading large CAD files across the wide area network connection.

06:49

Finally, Vault has several ways to include external users, such as providers or customers or non-engineers from your own company,

06:58

in the operational workflows.

07:01

This can be done using the Vault BIM client which connects teams through a web browser via your intranet and/or the internet.

07:12

Another way to include external and non-engineering users,

07:16

is to integrate Vault with the data and document management applications other departments use.

07:23

It could be the ERP used by your purchasing department, your marketing department's document management system,

07:31

or a PLM such as Fusion Lifecycle.

07:35

I hope this first presentation was informative about the Product Data Management capabilities of Vault's ecosystem.

07:43

I invite you to watch the next episode that we look at the various editions of Vault and what each can bring to your business.

07:51

Thank you very much for your time.