& Construction
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Integrated BIM tools, including Revit, AutoCAD, and Civil 3D
& Manufacturing
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Professional CAD/CAM tools built on Inventor and AutoCAD
Integrated BIM tools, including Revit, AutoCAD, and Civil 3D
Professional CAD/CAM tools built on Inventor and AutoCAD
In this lesson, we’ll learn how to take advantage of tools and processes that make it easy to collaborate with other stakeholders.
The PDF Viewer enables you to view a variety of documents directly within a web browser. Let’s learn how to use the PDF Viewer to comment on a document and share those comments with others by using markups.
Transcript
00:04
The PDF viewer allows you to view more than just PDF files from within Upchain. You can also view Excel, Word, CAD drawings and images.
00:13
The viewer also allows you to add additional information to these files through the use of markups.
00:19
Start by locating the document you wish to view. For example, this assembly item in our project has various files attached to it.
00:27
In the details panel, we can open the documents tab to see what has been attached.
00:33
From here, we can open the cBOM to view the 3D CAD files,
00:38
or the drawings tab if we know drawings have been associated with this item.
00:43
We could also open the translation section to view any translations that Upchain may have generated.
00:50
We can clearly see the PDF version of the drawing file attached to our item.
00:54
We can open the drawing by clicking the little eyeball next to the name.
01:00
Now that we have our document open, we have a number of options available to us in order to add annotations and markups to our document.
01:09
If you've used a PDF editor before, many of these may look familiar to you.
01:14
Let's navigate down to the last page of this document and add in our comments.
01:20
In the middle of the screen, we can find our main editing toolbar.
01:23
This is used to add further content to the document or call attention to things that need to be reviewed,
01:29
changed or updated within the specific part or assembly.
01:34
Let's start by highlighting the details that we would like our CAD user to take a look at.
01:39
Let's zoom in on our detail,
01:43
and make use of the annotate tools to highlight a particular portion of the drawing.
01:50
From here, we can zoom in further roughly sketching further detail however we like.
01:58
Just to make sure our designer is aware of what we need here, we could add a note regarding our comments.
02:04
"Decrease diameter to 2 inches dimension,
02:11
and include spec here".
02:19
And move our text as we see fit.
02:23
We can now make use of the measure tool to add in a dimension here.
02:28
Perhaps we want this to be something specific, like 2 inches,
02:32
and we can be clear about that by either adding a comment or even editing the dimension to be what we need.
02:44
If this particular modification needed to be issued immediately, we are free to select the "Create IR" button up in the top right.
02:52
This will fire off our markup to the relevant people for review. We will come back to investigation requests specifically in an upcoming video.
03:02
Let's zoom out back to how we had our drawing previously.
03:09
Next, let's use our shape tool to create a revision cloud around the area that needs attention,
03:15
just to make sure that our designers don't miss the markup that we made on this page.
03:24
Each object is created and logged as a separate comment.
03:28
We can open up the comments toolbar here to view all the changes that we've made so far today.
03:34
We can even select these and make further comments or add in additional information.
03:40
While we've been quite thorough with our markups today, of course, if we were pressed for time,
03:44
we could have simply added only one or two comments and issued that without any further effort.
03:51
We can also insert or attach particular files here as the references to our comments,
03:57
but I'm going to move over to the fill and sign section, so that I can add my signature to endorse these edits today.
04:17
Let's add in today's date as well, seeing as we can do this with a simple click.
04:25
We have quite a few more options available to us within the PDF viewer.
04:29
So don't be afraid to experiment with these tools and see what might work for you.
04:33
Our Upchain help section also provides information on every single function available within the PDF viewer.
04:41
When we are done, we can use the save feature to save our markup specifically.
04:46
Give it a name...
04:55
And hit "Save".
04:56
The markup will now be available to other users within Upchain and free to send out via investigation request.
05:04
Note that a list of already created markups can be viewed by clicking on the markups list button.
05:10
This will bring up a window of markups created by yourself and other users.
