Whats your logic behind your part numbers and drawing Numbers

[Nathan Feculak]

For some reason they don't have any system for part numbers at my work and I
want to start using them. How do you guys create your part numbers/drawing
numbers? Do you have any kind of logic behind your part numbers?
When naming your parts do you save the file name as the part number or a
Name(description)? Which way do you prefer?

 

[Art Woodbury]

For some reason they don't have any system for part numbers at my work and I
want to start using them. How do you guys create your part numbers/drawing
numbers? Do you have any kind of logic behind your part numbers?
When naming your parts do you save the file name as the part number or a
Name(description)? Which way do you prefer?

If the parts are just sequentially numbered, and there's no "system",
then don't change a thing. The company is already doing it the right
way. "Intelligent" part numbers *always* break down sometime. It's far
safer and simpler to have the part identified by a unique integer, and
then all the other "intelligence" is added in other fields within the
product database.

My preference for file names is to combine the part number with an
abbreviated descriptive name, as in: "12345 Focus Cam". That way, anyone
can find the part without even looking at custom properties.

Art W.

 

[Eddy Hicks]

I've had to define numerous part numbering systems and there are two *basic*
schools of thought. Categorized and plain incremental. Either system
involves at least part of the number being incremented for each new part
number taken. In the category system you create a more or less static
keycode that clues a person in to what type of part it is. A couple of
letters or numbers that mean something, as a prefix or suffix... 01 for
sheet metal, 02 for machined parts, etc. or A for Assembly, B for off the
shelf part... you get the idea. Combine that with an incremental number
controlled by a database and you're off. Depending on how you set up the
system, you could have A-12345 and B-12345 or A-12345 and B-12346. In the
old days this methodology was preferred because you could tell at a glance
what kind of part you were dealing with. People just felt more secure with
that immediate familiarity. I used to work with a lady who had literally
hundreds if not thousands of part numbers memorized. You could ask her for
a pn and she'd just know it, going back 15 yrs. She was amazing. But it's
likely she couldn't have done that without a mental pattern to the numbers.

The plain incremental number is just that... a number issued by a database
(or hand written ledger, eeek) that increments with each new part. There's
no built-in intelligence but in this day many people argue that you don't
need it. Since everything is pretty controlled by computers anyway, it
doesn't matter that 012345 is a sheet metal part and 012346 is a screw.
You'll likely be using a computer to utilize the number anyway and the
computer will show you what you don't know.

As for saving parts, etc... once a system has become a standard, you should
somehow link the part number to the file. Some companies insist on nothing
but the part number as the filename and to the engineer, this almost
requires a pdm system or something to manage. Other companies prefer the
part number combined with a description, rev level, etc. The sky's the
limit but whatever you do, create a standard and enforce it.


Hope this helps.

- Eddy

 

[Wayne Tiffany]

Here, there is a distinction between the SW part file and the manufactured
part. For a given project, I will put all my angle iron pieces in one part
file called "angles" and make each one a config. The reasoning is that
during a development period, things change, and by having them all in one
file, along with all of the base, stock sizes available, I can easily change
the size of an angle and still not have to update all the properties - they
come along with the original, base config for that size.

Then the identification of the part file is mostly irrelevant to the final
part number of each part inside - the part number is just a changeable
property that is determined by the sheet number on which the part is finally
detailed. And, this might change a few times before finishing it, based on
how the views fit. Therefore, I usually wait until all views are detailed
on a sheet to go fix the properties - that way I only do it once.

So, to answer your question, we assign part numbers based on the particular
job, not as standard, keep forever, part numbers. Most of ours are job
based, and therefore can change.

WT

 

[Brian Bahr]

I had the same dilemma my self. I am in a situation where I must
create p/n for both internal projects and external clients. The
system I used was originally developed for use with AutoCAD , but I
adapted it to SWX. One of the problems I had implementing p/n's was
that I am in a rapid prototyping environment where part life spans can
be measured in hours and there was just no time to keep proper rev
controls in development stage, even for parts that were actually
manufactured (the unforeseen curse of CNC ).

I assign all new parts the symbol:

YYMMDDxx.*


YY = last 2 year digits
MM = Month
DD = date
xx = AA - ZZ (ie the order AA, AB, AC...AY, AZ, BA, BB...) for .SLDPRT
and evil .DWG files. For .SLDASM xx = 01-99. This method ensures
that I will never run out of part numbers for 100 years (at least in
our size facility, maybe GM might need more, but were not quite there
yet ).

so for the 4th part created today it would be 040202AD.sldprt, or if
it was a one time job for a client I might call it 040202AD [Client
Name and maybe a description].sldprt

If you have say 4 separate draftsmen you might assign AA-CZ/01-25 to
one and DA-GZ/26-50 to the next etc. so you still don't overlap.


