Monday, 19 May 2025

How Can You Automate Routine Tasks in 3DEXPERIENCE Using Potion Lab?


  • Automating a process using Potion Lab always leads to greater productivity, and having this functionality in 3DEXPERIENCE apps is an additional benefit.

  • Using Potion Lab, we can create an automatic interaction in Potion Lab from apps and services in your 3D Dashboard.

  • potion is composed of one Trigger Ingredient that sets conditions and one or more resulting ingredients that define actions.

  • When the conditions of the Trigger Ingredient are met, Potion Lab executes the actions.

  • Let’s take a look on the below example of how this works:

  • Consider a scenario where a production operator creates an issue in Issue Management and sets the designer (who developed the model) as assignee.

  • At that time, he needs to inform about this issue to the manufacturing head.

  • We’re now going to automate a group notification using Potion Lab, so that the notification is automatically shared with the manufacturing head using the definition in Potion Lab.
    When this happens – Then do that

  • To access, click Compass > 3DSwymer > Potion Lab

  • Click “New Potion” to create a new potion in 3DEXPERIENCE and automate an action.

Automating Routine Tasks Using Potion Lab
Automating Routine Tasks Using Potion Lab
Automating Routine Tasks Using Potion Lab
  • Initially, we have to select the Trigger Ingredient (specify an incident) on the available apps from “When this happens”.

  • Here, we create a new Trigger Ingredient for Issue creation on the Issue Management app.

    Note:
     Based on the licenses assigned to the user, applications are available for creating Trigger Ingredients in Potion Lab.

Automating Routine Tasks Using Potion Lab

In the Event tab, we need to specify the following:

  1. “When” the event has to be triggered.

  2. Username of member “Who” creates the issue.

  3. Name of the “Collaborative Space” for the file access.

  4. “Title”, “Description” & “Priority” of the event which has to be shown to the Decision Maker based on the rule set in the Action “Then do that”.

  5. Click Ok to complete the event.

After completing the event creation under “When this happens”, now we have to create an Action under “Then do that”.

Automating Routine Tasks Using Potion Lab

In the Event tab, we need to specify the following:

  1. “Then” do the action which we mentioned.

  2. Member for “Target User” who gets to be notified.

  3. “User Groups” for a group of members who get notified.

  4. “Content” should be the notification title that appears for the target user.

  5. “Link” generated to share with any users if needed.

  6. Click Ok to complete the action.

Automating Routine Tasks Using Potion Lab

Now, the production operator creates an issue in Issue Management as per the rule set in Potion Lab.

Automating Routine Tasks Using Potion Lab
Automating Routine Tasks Using Potion Lab
  • Finally, the manufacturing head gets notified with the title of the Issue Management item as defined in the Action Ingredient.

  • Likewise, we can create ingredients and automate the process in Potion Lab for all our regular work.

Contact Us: Have questions or need assistance? Feel free to reach out!

Email: mktg@egs.co.in
Phone: +91 94454 24704

Handling Cyclic Reference with SOLIDWORKS PDM

 
We often came across the Error “Cyclic Reference” during check-In files in SOLIDWORKS PDM. This error is caused due to Improper file reference. Let see what is means and how to overcome this error during working with SOLIDWORKS PDM Environment.

SOLIDWORKS

Cyclic Reference:
A cyclic reference occurs for example “When there is an assembly referencing another assembly that in turn references the first assembly”. SOLIDWORKS PDM does not allow the check-in of a cyclic reference because it causes an endless loop.

The SOLIDWORKS PDM Administration tool has a setting to block the check in of files with cyclic references. You will find the setting on the ‘Warnings’ page of the User’s ‘Properties’ under the ‘Check In’ operations. This setting is active and cannot be changed. This is to emphasize that you cannot check in files with cyclic references.

The presence of cyclic references in SOLIDWORKS is a poor design practice, which you should avoid. The following paragraphs explain this scenario and describe how to work with files of this type.

1. A.SLDASM and B.SLDASM reference each other.

2. Check in both files. Version 1 of  A.SLDASM references version 1 of  B.SLDASM and vice versa.

3. Check out A.SLDASM, modify it, and check it back in. Version 2 of  A.SLDASM will now reference version 1 of B.SLDASM

4. Get version 2 of A.SLDASM. (Problem initiates if you perform this step)
(Note : Version 1 of B.SLDASM should now be in the cache as well because version 2 of A.SLDASM references version 1 of B.SLDASM. You should then also get version 1 of A.SLDASM since version 1 of B.SLDASM references version 1 of A.SLDASM.)

5. In other words, two versions of A.SLDASM would be in cache at the same time. This is not possible. Therefore, SOLIDWORKS PDM will warn and prevent check-in of such cyclic references by default to avoid causing strange reference trees in the database.


Handling Cyclic Reference:
1. This behavior is not a problem if you always work with the latest versions of all files.

