3. What’s new in OpenPLM 1.2

3.1. Introduction

OpenPLM is a product oriented PLM solution. A product oriented PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) solution unifies all activities of the company in an ECM which structures data around the product. OpenPLM features a full web and user-friendly interface. OpenPLM is Free and Open Source Software. This means that all our work is free to use, modify and redistribute.

Since the last version, released 5 month ago, lots of changes have been made in OpenPLM 1.2. Some noteworthy highlights:

• It is now easier to upload files and create documents
• Several enhancements to the navigate feature
• Engineering Change Requests
• Alternate part links

3.2. What’s new for users

3.2.1. Navigate

3.2.1.1. New style

Nodes have been redesigned. You can now see more information about a part or a document. It should also be easier to determinate if a node represents a part or a document.

Document

Part

3.2.1.2. Revisions management

Two links to the previous and next revisions are now displayed:

3.2.1.3. Switch to study mode

Now, you can directly inspect one of the elements displayed in navigate:

3.2.1.4. Small User Experience improvements

• Zoom factor stays when switching from one object to another.
• You can drag graph by clicking wherever you want in the graph.
• You can navigate at a previous date

3.2.2. Upload and create

You can now upload a file (or more) and create a new document in a few clicks.

Download the video

3.2.3. Lifecycle

It is now possible to asked several signers to promote or demote a part or document. The owner can be one of the first signers and he can easily warn other users when he think its work is ready.

3.2.4. BOM

3.2.4.1. Comparison

You can compare a BOM at two different dates.

3.2.4.2. Attached documents

You can visualize a complete multi-level BOM including all attached documents:

3.2.4.3. Alternate links

It is possible to create a set of alternate parts. Each usage of a part can be replaced by one of its alternate. It is possible to include alternate parts in all BOM.

OpenPLM prevents incoherent situations (like a part parent of one of its alternate) when BOM are built.

3.2.5. Files

You can access to all uploaded versions of one file:

3.2.6. Change management

If your administrator enables them, you will be able to create ECR (Engineering Change Requests) to request a change bound to several parts and documents.

3.2.7. Badges

If your administrator enables them, you will win badges by using OpenPLM ☺.

3.2.8. Miscellaneous enhancements

• When creating a part or a document, the group is set to the last selected group
• It is possible to choose the group of a new revision
• For each part and document, similar contents are displayed on the attributes page

3.3. What’s new for administrators

3.3.1. Documentation

• A new how-to, How to upgrade an installation of OpenPLM, is available.

3.3.2. New settings

• EMAIL_FAIL_SILENTLY
• KEEP_ALL_FILES

3.3.3. Minor file revisions

A notable change of this version is the ability of openPLM to keep old minor revision of all files (all check-ins). You can configure which files are kept, see plmapp.files.deletable.

3.3.4. New application: badges

A new application, badges can be installed. It adds badges ala StackOverflow.

3.3.5. New application: calendrier

A new application, calendrier can be installed. It adds a calendar view of the timeline and histories pages and an ICal feed for each object.

3.3.6. New application: ecr: change management

A new application, ecr can be installed. It adds Engineering Change Request objects.

3.3.7. Optional lifecycles

New lifecycles are available, you can load them by running the command ./manage.py loaddata extra_lifecycles

3.4. Previous versions

• 3.4.1. What’s new in OpenPLM 1.1