I still keep different large projects separated with a 3 digit prefix,
but instead of creating part 302-0054, it would just be part
040112AH.sldprt and I have Custom property where I define the project
number which would be 302 and have it appear in the title block on
prints.


-=BAHR=-
www.seclorum.us

 

[matt]

For some reason they don't have any system for part numbers at my work
and I want to start using them. How do you guys create your part
numbers/drawing numbers? Do you have any kind of logic behind your
part numbers? When naming your parts do you save the file name as the
part number or a Name(description)? Which way do you prefer?

I strongly prefer sequential numbers for the SW filename, and using the
description as a custom property. You can display the description in
addition to or instead of the filename in the assembly tree. This
particularly makes sense if you start using a PDM system.

The main reason for this is so you never get duplicate filenames. Dupe
filenames can be a real problem.

matt

 

[Count Zero]

====== 04003.10.001_partname =======

* partname is drawingname

04003 = project number (year 04 project 003)

10 = subcategory like testmodel (10), prototype (20), serie (40), final
production (80)

001-010 main assemblies
011-099 sub assemblies
101 - ... parts

We also use our revisions in the filename and use underscores to avoid blank
spaces:

04003.10.001_name_rev1.prt
04003.10.001_name_rev1.drw

 

[matt]

What happens when you have more than 10 main assemblies or 89
subassemblies?

What happens when you have parts or subassemblies that are shared by
multiple projects?

Avoiding spaces in the filename is generally a hold over from DOS days,
but is useful when typing in a filename to have Windows Explorer go to
the file. With filenames that long, you probably wouldn't get the the
"_" frequently.

Does the filename change when a part moves between "subcategories"?

I'm generally open to different ways of doing things, but the revision
in the filename is a big no-no. There are *way* too many implications
with that. Only with drawings is this workable, because drawings are
not referenced by other SW documents. For the same reason (renaming
referenced files), I wouldn't touch your subcategory scheme with a 10 ft
power cable.

These are fairly typical examples of why "intelligent" numbering schemes
are often problematic, but I have seen some "semi-intelligent" schemes
that made purely sequential schemes a little less harsh.

For example, a prefix before a sequential number might connote type of
part or document. Still, the types have to be pretty clear, so that
documents like schematics and nailboard diagrams don't get confused.

All that other info (job, customer, rev, etc) I generally like to put in
PDM or MRP, and can be used as custom properties in SW.


Anyway, I'd hate to see anyone else go through the headaches I went
through with the rev-in-the-filename bit.


matt

 

[Michael]

Anyway, I'd hate to see anyone else go through the headaches I went

through with the rev-in-the-filename bit.


matt

I'd be interested to hear about the problems you've had with
"rev-in-filename" .

We've been using it for ~2 years with no significant problems, and have
~1000 parts in the system. I'm curious if it's a problem of scale....

 

[Wendy & John]

..... When I started here the company had just changed over from random
part numbering to semi-intelligent numbering. A random system got out
of hand. How do you search for a drill used on a certain job? I can't
imagine trying to go through 16,000 random numbers to find what I am
looking for. In the database we can search by number or description.
This is where descriptive numbers are handy. If someone can't describe
a part very well, you can always search by its number.....

Our system works like this - say that I have a block that is numbered
82600159.
8= fabricated component
260 = block (or 307 would be a base, 266 would be a clamp...)
0159 = next available number
description would be: block, saddle block used on assembly 1234 for machine
5678

33555001 is a gun drill
3= perishable tool
35=drill
55=gun
001=next available number
description would include length, # of flutes, rh or lh, coatings, etc.

Whatever system you use, have the part numbers marked on the components
when they are made, so you'll know where to find the drawing.

Deb
________________________________________________________________


That is true: Placing part numbers on parts is a basic responsibility of
any company intending to maintain manufacturing control.

If anyone uses a numbering system such as above described, please note:

1.) A one-digit first field limits the system to only 10 posible classes;
fabricated component, perishable tool, etc. The system breaks down if
any new classes are invented. Also, if there are less than 10 classes,
10 million numbers will be skipped or unused in the database for each
unused number class.