05:14
So we have now seen how we can open the documents within the PDF viewer and the tools available in order to add comments and markups.
Video transcript
00:04
The PDF viewer allows you to view more than just PDF files from within Upchain. You can also view Excel, Word, CAD drawings and images.
00:13
The viewer also allows you to add additional information to these files through the use of markups.
00:19
Start by locating the document you wish to view. For example, this assembly item in our project has various files attached to it.
00:27
In the details panel, we can open the documents tab to see what has been attached.
00:33
From here, we can open the cBOM to view the 3D CAD files,
00:38
or the drawings tab if we know drawings have been associated with this item.
00:43
We could also open the translation section to view any translations that Upchain may have generated.
00:50
We can clearly see the PDF version of the drawing file attached to our item.
00:54
We can open the drawing by clicking the little eyeball next to the name.
01:00
Now that we have our document open, we have a number of options available to us in order to add annotations and markups to our document.
01:09
If you've used a PDF editor before, many of these may look familiar to you.
01:14
Let's navigate down to the last page of this document and add in our comments.
01:20
In the middle of the screen, we can find our main editing toolbar.
01:23
This is used to add further content to the document or call attention to things that need to be reviewed,
01:29
changed or updated within the specific part or assembly.
01:34
Let's start by highlighting the details that we would like our CAD user to take a look at.
01:39
Let's zoom in on our detail,
01:43
and make use of the annotate tools to highlight a particular portion of the drawing.
01:50
From here, we can zoom in further roughly sketching further detail however we like.
01:58
Just to make sure our designer is aware of what we need here, we could add a note regarding our comments.
02:04
"Decrease diameter to 2 inches dimension,
02:11
and include spec here".
02:19
And move our text as we see fit.
02:23
We can now make use of the measure tool to add in a dimension here.
02:28
Perhaps we want this to be something specific, like 2 inches,
02:32
and we can be clear about that by either adding a comment or even editing the dimension to be what we need.
02:44
If this particular modification needed to be issued immediately, we are free to select the "Create IR" button up in the top right.
02:52
This will fire off our markup to the relevant people for review. We will come back to investigation requests specifically in an upcoming video.
03:02
Let's zoom out back to how we had our drawing previously.
03:09
Next, let's use our shape tool to create a revision cloud around the area that needs attention,
03:15
just to make sure that our designers don't miss the markup that we made on this page.
03:24
Each object is created and logged as a separate comment.
03:28
We can open up the comments toolbar here to view all the changes that we've made so far today.
03:34
We can even select these and make further comments or add in additional information.
03:40
While we've been quite thorough with our markups today, of course, if we were pressed for time,
03:44
we could have simply added only one or two comments and issued that without any further effort.
03:51
We can also insert or attach particular files here as the references to our comments,
03:57
but I'm going to move over to the fill and sign section, so that I can add my signature to endorse these edits today.
04:17
Let's add in today's date as well, seeing as we can do this with a simple click.
04:25
We have quite a few more options available to us within the PDF viewer.
04:29
So don't be afraid to experiment with these tools and see what might work for you.
04:33
Our Upchain help section also provides information on every single function available within the PDF viewer.
04:41
When we are done, we can use the save feature to save our markup specifically.
04:46
Give it a name...
04:55
And hit "Save".
04:56
The markup will now be available to other users within Upchain and free to send out via investigation request.
05:04
Note that a list of already created markups can be viewed by clicking on the markups list button.
05:10
This will bring up a window of markups created by yourself and other users.
05:14
So we have now seen how we can open the documents within the PDF viewer and the tools available in order to add comments and markups.
The 3D Viewer enables you to view a CAD model within a web browser. Let’s explore the distinct ways we can leverage different view options and markup tools to collaborate on a design.
Transcript
00:04
In this video, we show you how to open the 3D viewer from your BOM interface in the web application,
00:10
how to work with camera features and then create markups as well.
00:15
To access the 3D viewer, we need to select the item we want to look at in more detail.
