Enterprise Collaboration

Modules > Collaboration

Collaboration
Being creative or reviewing designs are difficult tasks in themselves without the frustration of searching for information or knowing that information exists and can't get to it.

The practice of collaboration has been used for several decades, with most carrying the caveat that (pick one) "I need to translate that file", "The file is on Spain's server", "The Data Admin has already left for the day", "I don't have that password", "I don't know how to run CAD", "I learned that in class but forgot how", "I don't know how to get it" ... sound familiar?

Connectivity or security issues aside, a lot of time is wasted trying to navigate to data with an unfamiliar or infrequently used tool.

The VEMS solution is simple: all data items defined to VEMS, whether native or tightly secured in another technology or authoring tool are available for viewing, and if permissions are given, generating a new version of the object.

Consider the Engineer who, early in the product life cycle, is unfamiliar with the schematic and CAD tools but needs to 1) validate the temperature rating of a connector, and 2) determine it's intended proximity to a heat source.

If the authoring tool users had enough information generated, the Engineer may be able to review plots, VRMLs, and JTs of the design intent, in which case, answer his or her own question.

If not, in today's high-tech environment, an email is usually dispatched to the two responsible individuals and each returns his or her piece of the puzzle. "Connector Part Number ZH-2443-11 is rated for 130C" and "The connector is located 125mm from the exhaust manifold."

Instead, consider the case where the Engineer logs into VEMS, his or her primary tool. Even if the schematic and 3D routing information is completely housed within the respective authoring tools, VEMS can deliver, to the Engineer's desktop, either 2D or 3D views of the design intent, and a "VEMS view" of the design.

In turn, the intent can be updated or changed, and delivered directly back to the authoring tools in the original format. This approach is a "Bottoms Up" approach.

Consider another case, where a Design Engineer is capable of producing design intent of a harness. In a "Top Down" approach, VEMS is used to define both the schematic and physical design intent and deliver the information to the respective authoring tools.

In all cases, VEMS manages which authoring and technology tool "owns" the design intent and which are consumers of the data.