PDM/PLM & SOLIDWORKS guides and analysis
In-depth articles drawn from 80+ industrial engineering missions: PDM performance, change management, BOMs, migration and product-data quality. No generic content — field-tested.
In-depth articles
Analysis, practical guides and field lessons on managing industrial technical data.
ISO 2553 welding symbols: chart, reading and fillet weld a / z
Fillet, V, bevel, U, spot: every symbol, the arrow side, processes 111, 135, 141 and an a ↔ z calculation.
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ISO 2553 welding symbols: chart, reading and fillet weld a / z
Fillet, V, bevel, U, spot: every symbol, the arrow side, processes 111, 135, 141 and an a ↔ z calculation.
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Geometrical tolerances: the 14 ISO 1101 symbols and how to read them
Flatness, perpendicularity, position, run-out: tolerance zone, datums, Ⓜ Ⓔ modifiers, and a ± to position converter.
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Free Excel BOM template (multi-level)
Free download, no sign-up: drop-down lists, flagged duplicates, calculated masses — plus the PDM migration checklist.
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ISO 286 fits: H7/g6, H7/p6 chart and clearance calculator
Deviations, min/max sizes, clearance or interference for any diameter up to 500 mm — and the 8 fits to know.
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ISO 2768 general tolerances: f, m, c, v and H, K, L tables
Lengths, angles, radii, geometry — a min/max size calculator and what “ISO 2768-mK” really means.
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Bolt tightening torque: 8.8, 10.9, 12.9 chart and calculator
Torques and preloads from M3 to M36, VDI 2230 calculation by friction, and tightening pitfalls.
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Surface roughness Ra: N grades, processes and values to specify
N1 to N12, µm/µin converter, Ra by process and function, and why Ra and Rz don’t convert.
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Material densities and part mass calculator
Steel, stainless, aluminium, brass, titanium, plastics — and a mass calculator for plates, bars, tubes and hex stock.
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Metric thread chart: pitch, tap drill, clearance holes
M1.6 to M36 in one filterable table: coarse and fine pitch, tap drill, ISO 273 clearance, wrench sizes — and the Hole Wizard settings.
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eBOM vs mBOM: the real difference, with a line-by-line example
One valve: 9 lines in engineering, 17 in manufacturing. The 6 systematic differences, and the handover method without re-keying.
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Which software should manage your BOMs? The 5 families of tools
Spreadsheet, ERP, PDM, PLM or dedicated tool: what each does, where it stalls, and the 6 signs Excel is no longer enough.
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Connecting the BOM to the ERP: the 4 possible architectures
Re-keying, pivot file, connector, managed transformation: what each costs, who is authoritative, and the 6 traps.
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Technical data glossary: 73 terms from PDM, PLM and CAD
Version or revision, eBOM or mBOM, ECR or ECO, AP242, PMI, MBD: the vocabulary defined in plain language, with the usage trap where there is one.
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Industrial PLM from A to Z: what it really is and where to start
The reference guide: definition, the boundary with PDM and ERP, the 7 functional blocks, market platforms, budget, duration and a 6-step starting sequence.
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SOLIDWORKS PDM: the complete guide, from vault principle to operation
The 6 functions of a vault, the server architecture, the 7 steps of a deployment that holds, life after go-live and the mistakes seen everywhere.
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The 10 most common SOLIDWORKS errors — and how to fix them for good
Missing references, read-only files, rebuild errors, an inconsistent Toolbox: the immediate fix for each failure, and the root cause that brings it back.
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SOLIDWORKS, Inventor, Fusion 360 or CATIA: which CAD software should you choose?
The comparison by company profile, the real limits of each tool, and the 5 criteria that actually decide — including total cost over five years.
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STEP, IGES, Parasolid, STL: which CAD exchange format to choose?
What each format really carries, what gets lost on the way, the 6 traps that break imports and the checking protocol before sending.
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SOLIDWORKS keyboard shortcuts: the complete list and the method
Views, file, sketch, assembly: the list family by family, the S and D keys most people never switch on, mouse gestures, and how to roll out a common baseline across a team.
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AI and SOLIDWORKS PDM: what actually changes for engineering teams in 2026
Copilots, semantic search, auto-classification, documentation assistants: sorting what already works from what will remain marketing — and the prerequisite everyone skips.
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Free SOLIDWORKS in 2026: the 7 legal options (and the real price)
Student, maker, startup, 30-day trial, viewers, Mac: the honest answer for every profile, with real limitations and license price ranges.
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What does a SOLIDWORKS PDM project really cost?
Licenses, SQL Server, services, data migration: the complete cost structure, three costed scenarios and the 5 traps that blow up budgets.
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SOLIDWORKS PDM Standard or Professional: the complete guide
What a PDM really is, what SOLIDWORKS PDM actually does, and the 5 questions that decide between Standard and Professional.
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PDM or PLM: the 5 signals that you've outgrown your vault
Most SMEs call "PLM" what is really just a PDM. The 5 concrete signals of when you truly need to switch — without over-investing.
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The €40,000 phantom revision: master ECO/ECR
A change that should never have reached production — and the 6-step method that would have stopped it.
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Slow SOLIDWORKS PDM: the 7 real causes
Field diagnosis of PDM slowness — and the fixes that give 15 min/day back to each engineer.
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SOLIDWORKS numbering & properties: fix the BOM → ERP chain
80% of BOM errors start in the part, not the ERP. How to fix it all at the root.
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Moving your PDM to the cloud: what they never tell you
The 5 blind spots demos stay silent on, and the 7 questions to ask before signing.
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Migrating data to SOLIDWORKS PDM: the field guide
A 6-phase methodology, common pitfalls and recovery strategies to migrate without losing a file.
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BOM, eBOM, mBOM: the backbone of your product data
Understand the BOM and how PDM, PLM and ERP fit together to drive the product lifecycle.
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SOLIDWORKS 2025 hardware setup: the field guide
Sizing workstations, PDM server and network — with field metrics and budget benchmarks.
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Solving the 5 most common PLM challenges
Five field-tested PLM challenges and the concrete solutions applied.
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