00:20
So let's go ahead and select it within our BOM.
00:23
Similar to the PDF viewer that we used in the previous video, once again, we will click on the documents icon in the item details panel.
00:32
This time, we want to expand the cBOM section of the documents because we want to view the 3D CAD model,
00:39
and that is found in the CAD bill of materials.
00:41
We can now click on the view icon for the CAD model to open the 3D viewer.
00:47
A faster way to open up the 3D viewer for an item is to simply click on the thumbnail in the item details panel.
00:55
So now that we have our CAD model open, let's take a closer look at our winding assembly.
01:01
On the left hand side, we can see the top level assembly that we selected and any child items or subassemblies listed beneath it.
01:09
Since we have the live CAD model displaying in the center,
01:12
we can select any of child items on the left hand side and immediately see in 3D what that particular item looks like,
01:19
where it's located and its relation to its surrounding items.
01:23
This helps us easily identify each item within the BOM relative to its CAD representation in the model.
01:29
You can also show or hide various parts in order to get a better look at others.
01:36
We can make use of our item details panel on the right hand side to check various information about top level assembly item.
01:44
And this panel is consistent with what we have seen previously in the PDF viewer.
01:48
Here, we can quickly confirm that the item number, status and revision number are correct,
01:54
before we exercise good practice by checking the history and "Where use" tab.
01:59
The history tab will display various actions taken regarding this item,
02:04
and we can make certain that nothing has happened to this assembly that we are unaware of.
02:09
When working on a new item, it is a good idea to also consult the "Where used" tab.
02:14
Here, we can familiarize ourselves with where else this assembly exists.
02:19
Its genealogy or lifespan and other important information.
02:26
Here in the center, we have the 3D representation of our item.
02:30
We can orbit by clicking and dragging the left mouse button or the middle mouse button.
02:35
We can also zoom in and out as you would in most software to more closely interact with the model.
02:41
We can also reset the camera at any time.
02:44
Looking at the nature of our assembly, we can see that a top down view is going to serve us best for markups.
02:50
Also, making use of the hidden line visual style will give us a better understanding of our model from within this view.
02:58
Let's zoom in a bit further and make use of the measurements function to confirm some sizes.
03:03
We have options to measure angle, distance, edge, and point.
03:07
I'll use point to point to measure here because the tool understands 3D geometry,
03:12
and allows us to snap dimensions to specific points as we would in a CAD software.
03:17
Note that these dimensions remain persistent even when moving around the model.
03:22
A few extra tools exist in our 3D viewer arsenal.
03:26
A handy explode tool allows us to pull the model apart and take a closer look at particular elements and their connections,
03:33
and create markups on the exploded view.
03:36
This could be saved as a separate markup or even attached to the previous markup as additional information.
03:42
If we move out or orbit, our markup will be lost.
03:46
The dimensions are ever retained in the original view we created them in.
03:51
In addition to the exploded view, a cutting plan can be created and adjusted in order to create various sectional views.
03:58
It can be dragged and manipulated according to what you need to see and create markups of.
04:04
Let's cancel out here as we already have what we need for our intended markup.
04:09
In this instance, our designer has already received information from the manufacturer and is aware of a potential problem with this bracket.
04:16
As such, we can simply send these dimensions on in the form of a markup as is.
04:21
We have the option to update the thumbnail if necessary, save the markup or download the markup for use outside of Upchain.
04:29
Let's save our markup for future use.
04:33
Be sure to give it a descriptive name that helps other users easily identify it.
04:37
Finally, it's important that we send this markup onto members of the team immediately to both notify them and create record of the issue.
04:46
We can do this all from the item details panel directly here in the 3D viewer.
04:51
The create IR button will allow us to launch an IR with a single click or alternatively in the business processes tab,
04:58
we can click the “+” icon and select one of many options available including QA,
05:05
project task, investigation request and change requests.
05:08
This provides a fast and straightforward way to directly initiate order from Upchain's 3D viewer,
05:14
once we have completed our comments and markups.