2.) Inconsistent use of 2/3 digits in the second and third number fields
may lead to conflicting parts. Part number 33555001 could be a
3= perishable tool 35=drill 55=gun 001 =next available number
or it could be a
3= perishable tool 355=gage 5001 =next available number

The best case I have seen for strictly sequential database numbers was
a disastrous ''semi-intelligent'' system used by a San Diego voting machine
maker. Part numbers had letters and digits denoting tool versus product,
revision letter, analog versus digital, company division, other descriptors,
resulting in a 17-character number. Days were spent arguing about which
category to assign to a part number. There was a 2-week memo war and
management intervention over whether an alignment tool sold with a
machine was a tool or a product. Arguments over whether circuit boards
were analog or digital were never resolved.

Modern databases permit the opportunity to create extra descriptor fields
far more detailed than even the part name. This is where to look for
things.


John E. Ardans Bothell Washington
____________________________________________________________

 

[matt]

The problem with rev-in-filename is that we didn't have a squad of crack SW
users. They were more like just a squad of crack users. It is possible to
make it work, but you have to be very disciplined.

Every time you up-rev a part, you have to do a File-save-as with the
referencing documents open. Either that or be good with the Open dialog
References button or SW Explorer. If a part or subassembly is used in more
than one assembly or drawing, you have to do a where used search and then
have all of the referencing documents open when you save-as in order to
update all the links. The only way to do the where used is to use SW
Explorer, which only looks where you tell it, and is slow since it's
searching through files, not a database.

If you have in-context references, a single screw up could blast them all.
Same with split parts, base parts, etc.

We abandoned the system because people simply didn't understand how to make
it work. Had to go with a more reliable, less discipline intensive method.

We used the system for Acad drawings, where it worked well, but I think
it's a very unreliable method for SW. Eventually we went to a PDM system,
which just automates all the hard work of keeping track of files.

Can you describe how many people are working this way and how many changes
you make? Do people enjoy working that way?

matt

 

[Michael]

In the past, it's been just me in house, with perhaps 1 1/2 FTE worth of
contractors, primarily doing "project" oriented work.... One way I address
the problem is that the "released" parts and drawings are all in a read-only
directory, which pretty much forces the save-as....

we're on the cusp of expanding, which is why I was interested in your
experience. I'm very seriously considering going to a PDM system of some
kind BEFORE we add the 2nd seat...

makes the hire pretty expensive tho--$3k workstation, $6.5k new SW seat with
Office pro, $1.5k officePro upgrade for me, $2k new server to host the PDM
data, blah, blah, blah... I figure it'll be ~$15k before the new guy even
sits down. It's kept us with contractors longer than I'd like...

As for the "in-context" problem-- we have lots of parts that get used in
multiple assemblies, and as such I try pretty hard to avoid using in-context
relationships. We use them in initial development, but once the parts are
finalized I make a point of going thru and deleting the relationships.
Generally speaking, we put driven dimensions in the development model, and
then just make them driving in the released part. One of our ironclad rules
is that all released models must be fully defined and stand-alone--otherwise
unintentional changes are just to easy....

thanks for the feedback.

ps--the line about your squad of users is hilarious!

 

[matt]

"Deb Dowding" sez:

Matt:

You owe me a new keyboard. Thanks, you made my day.

Deb

I was going to say that some of bob z.'s sayings used to make me spray my
monitor with coke, but then I thought that references to coke and crack in
the same post would look suspicious.

If you soak your keyboard in parts degreaser, you won't have to worry about
the keys being sticky any more.

 

[Merry Owen]

If you are working with relatively small and flexible workforce, and don't
want to run a manual (hard copy or database) drawing register that you have
to look up and then enter the details into BEFORE you can even consider
creating your part/assembly/drawing, then I have found it best to use a
number based on the Date & Time e.g. for a part or assembly: 0702041018 -
widget (this is 7 Feb 2004 @ 1018 [use 24 hr time]) then a simple
description of the part/assembly. The discription at the end of the number
is to make it easier for you to find the part when opening it; whereas the
part or assembly number is simply the date/time code without the
description.

This system is easy for all users to follow, highly unlikely for co-workers
to create a widget at exactly the same time as you (if this is a concern,
add a single or dual digit 'user code'), does not need a register or
database.

The drawing number will be the same as the part/assembly number (auto
inserted by setting up your drawing template) - this way the part number
shown in the BOM is also the drawing number for the part.

You can explain this system to a new user (or to an outsource contractor) in
a couple of minutes.

To make the whole thing truely unique (in the event that other companies are
using the same system), you could also add a company/division code to the
number.

Merry

 

[Cam Jackson]

I'm a recent independent and need a numbering system for my own work. I
think this will work fine for me, along with the part/assy description on
the end.

Thanks Merry.

I guess you haven't out a way of generating this number automaticly when you
do a 'saveas'?

 

[Cam Jackson]

Opps..