Frequently Asked Questions About CADFIT

Q: This program runs for a long time. What is it doing?

A: The application gathers basic information about all of the files in your target directories such as file type, size, creation date, last modification date, etc. A great deal more detailed information is extracted from SolidWorks file types. Custom properties, the version of SolidWorks in use when the file was last saved and most importantly, external file references are also recorded for SolidWorks file type. All information extracted is high-level, so there is no security risk with using CADFIT.

Q: The program needs access to all of my files. Does it open or alter them?

A: None of the files are opened in their respective editing applications (not even in read-only mode). The files are not altered in any way. You can rest assured knowing that your dataset has not been modified.

Q: What is in the results database that is sent back to Razorleaf (and why do I need to send it)?

A: The results database contains metadata (metadata is information about the files). No geometric or physical property data is recorded by the tool. Razorleaf is keenly aware that design data is proprietary and that even metadata is sensitive. The results database is a “black box” that is encrypted and can be processed only by Razorleaf. Your customer data is never shared with any third parties.

Q: I know that I have duplicate files in my dataset. Will the program eliminate duplicates?

A: The program does not change the dataset in any way. It will identify duplicate files and the returned CADFIT report will provide significant details to help guide review and elimination of duplicates. An important bit of information provided with the reports is an indication of which files are truly duplicates – the file content matches – and which are duplicates in name only.

Q: What can this program do for me that I couldn’t do for myself in SolidWorks?

A: SolidWorks reference problems are made apparent to the user when the file is opened. It could be said that this provides a microscopic view of what is wrong with that particular file. There is no sense of the quality of the overall dataset. Most datasets contain thousands of files. Many datasets have tens of thousands of files. The reports created from the results database will answer questions like:

• What percent of my dataset has unresolved reference issues?
• What specific files have problems?
• How many duplicate files do I have and what portion of the overall dataset is affected by them?
• If I have 1000 files with reference issues, do I have 1000 distinct problems, 1000 files with the same problem or some combination?
• Are there design practices that cause collaboration and /or reference resolution problems?
• Is it possible that efficiency and accuracy are compromised by current reference management practices?

Q: What is the difference between free reports and paid reports?

A: The free reports are simply abbreviated versions of the full, paid reports. For example, one of the most popular reports lists assemblies and drawings that have missing references along with specifics on what is missing. The report can run to several hundred pages. The free report shows the first few pages of the full report. The accuracy of the report can be verified manually by checking the status of the listed files. The free report will give you the overall feel for the health of your data, and whether you need to take any immediate actions. If there are some real problems, the paid report will help you take the next step.

Q: Is my IT Department going to let me run this tool?

A: The tool gathers information about files. It does not alter, move or copy files. From an IT perspective the tool has no more rights than the person that runs it. The engineering department should be aware that product structure can be deduced from results produced by the tool. This is important proprietary information that exists in the results database but is not exposed in a significant way in any reports.

Q: Do you have any hard numbers to justify why it’s worth it to buy the reports?

A: Assume that we are evaluating a small collaborative group of 4 users. Even in well-disciplined groups there are usually some problems with duplicate files or unexpected results due to file movement. If we assume a fairly minimal impact of 15 minutes per day per person at a burden rate of $40/hour the cost of that inefficiency is $9400 over the course of 235 working days annually.

Running the tool does not fix the problems, but it does provide a wealth of information to efficiently fix them as well as insight into how to prevent future problems.