05:17
So we have now seen how the 3D viewer gives users the ability to view the item,
05:21
and navigate directly within Upchain as they would in a CAD application.
05:26
We have also seen how to create markups for coordination and review.
05:30
The final step for this lesson will be to dig deeper on the investigation request process.
Video transcript
00:04
In this video, we show you how to open the 3D viewer from your BOM interface in the web application,
00:10
how to work with camera features and then create markups as well.
00:15
To access the 3D viewer, we need to select the item we want to look at in more detail.
00:20
So let's go ahead and select it within our BOM.
00:23
Similar to the PDF viewer that we used in the previous video, once again, we will click on the documents icon in the item details panel.
00:32
This time, we want to expand the cBOM section of the documents because we want to view the 3D CAD model,
00:39
and that is found in the CAD bill of materials.
00:41
We can now click on the view icon for the CAD model to open the 3D viewer.
00:47
A faster way to open up the 3D viewer for an item is to simply click on the thumbnail in the item details panel.
00:55
So now that we have our CAD model open, let's take a closer look at our winding assembly.
01:01
On the left hand side, we can see the top level assembly that we selected and any child items or subassemblies listed beneath it.
01:09
Since we have the live CAD model displaying in the center,
01:12
we can select any of child items on the left hand side and immediately see in 3D what that particular item looks like,
01:19
where it's located and its relation to its surrounding items.
01:23
This helps us easily identify each item within the BOM relative to its CAD representation in the model.
01:29
You can also show or hide various parts in order to get a better look at others.
01:36
We can make use of our item details panel on the right hand side to check various information about top level assembly item.
01:44
And this panel is consistent with what we have seen previously in the PDF viewer.
01:48
Here, we can quickly confirm that the item number, status and revision number are correct,
01:54
before we exercise good practice by checking the history and "Where use" tab.
01:59
The history tab will display various actions taken regarding this item,
02:04
and we can make certain that nothing has happened to this assembly that we are unaware of.
02:09
When working on a new item, it is a good idea to also consult the "Where used" tab.
02:14
Here, we can familiarize ourselves with where else this assembly exists.
02:19
Its genealogy or lifespan and other important information.
02:26
Here in the center, we have the 3D representation of our item.
02:30
We can orbit by clicking and dragging the left mouse button or the middle mouse button.
02:35
We can also zoom in and out as you would in most software to more closely interact with the model.
02:41
We can also reset the camera at any time.
02:44
Looking at the nature of our assembly, we can see that a top down view is going to serve us best for markups.
02:50
Also, making use of the hidden line visual style will give us a better understanding of our model from within this view.
02:58
Let's zoom in a bit further and make use of the measurements function to confirm some sizes.
03:03
We have options to measure angle, distance, edge, and point.
03:07
I'll use point to point to measure here because the tool understands 3D geometry,
03:12
and allows us to snap dimensions to specific points as we would in a CAD software.
03:17
Note that these dimensions remain persistent even when moving around the model.
03:22
A few extra tools exist in our 3D viewer arsenal.
03:26
A handy explode tool allows us to pull the model apart and take a closer look at particular elements and their connections,
03:33
and create markups on the exploded view.
03:36
This could be saved as a separate markup or even attached to the previous markup as additional information.
03:42
If we move out or orbit, our markup will be lost.
03:46
The dimensions are ever retained in the original view we created them in.
03:51
In addition to the exploded view, a cutting plan can be created and adjusted in order to create various sectional views.
03:58
It can be dragged and manipulated according to what you need to see and create markups of.
04:04
Let's cancel out here as we already have what we need for our intended markup.
04:09
In this instance, our designer has already received information from the manufacturer and is aware of a potential problem with this bracket.
04:16
As such, we can simply send these dimensions on in the form of a markup as is.
04:21
We have the option to update the thumbnail if necessary, save the markup or download the markup for use outside of Upchain.
04:29
Let's save our markup for future use.