2. If the ‘Always work with latest version’ is active for the logged in user, it should allowable to check in files causing cyclic references.

3. When this option is active, the latest file version is always in cache regardless of the referenced version. Therefore, it works with cyclic references.

4. To access this setting, in the
SOLIDWORKS PDM Administration tool > User > Select a User > Click ‘Settings’ > Click on the ‘Reference Dialog’ tab.

PDM SOLIDWORKS



Contact Us:   Have questions or need assistance? Feel free to reach out!

Email: mktg@egs.co.in
Phone: +91 94454 24704

HOW TO FIX FILE NOT FOUND ERRORIN SOLIDWORKS – SOLIDWORKS FILE MANAGEMENT SERIES – II

SOLIDWORKS FILE MANAGEMENT SERIES – II

This issue is also known as the “Unable to Locate File” error in SOLIDWORKS or SOLIDWORKS File not found error.

SOLIDWORKS FILE MANAGEMENT

What could be the reason for this error? Had anyone found the solution for it?
In this document, we will see the following:

  • The reason for this error.

  • How to work without encountering this error.

  • How to resolve if the error occurs.

    Reason of this Error

    We have one Assembly or Drawing document physically saved. When you open that document, SOLIDWORKS will refer & load all its inserted files (like assemblies, subassemblies, part files etc.) in that document. These files are called referenced files & this process is called File Reference. (To see the referenced files go to File > Find References)

    The main reason for the above-mentioned error is missing File References. To understand this, first you need to know about the “SOLIDWORKS File Search Order”.

    Search Order

    Let me explain that with one example:

    • Imagine we have one assembly called ABC

    • You have inserted one part into that assembly called DEF and save the file in the same location. Let the location be C:\Project\Current

    • Now you cut and copy the DEF to new location. Let’s Assume C:\Project\Current\New

    • Now try to open the ABC assembly. Now you will have an error “unable to locate the file” – a common File missing issue in SOLIDWORKS.

    What happen now?
    When opening the ABC assembly, SOLIDWORKS searches for the inserted DEF part file using a specific order, which is called SOLIDWORKS File Search Order.

     

SOLIDWORKS File search Order
Below is the Search Order Followed by SOLIDWORKS Search Engine:
  1. RAM
    While opening the ABC assembly file, SOLIDWORKS will search first in the RAM space. This means that, if same file has been already open in SOLIDWORKS, then opening another file that references it may resolve automatically.

  2. Referenced Documents Path
    Then SOLIDWORKS will search in referenced documents. This can be set in Options > System Option > File Locations and is controlled in Options > System Option > External References.
    Mainly used for standard components which are used in several assemblies—we add them in the referenced document path.

(Helps avoid issue like Referenced document has non-matching internal ID.)

  1. Parent File Location
    Third, SOLIDWORKS will search the top-level assembly path location as well as location of referenced files used in that assembly.

  2. Last path used to save the file

  3. Without Drive Letter
    Let’s explain with an example: When you have all your SOLIDWORKS files in a local folder and want to move them to a network or shared folder, make sure to copy the SOLIDWORKS files without altering the file path. Then open the file—it will open without any error.
    This is because SOLIDWORKS does not read the main drive letter, it only reads the folder location.

  4. With Drive Letter
    When it is unable to find the location without the drive letter, it will search using the drive letter and open the file in its original drive location.

  5. Browse
    After trying all these steps, SOLIDWORKS will ask for user help to find the location. There are three options:

  • Browse for this file

  • Suppress this component

  • Suppress all missing component

This situation often results in Automatically Component Supressed in SOLIDWORKS, and it might lead to issues like:

  • Part file not open in assembly

  • Drawing view is empty

  • X mark in the drawing view SOLIDWORKS

These are the defined steps in the SOLIDWORKS File Search Order used by SOLIDWORKS to find its referenced files.

How to Work without Encountering this Error
  1. Do not rename, cut, or copy referenced files using Windows File Explorer. If you need to modify path of referenced file, use SOLIDWORKS File Utilities (refer to ‘SOLIDWORKS File Management Series – I’)

  2. Do not alter the file reference path, as it may cause file reference issues.

  3. Always use a unique file name for SOLIDWORKS files.

Note: To avoid this issue, use a data management tool (like SOLIDWORKS PDM) to prevent problems such as SOLIDWORKS file automatically changed in assembly.

How to resolve if the error occurs
  1. There is only one option to resolve this error: To find the current location of your moved or missing file.
    To do this, go to Options > System Options > External References, then click on Go to Reference Document. Browse the main drive of your design data and select Include Sub-Folders. This will search all locations on your main drive to find the file. (It takes time based on your drive size)

Note: If you renamed the file, this option will not be applicable. In that case, you will need to click Browse and manually locate the file to map the referenced file.

Contact Us:   Have questions or need assistance? Feel free to reach out!

Email: mktg@egs.co.in
Phone: +91 94454 24704