Have you ever been confused about when to create a new version of your part or when to add a new revision? Is your company looking for a way to centralize and manage revision control? Read on.
Managing CAD files is different from managing other types of data for a lot of reasons, and one reason why is the need for both version and revision control. In fact, one of the main reasons companies adopt a PDM/PLM system is to make sure that versions and revisions are managed properly. This post will provide a quick overview of why versions and revisions are important (and different from each other) then suggest some ways to manage them.
Version, revision, potato, potaato
First, let’s get our terminology straight. Versions and revisions sound similar but mean different things. First, versions - most CAD data management systems (like our own GrabCAD Workbench) enable you to “check in” files and create a new version each time. A new version number indicates an update to the file.
Revisions are more significant - a revision communicates that a milestone of some sort has occurred. Revisions are typically designated by adding a suffix to the part number - Part 122038 Rev A, for example. For people other than the designer, revisions are typically much more important than versions, since they communicate something about where the part is in the process.
Probably the most common use of revisions is to make it clear what version of a part should go to manufacturing. A part is often marked as Revision A the first time it is ready to go to tooling. Rev B would be the next major milestone that Manufacturing needs to know about, generally a change that requires a tooling change. A revision number appended to the part number makes that clear. Because a revision reflects a decision by a human (i.e. “This is ready to be manufactured”), revisions are generally designated manually.
So how do companies handle versions and revisions?
It typically depends on how the team manages CAD files, which in turn tends to depend on the size of the team. Here are some popular choices with their pros and cons (only with respect to version and revision control).
No revision control process
If your team has only one or two people, versions and revisions are typically a manual process at the discretion of the engineer. The designer simply adds a version or revision number to the part number or file name. They may store old versions in a separate folder.
Pros:
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No cost for extra tools
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No time spent managing process
Cons:
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May not be possible to “roll back” to a previous version if an error occurs
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No ability to control who can set revisions
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No ability to publish a specific revision to partners
Manual revision control: File sharing service (Dropbox) or shared file server
Small teams try to keep things simple by using one file sharing tool for all their data - photos, text files and CAD files. Often they choose Dropbox for it’s ease and low cost or a shared file server because it’s already there. Dropbox automatically creates file versions but doesn’t have any sort of revision control process and wasn’t created to handle CAD files, while a shared file server may be backed up (depending on IT support) but typically has no version control other than the snapshot created by the backup tool.
Pros:
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Low cost compared to other options
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Simple user interface
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Already used by many consumers
Cons
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No ability to designate revisions other than by changing file name
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No ability to control who can set revisions
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No ability to publish a specific revision to partners
Partially-automated revision control: Workbench or other cloud-based PDM tools
As organizations grow they find that they need more complex design and release processes as well as a consistent version and revisioning system. These companies have access to tools that enable the version and revision control they need without the cost and process of more complex tools. For example, GrabCAD Workbench tracks each version a user checks in, enables any user to restore a previous version, and allows a user to designate any version as a new revision.
Pros:
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Low cost compared to other options
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Archive and restore for all versions
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Ability to designate specific version as a revision
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Available on any device as well as to trusted users outside the company
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Able to publish a specific revision to partners
Cons
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No ability to create complex workflows for revision approvals
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Limited integration with ERP and other systems
Fully automated revision control: Traditional PLM/PDM software
Once an organization has dozens of engineers making changes to a CAD model they may invest in a traditional Product Data Management (PDM) or Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) system. These systems offer the greatest level of sophistication and control when it comes to versions and revisions. PDM/PLM systems offer a fully controlled process that enables specific people to perform specific actions with respect to versions and revisions, as well as providing workflows to route files to certain people for approvals and integration with systems like ERP.
Pros:
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Archive and restore for all versions
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Ability to designate specific version as a revision
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Integrates revision process with ERP and other systems
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(Sometimes) Ability to control who can set revisions
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(Sometimes) Ability to control process of revision approval and release
Cons
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Very expensive compared to other options
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Complicated to install and configure
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Requires ongoing IT support and maintenance
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Sometimes cumbersome for end users
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Files generally only available to paid users
How do I choose?
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution for version and revision management. The process that works for a Fortune 500 company would completely crush a small company, while the flexibility of loose revision control that works for a small company would create chaos at a large one. The key to selecting a process (and a tool to implement it) is to start by understanding your needs. Answer the questions below before you start - the more “yes’s” you answer, the more complex your needs are.
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Do I have multiple people creating and updating CAD files?
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Do I need robust version backup and restore?
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Do I need a formal revision control system?
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Do I frequently need to allow partners or suppliers to see specific versions or revisions?
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Do I frequently need to control who can create versions or revisions?
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Do I frequently need to support automatic workflows that route revisions for approval?
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Do I need my revision process to integrate with ERP or other systems?
Scoring (Each “yes” = 1 point)
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0 points - Probably no need for a version or revision system
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1-2 points - Manual revision control sounds about right - check out Dropbox
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3-5 points - Partially automated revision control is probably a good fit - look at Workbench
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6-8 points - Fully automated revision control may be right for you- investigate PDM/PLM tools
Conclusion
There are more choices than ever for companies looking for robust CAD revision management. Make sure that you take the time to understand your process and needs before committing to an approach, and make sure the tool you use supports your process. Good luck!
Did we miss any key concerns or options? Did your score surprise you? Let us know in the comments.
