Engineering Data Management Transition Using SolidWorks PDM

Engineering data was stored in shared Dropbox folders with inconsistent naming and duplicate versions, while SolidWorks licenses were manually shared between users, creating access friction and poor revision control.

• Existing reliance on shared Dropbox-based workflows
• Partial implementation with ongoing migration
• Unclear ownership between IT support and PDM administration
• Lack of governance and documentation in rollout phase
• Need to integrate into existing infrastructure rather than rebuild

A transition to SolidWorks PDM with network licensing was initiated, supported by SQL Server deployment, server-side integration, and alignment with existing storage and backup infrastructure.

1. 01

   Identify file-control and licensing issues in the existing engineering environment.

2. 02

   Support evaluation and transition from standalone to network licensing.

3. 03

   Assist SQL Server licensing and infrastructure setup for PDM deployment.

4. 04

   Align the PDM environment with server storage and backup systems.

5. 05

   Prepare installation guidance and administrative system images.

6. 06

   Support incremental migration as new projects are developed.

• Transition from standalone to network-based SolidWorks licensing.
• Integration of SolidWorks PDM with SQL Server on Windows Server.
• Alignment with RAID-based storage and multi-layer backup systems.
• Incremental migration strategy tied to active engineering projects.
• Identification of governance and ownership gaps in early deployment phase.

• PDM-enabled server environment
• Network licensing foundation
• Installation guidance and admin-image support
• Structured baseline for engineering data management

The system established a centralized foundation for revision control, file locking, and network-based license access, with migration occurring incrementally as new engineering work is introduced into the vault.

• Data management systems fail without governance and documentation.
• Licensing models can significantly affect day-to-day engineering productivity.
• Incremental migration reduces disruption but requires stronger operational structure.
• Backup reliability must include validation, not just scheduled execution.