OpenBOM for PTC Creo

This page provides you with a document about how to setup and configure OpenBOM Add-in for PTC Creo Parametric

Content: 

  1. Introduction – What Can OpenBOM’s Integration for PTC Creo Do?
  2. Functions and Benefits
  3. Data Flow Diagram
  4. Installation of OpenBOM for PTC Creo
  5. A few very important Creo settings
  6. Configure PTC Creo for OpenBOM
  7. The Menu
  8. Getting Started – Register your Account and Start the Trial
  9. Creating your first BOM 

Introduction – What Can OpenBOM’s Integration for PTC Creo Do?

If you’re using PTC Creo for your mechanical design projects, OpenBOM directly integrates with Creo. The integration extracts data from CRE and uploads it to OpenBOM to create an engineering bill of materials.

The integration will keep your data in sync and merge changes between Creo designs and OpenBOM bill of materials (BOMs). In addition to sending BOMs, the integration can automatically upload 3D CAD files to connected cloud storage in 3D format and neutral 3D PDF/PDF formats and generate drawings.

Functions and Benefits

  • Integrates with PTC Creo to import BOMs and changes from CAD designs

  • Enables tracking of part usage across multiple BOMs with intelligent “where used” queries

  • Allows viewing of BOM change history and generates change reports

  • BOM revision creation and management

  • Rollup costs and quantities for all levels

  • Manage catalogs and “Quantity on Hand”

  • Rollup costs, mass, and other properties from sub-assemblies to top level

  • Manage purchased assemblies as single-line items

  • Manage purchase orders and plan production

  • Create vendor lists and assign component vendors

  • Data sharing and simultaneous editing from any browser

  • Create multi-level indented BOMs of product structure including hi-res thumbnail images

  • Manage which and how properties from PTC Creo are sent to OpenBOM

  • Supports PTC Creo part number methods and custom properties

  • Recognizes assemblies and part configurations

  • Save items directly to any catalog

  • Automatic generates part numbers

  • Create a catalog from a folder of parts

  • Generate STEP/STL/PDFs for parts and assemblies

  • Automatic generation of PDFs for associated drawings

  • Save PTC Creo models, PDFs, and drawings to cloud storage and put a link in BOMs

Data Flow Diagram

Installation of OpenBOM for PTC Creo 

  1. Install version 6 or later of Creo with the following option

    1. https://support.ptc.com/appserver/auth/it/esd/product.jsp?prodFamily=ENG

    2. Win64 option

    3. The API Toolkit 

  1. Install the OpenBOM addin

    1. https://www.openbom.com/openbom-integration-for-ptc-cre

    2. Select “Download” and install as usual

    4. Be sure to specify the real location of your Creo installation

    5. Reboot if necessary

A few very important Creo settings

If you use OpenBOM Project Design Workspace Manager or OpenBOM Drive to store your Creo data, you will want to turn off the Creo automatic file backup behavior.  It is not needed and it is rather troubling with data managers as it creates .1, .2, copies of all your files.   

To do so, edit the Creo Config files (it is different for different versions of Creo) and add the following value:

SAVE_FILE_ITERATIONS = NO

Part Number = xxxxxxx

If you are going to use the Creo Part Number property to control the value of the Part Number in OpenBOM (a good idea) then add the Part Number property to the configuration file as well.  You will set the Value for each file later.

Configure PTC Creo for OpenBOM

  1. Start PTC Creo

  2. Open a PTC Assembly

  3. Locate the OpenBOM Menu #1 and click

  4. The OpenBOM Ribbon Menu will appea

The Menu

Once installed, the OpenBOM Ribbon Menu contains the OpenBOM commands as shown below

  1. Locate – Locate the BOM in the OpenBOM dashboard

  2. BOM – Create/update BOMs and item catalogs in one operation.

  3. Save Item – Export currently viewed items to OpenBOM.

  4. File Management – Workspace Manager or Drive (if purchased separately

  5. Settings – Display the OpenBOM “Settings” menu.

Getting Started – Register your Account and Start the Trial

To get started, you must first sign in or create an account, it’s free.

  1. Open Settings

  2. If you already have an account provide your credentials 

  3. if not, click Create Account and register a new OpenBOM  Account, return here with your credentials

Creating your first BOM

  1. Open an Assembly in Creo

  2. Open the OpenBOM Settings

  3. Provide your credentials

  4. Create a new Property list as follows

    2. Type “Creo Catalog” (or any meaningful name)

    3. Select the properties you wish to Send to OpenBOM, this is a good start

    4. Click Save

    5. Do not create any other lists.  Do not place any settings in the Advanced Tab (they do not apply to Creo

    6. Enable Logging if it is not already on

    7. Click Save

  5. Click the BOM button

  6. OpenBOM will generate a Bill of Materials like the one shown below

Congratulations, You have just created your first BOM using OpenBOM.

Working with the Settings

The OpenBOM Settings dialog controls much of the behavior of OpenBOM for Creo.  it is divided into several sections:

  1. Credentials

  2. BOM Controls & Properties

  3. Catalogs and Template

  4. File Storage and Derivatives

Loading...