04:33
Be sure to give it a descriptive name that helps other users easily identify it.
04:37
Finally, it's important that we send this markup onto members of the team immediately to both notify them and create record of the issue.
04:46
We can do this all from the item details panel directly here in the 3D viewer.
04:51
The create IR button will allow us to launch an IR with a single click or alternatively in the business processes tab,
04:58
we can click the “+” icon and select one of many options available including QA,
05:05
project task, investigation request and change requests.
05:08
This provides a fast and straightforward way to directly initiate order from Upchain's 3D viewer,
05:14
once we have completed our comments and markups.
05:17
So we have now seen how the 3D viewer gives users the ability to view the item,
05:21
and navigate directly within Upchain as they would in a CAD application.
05:26
We have also seen how to create markups for coordination and review.
05:30
The final step for this lesson will be to dig deeper on the investigation request process.
Let’s look at how to create and manage an Investigation Request (IR) to formally communicate changes in a design to another team member. We’ll explore the full lifecycle of an Investigation Request and see how different stakeholders interact with it.
Transcript
00:04
In this video, we explain what an investigation request is in Upchain, how to create one and how it can be resolved.
00:12
So let's take a look.
00:14
Investigation requests of business processes is used to initiate the change process and promote discussions internally about a particular product,
00:22
item or assembly.
00:24
Investigation requests or IRs are usually one of two types.
00:29
Design related or an RFQ, request for quote, from supplier.
00:34
Unlike change requests, they do not affect the status of the item.
00:38
In the previous video, for example, we came across some issues with this winding assembly and we saved the markup of our comments within Upchain.
00:47
We would now like to generate an investigation request in order to have the part reevaluated by certain users,
00:54
as well as create a logged entry of the problem.
00:57
Let's open up the 3D viewer by clicking on the thumbnail.
01:00
Now with the 3D viewer open, we can open up a list of previously created markups from the markups tab.
01:07
From here, we can double click on a markup to have it displayed.
01:11
Once we found the relevant markup, we can go ahead and create an investigation request to act on these changes.
01:18
As we mentioned previously, there are multiple ways to create an investigation request directly from our 3D viewer.
01:24
The most straightforward way is to simply hit the "Create IR" button in the top right.
01:29
This will start the process for creating an IR and associating this markup to it as we can see here.
01:35
Regardless of how we create the IR, we will need to fill out the pop up window that appears.
01:41
We'll need to plug in a name and add a detailed description.
01:45
This could include information about the changes, the part itself or whatever suits your organization.
01:51
We need a start date to assign it to the relevant role or team member via the drop down.
02:01
Next, we will need to select the workflow for the IR. We can use an out of the box workflow or a custom one created by our tenant admin.
02:10
Lastly, let's choose a type, design or RFQ.
02:14
We can also attach additional documents or additional Upchain documents if required.
02:21
Once we have all the information input, we can go ahead and click on the "Create and start" button.
02:26
Upchain will now run the workflow and start the process.
02:29
There are other ways to create an investigation request, such as from our BOM interface.
02:34
Simply select the relevant item from the main panel in your BOM, click on the options and select "Create Investigation request".
02:42
From here, we will be presented with the same window, except now this investigation request is not immediately linked the markup we showed earlier.
02:51
This graphic shows us a potential life cycle for an investigation request as it moves through different users within the project.
02:59
When Paul logs into Upchain, he can see within his activity stream that the project has been assigned to him,
03:05
and can already view the task in his assignments.
03:08
From here, it's visible that the investigation request is regarding the winding assembly for the fishing reel project,
03:15
that Ryan is currently working on.
03:17
If the update has already been completed, Paul could just mark the IR as complete at this very moment and move on with his day.
03:23
If on the other hand, Paul needs additional documents and comments prior to completion,
03:28
he can do so via the edit button and fill out various relevant fields and attach the documents required.
03:35
From there, he can save the changes and complete the investigation request.
03:39
And all of this can be done from Upchain's CAD plugin within the CAD software.
