Windchill data export made easy: drawings and 3D models in neutral formats

Windchill data export: Why not every employee needs Creo

Exporting and printing Windchill data – no Creo knowledge required

SF iPLOT/iEXPORT gives every employee easy access to drawings, drawing sets and 3D models directly from Windchill – in all common neutral formats or as printouts on configurable printers and plotters.

Purchasing, production, quality assurance, sales – many departments require drawings and 3D models from Windchill for their day-to-day work. However, a Creo licence and training in the CAD system are neither cost-effective nor necessary for these user groups.

Until now, companies have had to make do with manual exports carried out by design engineers, email distribution lists or uncontrolled file access outside the PLM system. SF iPLOT/iEXPORT provides an integrated solution directly within Windchill: staff can search for, select and export data independently – with defined access rights and in the appropriate format.

No Creo required

Export drawings and 3D models without a CAD licence – directly from the familiar Windchill interface.

Access control

Redlining and greenlining highlight all changed areas in colour directly in the PDF comparison view.

Many formats

2D and 3D exports to all common neutral formats – from PDF and DXF through to STEP and IGES, and including STL.

Status updates by email

Seamless connection of design and production ensures greater transparency, quality and process reliability.

Complete export process directly from Windchill

From the shopping basket to the email confirmation

The user logs in with their standard Windchill account, searches for objects using the standard search function and adds them to a print/export basket. Depending on the object type, they select the format or target printer, as well as the configuration (As Stored, As Latest or Latest Released).

The system takes care of the rest: the Queue Server distributes the jobs to the iPLOT/iEXPORT Server, which processes the objects within a Creo session. Once processing is complete, the user is notified by email – and, in the event of an error, is provided with a list of the objects that could not be processed.

Supported export and plot formats

SF iPLOT/iEXPORT supports a wide range of output formats for 2D and 3D:

2D plot formats: HPGL, TIF, JPEG, GIF, PostScript
2D export formats: PDF, DXF, DWG, CGM, IGES, STEP, Product View, DRW
3D export formats: STEP, IGES, VDA, STL, ACIS, VRML, Product View, PRT, ASM
Direct printing to configurable printers and plotters as a single job
Configuration selection: As Stored, As Latest, Latest Released

The available formats and functions can be configured for each user group. This ensures that each department has exactly the options it needs – without access to unnecessary functions.

Access rights and system integration

SF iPLOT/iEXPORT utilises Windchill’s standard access rights. Users can only view and export objects for which they have authorisation in the PLM system. Available functions and forms are configured using Windchill’s standard configuration options.

Supported versions

SF iPLOT/iEXPORT is available for the current versions of Windchill supported by PTC. Compatibility is checked with new Windchill releases.

Windchill data export for all staff

Analysis

We will identify your user groups, authorisation schemes and the required export formats.

Furnishings

SF configures iPLOT/iEXPORT to fit your Windchill environment, printers and formats perfectly.

Operation

We support the implementation and go-live phases and are on hand to provide ongoing support.

Enquiry & advice

Describe your use case – our experts will show you how SF iPLOT/iEXPORT gives all staff secure access to Windchill data without requiring any knowledge of Creo.

General enquiries about SF iPLOT/iEXPORT

What is SF iPLOT/iEXPORT and who is it intended for?

SF iPLOT/iEXPORT is an export solution integrated into Windchill for staff without any knowledge of Creo. It enables the access-restricted export of drawings and 3D models to neutral formats, as well as direct printing on configurable printers.

Do you need a Creo licence for SF iPLOT/iEXPORT?

No – users do not need a Creo licence. They work exclusively within the Windchill interface; the iPLOT/iEXPORT server handles the processing internally within a Creo session.

Which export formats does SF iPLOT/iEXPORT support?

For 2D, plot formats (HPGL, TIF, JPEG, GIF, PostScript) and export formats (PDF, DXF, DWG, CGM, IGES, STEP, Product View, DRW) are available. For 3D, STEP, IGES, VDA, STL, ACIS, VRML, Product View, PRT and ASM are supported.

How are access rights managed for the Windchill data export?

SF iPLOT/iEXPORT utilises Windchill’s standard access rights. Users can only view and export objects for which they have authorisation – without the need for separate rights management.

What is the process for an export order?

The user adds items to the shopping basket and selects the format and configuration. The Queue Server receives the order and forwards it to the iPLOT/iEXPORT Server. Once the order is complete, the user is notified by email.

Can entire sets of drawings be exported at once?

As the difference report is generated automatically when the process starts, it is available to reviewers and approvers in exactly the same format. Both work with the same file, which reduces the need for queries.

In which configurations can objects be exported?

Users can choose between ‘As Stored’, ‘As Latest’ and ‘Latest Released’. This ensures that the correct version of an object is always exported.

Which versions of Windchill are supported?

SF iPLOT/iEXPORT is available for the current versions of Windchill supported by PTC. Compatibility is checked with each new release.