OpenBOM Drive, Cloud Files, and Collaboration

OpenBOM is coming from Beta to the production release. If you’ve been following our blog recently, I’m sure you already heard about OpenBOM Drive. OpenBOM Drive is a new enhancement of OpenBOM, which is focusing on collaborative file management and version control. 

The Story of OpenBOM, Cloud Files and Collaboration 

COVID19 was one of the biggest transformative factors pushing companies to adopt digital technologies and move to the cloud. No one can imagine working with local files these days. Everyone needs to be able to share data and collaborate. As much as we believe at OpenBOM that data such as Items, BOMs, and all related information must be centralized and open for collaborative access, we found that the same vision for files is very much resonating. 

According to CIMdata research, about 70% of manufacturing companies are looking at how to replace their legacy PDM and PLM systems with a modern cloud software solution. It is hard to imagine how 20-year-old PDM systems developed for the age of Windows XP can still hold their responsibilities and provide a solution to manage CAD design and all related information. 

At the same time, we know how conservative all engineers and manufacturing companies are in everything related to their environment. Habits are hard to change, therefore, we’ve been looking for a solution that keeps people doing the same, but… differently. And this is a paradigm of virtual drive that can provide the same user experience for users on their PC using existing CAD systems, but manage data in a centralized form. Drive is a virtual database that provides access to files in a virtual form in a very transparent and seamless form. 

At the same time, Drive interacts and is fully integrated with item and BOM databases so, the information about files is intertwined with items. OpenBOM dashboard provides and manages the links between file structure and file objects on one side and Items on the other side. In such a way a digital thread between design data structure and items/product structure is built. OpenBOM Drive interface is also expanding and became available via OpenBOM CAD Add-ins (eg. Solidworks). 

Drive – Windows File Explorer, Drive Dashboard, and CAD Add-ins 

OpenBOM Drive provides seamless access to the file structure and information via multiple user interfaces – File Explorer, Dashboard, and CAD add-in.

File Explorer

This one is the most seamless and easy to understand. The virtual drive is mounted in File Explorer and it allows you to work seamlessly with files. Importing files to OpenBOM Drive is easy – just drag and drop them in file explorer. Drive will do everything else and you will be able to access and share the data seamlessly with everyone.

Drive Dashboard 

A new dashboard is coming to OpenBOM – Drive. It provides seamless access to the information in the Drive including viewing, downloading, revision, and links to Items in OpenBOM Catalogs. 

CAD Add-ins (Eg. SOLIDWORKS) 

OpenBOM Drive user interface is seamlessly integrated into CAD Add-in. You can have easy-to-use access, Check-in/ Check-out, and other commands such as version control. 

3D Viewer

An integral part of OpenBOM Drive is Viewer, which is available in all user interfaces. 

Item Association link 

The connection between the design structure and the Item/BOM structure is seamless and transparent. It provides an easy way to link and navigate between components in Drive and Item/BOMs. 

Video Demo

In the following video, you can see examples of OpenBOM’s Drive interfaces, how it interacts and provides information about design structure, version, and allows collaboration between engineers and everyone else involved. Watch this video. 

Conclusion 

OpenBOM Drive is a new addition to the OpenBOM family of services, which allows collaborative file management and is designed to support work-in-progress collaboration that happens in every engineering team. The Drive functionality is available via multiple user interfaces and experienced via File Explorer, OpenBOM Dashboard, and CAD Integration. 

Check out what OpenBOM Drive can do for you and request access to OpenBOM Drive (Still available) by contacting OpenBOM Support. 

For more information about licensing and subscription for OpenBOM Drive contact our support today. 

Best, Oleg