General (part)

The General page provides the basic information about the part: its unique identity (owner, number, name), a selected technical content identifier (revision), and how that technical content may be used (lifecycle).

Owner §

This is the organization that is responsible for the design and construction of the part, and controls its technical content. Typically, your own organization is responsible for parts that are fabricated according to your designs and procedures. Partner organizations can own parts, which your organization then can use in your products or for supporting your production process.

The value is locked on first release.

Part type §

The type defines the part's attributes and behaviors (like numbering, revision format, custom attributes, etc.), which are controlled by its Part Types collection member. The class icon shows the most recent iteration's release status:

• Pending
• Released
• Canceled

The Type cannot be edited. If you want to apply a different part type, you must convert the part and let PDXpert copy whatever it can from the old part using the new Part Type's rules. You can then remove the unwanted part from your system or, if it's been released, cancel the released iteration. If the new item must use the same Number, then search the web for this application note: PDXpert switching an existing item to a different type.

Number §

The part number uniquely identifies a physical item located in a particular inventory location. The Owner and Type set the part number rule:

• Parts designed and controlled by your home organization are given a number based on the part type:

  • Manually: You can enter your own number or click the button to give a new number, and further edit the given value. The Number textbox and the button are both enabled.

  • Automatically: The Number field, as well as the button, is locked and the part number is present.

• Parts designed and controlled by partner organizations are given part numbers by those organizations. The Number field is editable and the button disabled.

The auto-number format and value are specified in a Sequences: Identifier collection member.

A part number uniquely identifies the item and is a distinct inventory location. You should expect that home parts with the same number but different part types or revisions are freely mixed in the same inventory bin.

The value is locked on first release.

Part name §

The part name provides an indexed, searchable description of the part's purpose and application.

The starting value is copied from the part type's Text template value. See the Part Types: Part name template help topic.

The Name{a} button inserts the values on the Custom page into the part type's Text template. The button is visible only when custom attributes have been specified on the part type. To make a new part name, first enter the custom attribute values, and then click the Name{a} button to make the name. The new name completely replaces the previous name. You can edit the new name after the custom attributes have been inserted.

The search engine finds and indexes search tokens, which are alphanumeric strings separated by space characters. When a part name like LED, Red, 5mA is indexed, individual tokens LED Red 5mA are found (the commas , are removed). The item's complete set of tokens includes the description, owner, number, custom attributes, notes, and other data fields. Search results are ranked based on how many tokens are matched: when searching for red surface-mount LEDs, red 5ma led ranks higher than 5ma led. The item's list of tokens gives search flexibility: you won't care that other users use RED 5MA LED or LED, red 5mA for the name. The token list also lets you omit items that include an unwanted token: led 5ma -red. See the Search for items and Search commands help topics.

While descriptions with Unicode characters (like cm² and kΩ) might look better, they're often hard to use. For example, searches are more difficult if some keyboards don't show the character, and older manufacturing applications may not know how to import or display these characters.

The value is locked on first release.

Trustee §

This is the person who has overall responsibility for the part's contents. The trustee can edit fields, build the part's BOM and add sources or references, attach files, and add the part to a change form's Affected list. The trustee, as well an analyst, can give the part to a different user, who becomes the new trustee.

Product families §

Permissions defined within a Product Families collection member change how other users can view or edit this item. Add a product family by dragging it from the Product Families collection in the Collection Explorer.

Double-click a product family in the list to show the Product Families collection member.

The User settings tool can define a list of Product Families collection members that are copied to each new item.

Administrators can use the Batch Importer tool to add Product Families collection members to this list, or reset the list.

— Iteration: Revision at Lifecycle —

This area shows the selected iteration's current status – Pending Released Canceled – with supporting details.

Data revision §

A part revision identifies each step in the evolution of a part record's technical content.

Normally, a physical part that is not interchangeable with earlier versions is given a new part number. Changes that simply add to the data record's content in minor ways, clarify technical information, or correct clerical errors likely retain the same part number, but require a new record revision identifier.

