This topic is contained in the PDXpert help file: select Contents from the application's Help menu.
Part types
Purpose
Classifies parts according to their application, and defines their rules and custom properties.
Where used
Parts
Data fields
General tab
- Name
- This is the complete name for the part type.
- Abbreviation
- This is the name that is displayed in lists and reports to save space.
- Description
- This describes the part type and its function.
- Markup will accept documents
- When this checkbox is marked, documents can be added to the part's structure.
- Markup will accept parts
- When this checkbox is marked, parts can be added to the part's structure.
- If the Markup will accept documents and Markup will accept parts checkboxes are both cleared, then the Structure tab will not be visible on the document's form.
- File attachments are accepted
- When this checkbox is marked, files can be added to the part's Files tab.
- When this checkbox is cleared, the Files tab will be hidden on the part's form.
- Active: users can select
- Default member of collection
- Permanent member of collection
- For a description of these checkboxes, see the Collections reference > Common properties & attributes help topic.
Attributes tab
- Display selection for an additional person #1
- This checkbox allows users to identify an additional person for the current part type. For example, you may want trustees to identify the designer responsible for the part. If this checkbox is cleared, then the additional person #1 combobox will not be shown on the part window.
- Person #1 role label
- This textbox allows you to label the additional person's function. For example, you may want to use Designer or Specified by the label on the part window. New parts created based on this part type will display this label for the additional person #1.
- Display selection for an additional person #2
- This checkbox allows users to identify an additional person for the current part type. For example, you may want trustees to identify the part's production user or field service engineer. If this checkbox is cleared, then the additional person #2 combobox will not be shown on the part window.
- Person #2 role label
- This textbox allows you to label the additional person's function. For example, you may want to use Production or Validated by as the label on the part window. New parts created based on this part type will display this label for the additional person #2.
- Display compliance checkbox
- For parts that are subject to specific regulatory requirements, display a checkbox that indicates whether the part is in compliance.
- Compliance label
- This textbox allows you to label the compliance standard(s) that must be met by parts based on this type. You can leave it rather generic, such as Meets regulatory requirements or more specific to the part type, such as Meets RoHS/WEEE regulations.
- Identifier sequence
- This combobox permits you to select an identifier sequence (part number) for the current part type. You can choose a single number sequence for all part types, or you can designate a separate sequence just for electrical components, another for mechanical components, etc.
- Part numbers should carry minimal or no "intelligence" or significance. Part attributes, usage or other characteristics can be explicit database attributes, and should not be included in the part number.
- It's good practice to use the same identifier sequence for all part types.
- User cannot edit assigned number
- When this checkbox is marked, a new part identifier cannot be modified after it's been assigned. When this checkbox is cleared, the creator/trustee can (a) manually enter an identifier and/or (b) request a new identifier string and edit it after it has been assigned by the system.
- Default make/buy
- The selected Make/Buy Category collection member will be assigned as a new part is created.
- User cannot edit assigned make/buy value
- When this checkbox is marked, the value assigned by the Default make/buy (above) cannot be modified. For example, standard purchased components will typically be marked (since it's very likely that, say, a standard machine screw will always be bought), while custom fabrications and in-house assemblies will typically be cleared to allow for outsourcing.
- Part name template
- When a new part is first created, the part's Name (description) field will automatically be loaded with this text value, which the user can then edit. Defining a useful part name template enhances consistency, which makes items easier to locate.
- Default lifecycle phase
- The selected Item Lifecycle Phase collection member will be assigned as a new part is created.
- Default unit of measure
- The selected Unit of Measure collection member will be assigned as a new part is created.
- Revision must be unique
- When this is marked, PDXpert will indicate a rule violation if there is more than one revision of a part record with the same revision identifier. Users must update the revision to be unique for all revisions of the part record.
- Initial revision sequence
- This permits you to specify the record revision format for the current part type.
- Subsequent revision sequence
- If your process distinguishes between pre-production and production revision records, this permits you to specify a production revision format for the current part type. Parts with a lifecycle of "Production" (i.e., relative maturity value is 0) or greater will then be assigned revisions using the subsequent revision sequence format. If you choose to have only one revision format for the current part type, you should leave this field empty.
- Using a subsequent revision sequence can confuse vendors and new employees (is the first production revision "01" or "AA"?). Rely on the part's lifecycle phase to specify when it's ready for production.
- User cannot edit assigned revision
- This checkbox allows you to determine whether users may modify a system-assigned revision, or whether the assignment is permanent.
- You should always allow users to edit revisions to items owned by partner organizations, since the part record revision is not controlled within PDXpert.
- Part has version
- When this checkbox is marked, the version attribute will be displayed on the part window, in lists and on reports. When this checkbox is cleared, the version attribute will be hidden.
- A part typically won't have versions. However, if the current part type is closely associated with an electronic file (for instance, it is a masked ROM), and that file is identified by version, you may want to enable the version field for the associated part type. Keep in mind that multiple versions of a part may be put into a single inventory bin, and may be freely mixed in production, if they all share a common part number. It may be better to assign a unique part identifier to each version of an item.
Custom tab
You can define custom attributes (or "properties" or "extensions") to the system-supplied attributes for each part type. When a new part is created, any custom attributes will appear on the part's Custom tab. For a complete description, see the Collections reference > Custom attributes topic.
Setup suggestions
Limit the number of part types to broad easily-distinguished categories. Your users shouldn't have to puzzle over whether to categorize a machine screw as hardware or a fastener, or an LED as a diode or a display device.
Part types should be used to facilitate computer searches with distinct names and abbreviations. For example, don't assign the Assembly part type and its abbreviation the label Assembly but perhaps Assembly and Assy.
2035
Help topics describe the most current PDXpert PLM software release, and may differ from earlier releases.
