Accessing CES Functionality

Before accessing CES functionality in CATIA, you must first start the CATIA program. Depending on your setup and your needs, you may start CATIA in a number of ways. For more information on the steps to use to start CATIA, refer to the following documentation:

  • CATIA Infrastructure : Basic Tasks : Starting and Exiting Version 5 : Starting a Session on Windows
  • CATIA Infrastructure : Basic Tasks : Starting and Exiting Version 5 : Starting a Session on UNIX
  • CATIA Infrastructure : Basic Tasks : Starting and Exiting Version 5 : Starting a Session Using Document Icons
  • To access CES functionality within CATIA, you must first have CES installed and initialized by the system administrator. For more information on this process, refer to the CES Enterprise Catalog Administration and Installation Guide.

  • The CES database is a cross-functional catalog that contains all the necessary parts used by a company. It allows collaboration between engineering, design and sourcing. Through the CES toolbar in CATIA you have the ability to:

    • search the database for internal items (parts), manufacturer items and supplier items
    • compare the attributes of two or more items
    • compare the geometry of two items
    • introduce new part families to the CES database
    • update individual part families already in the CES database
    • synchronize changes made in Enovia with part families already in CES
    • find parts in CES that are similar to a part selected in an assembly window
    • search the CES database for the item selected in an assembly window
  • Once you have set your options, you must login to CES before you can access the CES functionality. Until you actually login to CES only the Connect to CES button is enabled.

  • Once you have logged in to CES the Connect To CES button is disabled and other CES buttons in the toolbar are enabled.

  • When you are finished with your CES session, logout from CES by clicking the Disconnect CES button.

  • Once you have logged out of CES the Disconnect CES button is disabled and only the Connect to CES button is enabled. You must login again to use any CES functionalities.

  • If the login fails for any reason, you can attempt to login again, by clicking the Connect to CES button. You do not have to completely restart your CATIA session.

  • Any Search Results windows that are open when you logout will be automatically closed.

How to Access CES Functionality in CATIA

Follow the steps to access CES functionality in CATIA:

  1. Start CATIA. To use the CES functionalities, you must have the proper settings within CATIA. In the Tools menu, select Options. In the Options window that appears, scroll down and click Collaborative Enterprise Sourcing.

  1. Enter the appropriate Web Service Management and Database Management Information. Please consult your system administrator for the appropriate information.

  2. Click OK. Please note that certain CES functionality requires a connection to ENOVIA V5. For more information on logging on to ENOVIA, refer to Logging on to ENOVIA V5 in CATIA.

  3. Once you have set the necessary information, you can begin accessing the CES functionality. In the CATIA main window, the CES functionality is available in the CES toolbar. When you first start CATIA and log on to Enovia, you will notice that only one of the CES buttons is enabled. This is the Connect to CES button. You must login to CES before you can start using the CES functionalities.

  1. Click the Connect to CES button. The CES Login window appears. Enter the appropriate UserName, Password and Database and click OK.

  2. Now you are logged in to CES. You will notice that the Connect to CES button is now disabled and other CES buttons are enabled, including the Disconnect CES button. When you are finished with your CES session, log out by clicking this button. Once you  logout, either by clicking the Disconnect CES button, or your session timing out, the other CES buttons are disabled and you must login again in order to use the CES functionalities.

  3. The most frequently used CES functionality is searching the database. This is accessed through the Search CES Database button. Clicking this button displays the Sourcing Search window. For more information about searching and step-by-step instructions, refer to CES Engineering Catalog Navigator : Search.

  4. Once you have found a set of search results, select two items and the Compare CES Items and Compare Geometry of CES Items buttons are enabled. For more information about comparing search result items, refer to CES Engineering Catalog Navigator: User Tasks : Comparing Catalog Items Details and CES Engineering Catalog Navigator: User Tasks :Comparing Catalog Item CAD Info.

  5. When you have a generic part, you can introduce that generic part, and its associated design table, to CES using the Part Family Introduction button. For detailed information about introducing new part families, refer to CES Engineering Catalog Navigator: User Tasks : Generic Parts : Introducing a Generic Part to CES.

  6. You can also update an existing part family in CES, by changing the associated design table, opening the generic part, synchronizing the new design table data, selecting the part to change and clicking the Part Family Introduction button. For more information about updating existing part families, refer to CES Engineering Catalog Navigator: User Tasks : Generic Parts : Updating an Generic Part in CES.

  7. Once you have added one or more parts to CES, you can make changes to those parts in Enovia and then synchronize the changes between Enovia and CES using the Auto Part Family Synchronization button. For more information, refer to CES Engineering Catalog Navigator: User Tasks : Generic Parts : Synchronizing One or More Generic Parts in CES and Enovia.

  8. If you are working within an assembly window, you can find parts in CES that are similar to a part you have selected in the assembly window by clicking the Find Similar CES Item button. For more information, refer to CES Engineering Catalog Navigator: User Tasks : Search : Finding Similar Components.

  9. Also while working in an assembly window you can search the CES database for the item you have selected in the assembly window by clicking the CES View Sourcing Properties button. For more information, refer to CES Engineering Catalog Navigator: User Tasks : Search : 3D Search.

     

  10. Once you are finished with your CES session, logout by clicking the Disconnect CES button . A message box indicating that you are logging out appears. Click OK to finish logging out.

  11. Once you have logged out, the Connect to CES button is enabled and all other CES buttons are disabled. To use the CES functionalities you must login again.