Hello,

My company is in the process of both implementing a 3D CAD system, SolidWorks, and achieving ISO certification. We send our SolidWorks files to an outside machine shop to machine parts like small housings for our printed circuit boards.

Our QA manager has intrepreted various ISO provisions (I don't know which ones) as requiring that revision information be included in the file names of any files we send to outside vendors like our machine shop. More subtly, he might say that it must not be possible to separate the file name from the revision information. For example, we might send out a file named widget_rev_A.par to indicate that the part to be machined is revision A of the widget part. All our machine shop's customers follow the practice of including a revision letter or number in the file name.

Unfortunately, this practice of including revision information in file names and renaming files with a different revision letter every time the revision changes utterly defeats the file referencing needed by the CAD system's data base; the data base maintains the linkages between parts and their drawings and between assemblies and the parts they contain. Suppose widget_rev_A.par is used in several assemblies for example. If I modify the widget part and rename it widget_rev_B.par, all the assemblies remain linked to widget_rev_A.par--unless I open each assembly and manually tell each one to use widget_rev_B.par. The file names of parts in 3D CAD systems are not supposed to change. The revision property contained inside the file name may change, but the file name referenced by several assemblies must not. By not renaming the file, I may change the part and have it automatically updated in every assembly.

I hope I made this clear. It seems that the 3D CAD system requirement that files not be renamed is in direct conflict with ISO requirements. Following the ISO requirement utterly defeats a 3D CAD system's ability to maintain linkages between files and probably makes it more likely that an outside vendor receives the wrong file, which is exactly opposite the intent of the ISO requirement.

Anyone encounter this before and know what to do about it?

Thank you, Jeff Philips

No, your file name does not have to incorporate the rev level per ISO 9001. But, if your quality system requires it you will either need to change your qms requirement or change your file names.

We don't get actual drawings where I am now, but in a past life....a customer would send us a notification that a drawing had been revised, its new rev level and we would store the new drawing as current and mark the old one as obsolete and put it in the reference files for old drawings. Sorry, I don't remember how long we kept the old file, I am pretty sure that our standard was 7 years unless the customer required something more.

Firstly, welcome to the Cove!

A quick answer and also a suggestion to do a search, since similar topics are often discussed here.

If we are talking ISO 9000 etc, there is no requirement for file naming conventions. Your QA Mgr is correct in trying to ensure that each engineering spec/drawing/cad file is clearly identified as another version, if it's changed (fit, form, function etc.). I'm not familiar with file handling/structuring on cad systems, but I'm confident that the better systems have a provision for identifying versions, following changes being made. You might not have to 'force' a filename format change which causes the incompatability issue you described.

Hi, Jeff, and welcome to the Cove!

Well, this is the first time I have heard this one. Bogus with a capitol B. The 9001 standard says nothing about how you identify your documents, only that you have the required documents (the ones you "shall" have as referenced in the standard). There may be another ISO standard that says something like that, but I am unaware of it.

It is a common ploy for some people to state that "ISO" requires something that they want done. If you want to bust this guy's bubble, hand him a copy of the 9001 standard and ask them to show you where the requirement is in the standard, because you want to be sure you are getting it right. Then sit back and watch them squirm. For greater effect, this can be done in a crowd, during a meeting even.

Having people try to pull this stunt is a pet peeve of mine.

If you want to bust this guy's bubble, hand him a copy of the 9001 standard and ask them to show you where the requirement is in the standard, because you want to be sure you are getting it right. Then sit back and watch them squirm. For greater effect, this can be done in a crowd, during a meeting even.

Having people try to pull this stunt is a pet peeve of mine.

Craig, I can just see you doing this to someone, you little devil you!

Craig, I can just see you doing this to someone, you little devil you!

:topic:

Yeah, "How to win friends and influence people".............

:topic:

Yeah, "How to win friends and influence people".............

Also known as Winning Through Intimidation (good book, if dated, BTW).

The technique can be used to inform, enlighten, or belittle and embarrass, depending on the jerkiness of the subject involved.