03:44
Whichever way it is completed, it will send the IR back to the creator, in this case, me.
03:50
So switching roles back to me, we can then view the results of the investigation request,
03:54
and then determine if the IRs can be closed by accepting or if it requires further investigation by clicking on "Reject".
04:03
In our example, if everything looks good, we can go ahead and click on "Approve".
04:07
So, we have seen how investigation requests can be used to promote changes to products,
04:12
and open discussions between project team members to make improvements and enhancements or fix issues to the product.
Video transcript
00:04
In this video, we explain what an investigation request is in Upchain, how to create one and how it can be resolved.
00:12
So let's take a look.
00:14
Investigation requests of business processes is used to initiate the change process and promote discussions internally about a particular product,
00:22
item or assembly.
00:24
Investigation requests or IRs are usually one of two types.
00:29
Design related or an RFQ, request for quote, from supplier.
00:34
Unlike change requests, they do not affect the status of the item.
00:38
In the previous video, for example, we came across some issues with this winding assembly and we saved the markup of our comments within Upchain.
00:47
We would now like to generate an investigation request in order to have the part reevaluated by certain users,
00:54
as well as create a logged entry of the problem.
00:57
Let's open up the 3D viewer by clicking on the thumbnail.
01:00
Now with the 3D viewer open, we can open up a list of previously created markups from the markups tab.
01:07
From here, we can double click on a markup to have it displayed.
01:11
Once we found the relevant markup, we can go ahead and create an investigation request to act on these changes.
01:18
As we mentioned previously, there are multiple ways to create an investigation request directly from our 3D viewer.
01:24
The most straightforward way is to simply hit the "Create IR" button in the top right.
01:29
This will start the process for creating an IR and associating this markup to it as we can see here.
01:35
Regardless of how we create the IR, we will need to fill out the pop up window that appears.
01:41
We'll need to plug in a name and add a detailed description.
01:45
This could include information about the changes, the part itself or whatever suits your organization.
01:51
We need a start date to assign it to the relevant role or team member via the drop down.
02:01
Next, we will need to select the workflow for the IR. We can use an out of the box workflow or a custom one created by our tenant admin.
02:10
Lastly, let's choose a type, design or RFQ.
02:14
We can also attach additional documents or additional Upchain documents if required.
02:21
Once we have all the information input, we can go ahead and click on the "Create and start" button.
02:26
Upchain will now run the workflow and start the process.
02:29
There are other ways to create an investigation request, such as from our BOM interface.
02:34
Simply select the relevant item from the main panel in your BOM, click on the options and select "Create Investigation request".
02:42
From here, we will be presented with the same window, except now this investigation request is not immediately linked the markup we showed earlier.
02:51
This graphic shows us a potential life cycle for an investigation request as it moves through different users within the project.
02:59
When Paul logs into Upchain, he can see within his activity stream that the project has been assigned to him,
03:05
and can already view the task in his assignments.
03:08
From here, it's visible that the investigation request is regarding the winding assembly for the fishing reel project,
03:15
that Ryan is currently working on.
03:17
If the update has already been completed, Paul could just mark the IR as complete at this very moment and move on with his day.
03:23
If on the other hand, Paul needs additional documents and comments prior to completion,
03:28
he can do so via the edit button and fill out various relevant fields and attach the documents required.
03:35
From there, he can save the changes and complete the investigation request.
03:39
And all of this can be done from Upchain's CAD plugin within the CAD software.
03:44
Whichever way it is completed, it will send the IR back to the creator, in this case, me.
03:50
So switching roles back to me, we can then view the results of the investigation request,
03:54
and then determine if the IRs can be closed by accepting or if it requires further investigation by clicking on "Reject".
04:03
In our example, if everything looks good, we can go ahead and click on "Approve".
04:07
So, we have seen how investigation requests can be used to promote changes to products,
04:12
and open discussions between project team members to make improvements and enhancements or fix issues to the product.
How to buy
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