PLM Part Linking

About Linking a PLM Item

As parts are acquired within your organization, a need to link the different part numbers is often required.  Parts coming in the back door from different suppliers and manufacturers will rarely share the part numbers that have meaning for your company.  CES provides you with the option of linking these different parts in an effort to make searches more productive.  Once parts are properly linked, finding the various supplier part numbers that are the base items for your bill of materials is simple since the linked part numbers are displayed as separate columns in your Search Results window.

When Linking a PLM Item

  • An internal item's link to a PLM part is exclusive.  Therefore, if an internal item is already linked to a PLM Item, the PLM Link button is disabled.
  • The Linking functionality is applicable with internal items only.
  • The Linking Functionality for linking Internal CES Parts to Enovia parts (starting at the CES environment and linking into the Enovia environment), does not support the mapping of attributes.  To review how you can link items and map the attributes, please refer to New Component Introduction.

Accessing the Edit Items: PLM Profile Window

Within CES, there are many methods of accessing the Properties window. To complete the scenario below, select one of the following methods to access the Properties window:

 
If You Are Using the... Then...

Search Results Window

  1. Follow the steps to search for an internal item.

  2. In the Search Results window, select the objects that you want to edit.

  3. Right-click the object and select Properties or Edit from the shortcut menu.

  4. Click the PLM Profile tab.

Relationship Navigator

  1. From the Relationship Navigator window, select the objects that you want to view properties.

  2. Right-click and select Properties or Edit from the shortcut menu.

  3. Click the PLM Profile tab.

Favorites
  1. From Favorites, select the object that you want to view properties.

  2. Right-click and select Properties or Edit from the shortcut menu.

  3. Click the PLM Profile tab.

How To Link an Internal Item to a PLM Part

For the following scenario, the Accessing the PLM Profile Window: Search Results Window method is being used to access the PLM Profile window. 
  1. From the Search Results window, select the internal item that you wish to link to a PLM part.  Right-click and select either Properties or Edit from the shortcut menu.  If you select Properties from the shortcut menu, then you will need to select the Edit button in the PLM Profile window in order to activate the part for linking.  If, however, you select the Edit button in the shortcut menu, the Properties window appears in the edit mode.  Click the PLM Profile tab.  The PLM Profile window appears in the edit mode.

     

  2. Since the internal item selected has not already been linked to a PLM Item, the PLM Link button is enabled.  To link this internal item with a PLM part, click the PLM Link button.  The Add ENOVIA Part 1/1 window appears.

  3. If you know the number of the part, or any attributes about the part that you wish to attach your internal item to, you can simply complete the criteria and click the Search button to bring the part up in the Add ENOVIA Part 1/2 window.  However, regardless of whether you know the information or not, you can simply click the Search button and produce a listing of parts from which to choose.  The Add ENOVIA Part 1/2 window appears.

  4. From the Add ENOVIA Part 1/2 window, select the PLM Part that you wish to attach and click the OK button to return to the Edit Items window.  The Edit Items window appears.

     

  5. Notice that the PLM Item ID now reflects the PLM Item that is being linked to the Internal Item.  Click the Save button to commit your changes to the database. 

The Edit Items: PLM Profile Window

This table describes the fields displayed in the Edit Items: PLM Profile window.

Fields Description
Part Family Item ID The identification of a 3D entity referring to a .CATPart document.
Part Family Revision The revision level of a 3D part belonging to a .CATPart document.
PLM Domain Type The PLM Database housing your part information.
PLM Status The approved or unapproved state of the PLM part that the internal item is linked to.
SyncStamp The value of the synchronization as the PLM Item is introduced. 
Part Family Name The name of the organized family of parts of which another part belongs.
PLM Applicability Stores the configuration number of the current product's configuration.
PLM Item ID The part number of the PLM part that the internal item is linked to.
Sourcing Revision The internal CES Revision Number.  This is different than the PLM Revision Number, and only tracks revisions that are CES based (changing of supplier, pricing changes, etc.). These revisions will not affect the PLM Revision status.
Approval Status The approved or unapproved state of the internal item.


This table describes the buttons displayed in the Edit Items: PLM Profile window:

Button Description
Commits the changes to the database.
Removes all the changes and leaves the fields open for additional entries.
Opens the Attachment window and allows you to locate the PLM Part for linking.