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Why Onshape Documents Make You More Productive on the Manufacturing Floor
John_P_Desilets
Onshape Employees, csevp Posts: 235 
For this forum post, I’m sharing a Public Document showing how Onshape can store and manage a manufacturing project. This example also contains a PDF that was pushed to the Document through an add-on. Created by @lougallo, this add-on is designed for users to include information such as setup sheets, pricing guides, project details and more directly into an Onshape Document. This will be covered more in detail.
Onshape Public Document:
The shared example is a common manufacturing project that would traditionally be broken out into several different file locations. This type of project can be very difficult to manage in traditional file-based systems. If a user on the shop floor needed to view a portion of the project, they would need to search through the network to locate the information. In most cases, they will find several copies and iterations of the project and need to sift through them to find the correct version. In manufacturing, you may have several operations and processes needed to manufacture a single part. Managing all this data is tedious and involves many copies (OP 1, OP 2, and so on). All of these operations are stored on the network or a local drive as a copy. In most cases, the setup person will need to access this information to be as efficient as possible when machining the part.
How can you manage this better? Onshape! Since Onshape is professional CAD and PDM built into one, you can organize an entire manufacturing project and CAD data into one single location. With this project-level container, you have the ability to not only version control the CAD data, but also your manufacturing process data through versioning and branching.
For this project, I created the following:
A manufacturing assembly and work holding device.
The part, stock, and all associated drawings.
The tooling information and 3D models for G-code simulation.
The Mastercam file used to create the tool paths.
The posted G-Code file, and;
A video of the Mastercam toolpath simulation.
Onshape PDF Add-on
The first tab in the Document is a setup sheet called “Onshape Cover Sheet.” This was created in Google Docs as a template and was pushed into the Onshape Document through an add-on. In this example, the purpose of the add-on is to allow you to update your setup sheet as the project evolves with one click. The add-on also allows you to create a QR code from a URL automatically. This add-on is unique and is currently still pending further development. We are looking to generate interest before releasing it to the Onshape App Store. If you think this add-on would be useful to you, please let us know. We’d appreciate your suggestions and feedback.
PDF Example In Detail
The “Onshape Cover Document” utilizes hyperlinks to navigate between different tabs in the Onshape Document. The example sheet also contains QR codes that are tied to tabs in the Document as well. This allows anyone to navigate through the Document quickly by clicking on a link or scanning a QR code. If you are on a tablet, you can easily press on a link and be brought right to the tab. If you have a printed copy of the setup sheet, you can scan the QR code on any device and be brought right to the Onshape Document tab as well. The best part about all of this is that it is secure! Only users who you have shared the Document with will have access. This gives the shop floor setup person the ability to scan the code and locate the information they need quickly, efficiently, and securely. As long as the PDF document is up to date, the setup person will always have access to the latest version.
Multi-Company Collaboration
I originally designed this project for a demonstration to show multi-company collaboration. From part design to manufacturing, the demo story goes as follows. I am a job shop manufacturing company with many CNC machines in house. My customer, Saulin Industries, has shared a document with me with a part to produce. I am able to communicate directly with my customer through Onshape to discuss project details. We can exchange information such as scheduling, quoting labor cost, or just general questions regarding the process. After the Document is shared with me, I can tie the part into my process for the manufacturing. Since we are sharing the Document, if my customer pushed an update, I am able to see a newer version is available and can version my workflow as needed.
On my end, playing the role of the manufacturer, I need to choose my approach on how to produce the part. This approach includes what work holding device to use, the stock size, the CNC machine appropriate for the part, and programming the tool paths in CAM. When I am done producing the tool paths, I can load the CAM project into the Onshape Document to store in a version or branch. Now I have the entire manufacturing project in Onshape and can share this out to the shop floor for production. If an update is pushed from my customer, I am able to see this change and adjust my manufacturing project to suit. To do this, I can create a version or a branch and adjust my project to manufacture this part in the same workspace. I will need to update the CAM project in Mastercam and after that is complete, I can load the new CAM project into the version or branch of Onshape that I just created.
CAM Project Version Control
For version controlling the CAM project, I simply made a branch for OP1 and OP2 and loaded the corresponding CAM project into that branch. OP1 to branch OP 1 SIDE A, and OP 2 to branch OP 2 SIDE B. This is the beauty of a built-in PDM system!
In summary, this example not only highlights how Onshape is able to help your design process, but also show how to store all the manufacturing data into one central location. From the part design to the manufacturing process, your Onshape project container (or Document) helps keep your workflow current and transparent to your entire team. With the aid of an add-on, you have the opportunity to include crucial project data unique to your workflow directly into Onshape. From setup sheets to pricing guides, an add-on may be an excellent complement to your workflow. Any comments and suggestions are welcome.
Comments
I'll have to have a play. I am after a graphical way to link my documents and share info.
May take a little time to digest.
Bruce
Twitter: @onshapetricks & @babart1977
Twitter: @onshapetricks & @babart1977
It is not available as of yet. It's just a prototype. We are looking to generate more interest before making it official.
Twitter: @BryanLAGdesign
Twitter: @BryanLAGdesign
Twitter: @BryanLAGdesign
Great job
We are currently installing KeyedIn as our manufacturing ERP. Their factory floor interface runs on an iPad, so I can see how this (and OS) would integrate well with that.
In other words, I really like this.
Attached is a sample interactive .pdf that I created for a work order. Right now it is crude. I need to learn more about the version history commands in Onshape to group everything better. I would also set up a google sheet for QC inspection sheet. And I need to figure out how to center the links on the image. Right now you need to click at the bottom of the image to activate the link. And a lot of the docs or sample images I found on the internet (these would be replaced with the real thing once in use).I wanted to get it done to prepare to share it with the company brass on Monday and of course with the Onshape community.
Through basing on your example I made a one stop file that can be stored locally on our server, and when opened direct everyone on the shop floor where to get the necessary information in order to create the part and log in time and other information as well. Give me some feed back.
I also came to the conclusion that the .pdf is best opened in Google Chrome so the links stay active.
Once again thank you for the inspiration of your work.
Twitter: @BryanLAGdesign
Twitter: @BryanLAGdesign
Including google docs is a good thing and I can see myself using that too, but in the end I would like to access design data directly from orderline or product in erp. At some point I will try to put some more thought on this and begin development for our own use. At first, I need to standardize our design process that has changed a lot with with Onshape and all updates giving more possibilities. After configurations I should be able to figure out the process.
What do you guys think? Does your company rely on spreadsheets or do you have erp/mrp II?