Welcome to my blog, my name is Tim Webb.

I need to clarify the title a bit. I am an Enterprise PDM administrator, VB.Net programmer, and Mechanical Design Engineer.

Enterprise PDM is an Enterprise level data management solution. You can read more here: Enterprise PDM

Many use the acronym EPDM when referring to this software.

I began developing with this software in 2006 after stumbling onto it when one of my mechanical design packages had mismatched REVs from the machine shop and 2 of the SolidWorks part models were simply gone. Missing! MIA! What?!

EPDM to the rescue.

The good news:
EPDM was implemented and within 4 months our engineering data was cleaned up.

The not so good news:
A majority of the industry has unfortunately limited the scope of EPDM to Engineering. An engineering solution. Let’s be honest, as engineers we usually cry out for a solution like this after our designs need configuration management, REV control, version management and history, or as in my case, lost designs or drawings.

I get that but I have always questioned “Why did the developers title this software ‘Enterprise’? Does the ‘E’ in EPDM stand for Engineering rather than Enterprise after all? 🙂

My plans for my blog include sharing HOW TO topics I’ve captured over the years, tips & tricks, using the API to create addins, expanding the boundaries of the scope of EPDM deployment, and changing the mindset from “What can I put into EPDM?” to “What can I get out of EPDM?” by way of creating real-time business measures (metrics), querying supply chain data, statusing engineering drawings, etc. What works and what does not, lessons learned, and core philosophies in deployments.

During the last year I have taken EPDM to the production floor, supply chain, and engineering (of all places).

Stay Tuned and fasten your belts.

Tim