PDXpert automatically shows the part's currently-released iteration on a parent assembly. Immediately upon release of the new iteration, all higher-level BOMs, Sources and References will refer to the new iteration; the higher-level items aren't otherwise affected.

Good configuration management practice says that a physical part has no revision identifier. The PDXpert part Data revision field refers to a specific database metadata record, which may be revised without affecting part interchangeability. Parts with the same number but different metadata revisions can be freely mixed with earlier parts in the same inventory bin. If a part iteration is not interchangeable with the part's preceding iterations, then the new iteration requires a separate inventory location, and therefore a new part number. The revision identifier should never be considered relevant for inventory management, production or servicing; marking a metadata revision on the physical part is usually discouraged.

The revision's button sets the revision value to the starting value of the current revision sequence, based on the selected Lifecycle phase.

The value is locked on release.

Lifecycle phase §

Independent of technical content revisions, a part is given a level of "business maturity." For instance, your initial design may use a Preliminary lifecycle, intended for internal discussion. As your confidence in the part's accuracy and relevance develops, you may build a small quantity of Prototype parts to make sure of fit and performance. When the part is proven, you release it at an unlimited, or Production, lifecycle. These lifecycle states represent business uses, and may include multiple technical revisions or a single design.

Lifecycle selections are specified in the Item Lifecycle Phases collection.

If the Part Types collection member specifies a Subsequent revision sequence, after selecting a new Lifecycle phase value, make sure that the Revision is correct.

The value is locked on release.

Version §

A version is used to distinguish parts with the same part number. The Version field may be shown or hidden, depending on whether your administrator lets the selected part type have versions.

A part version distinguishes earlier iterations of a part from later ones. Unlike a record revision, which is managed by PDXpert, the version is made by an outside entity - a person or a different computer application, such as a software compiler - and manually entered here. If versions are used for a part, making a new version also changes the part record revision.

The Part Types collection member's Show Version field setting shows or hides this field.

The value is locked on release.

Person #1
Person #2 §

These fields can show people with responsibility for the selected iteration's contents. This list is managed in the Persons collection.

The Part Types collection member's Show a Person #1/#2 role settings show or hide these fields, and can show custom labels, such as Designed by or Validated by.

Revision area §

If a part has been affected in a particular location (for example, "main valve", "power switch") or database attribute ("BOM at Find 3") you can highlight that information here.

The value is locked on release.

Release description §

The Release description summarizes how or why the iteration has been changed. The change form's Affected list shows the first 50 characters as a brief note to reviewers.

The value is locked on release.

Created on §

The system-assigned date when the selected iteration was created. Users cannot change it.

Release status §

The system shows when the selected iteration is released for use.

• If the iteration is not on any executing change form's Affected list, then the status is shown as Pending and the text field is empty.
• If the iteration is added onto an executing change form but is not yet released, then the status is shown as Pending and the text field shows the change form that will release the iteration.
• If the iteration is released, then the status shows Released and the change form that released it.

Double-click the change number to open the related change form.

Release date §

This date is set by the system to show the release date of the selected iteration. Users cannot change it.

Effectivity §

Effectivity shows when is the earliest permitted use of the released iteration. If you do not set the date, then the system copies the iteration's Release date; that is, the part can be immediately scheduled for production.

The value has no effect on PDXpert's operation; the technical content is correct on its release date.

The Effectivity value is shown only for assemblies, where the BOM: Markup list is available. A BOM's effectivity determines the demand for its components, thus an individual component is effective on its Release date.

The value is locked on release.

Cancel status §

The system shows when the selected iteration is replaced by a new released iteration, or the item is withdrawn from use.

• If the iteration is not shown on any executing change form's Affected list, then these fields are not shown.
• If the iteration is added onto an executing change form but is not yet canceled, then the status is shown as To be canceled, and the text field shows the change form that will cancel the iteration.
• If the iteration is canceled, then the status shows Canceled and shows the change form that canceled it.

Double-click the change number to open the related change form.

Cancel date §

This date is set by the system to show the cancel date of the selected iteration. Users cannot change it.

Related topics

• How to manage parts

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