Recommend a good drawing Searching tool

[tc308]

Hi, has anyone come across any good drawing search tools? We have about 18,000 drawings in our database and I am trying to find an effective way to retrieve items based on the component features rather than just the title.

I’m sure we have loads of useful stuff we just don't re-use.

Thanks

[Coolmo]

I'm really showing my ignorance here but what do you mean by component features?

[BrenBren]

Dotsoft has one, but I don't know if it will do what you are looking for. It will search by different variables within a drawing (see screen shot), but I don't know exactly what you are looking for.

It can be purchased individually, or as part of ToolPac (that's why I have it). Website is www.dotsoft.com (http://www.dotsoft.com/) (not affiliated with company in any way - just a very satisfied user)

[Mike.Perry]

Hi

Check out the following thread -

Searching Drawing Keywords (http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=7389)

Have a good one, Mike

[tc308]

Hi, basically I want to search on the size and shape of the part, not just what someone happens to have called it. This would enable me to find truly similar parts that we have already done all the work on.

[seandeluge]

I have just downloaded a system which promises this functionality ... Searching from a sketch or an existing drawing. Only just got hold of the demo so don't know how good it is yet but if it does what it says it does it'll save me loads of money!

www.sketchandsearch.com

[tc308]

Thanks Mike, but I'm trying to move away from keyword searching. Over the years there doesn't seem to have been to much consistency applied to the keywords!

Ideally I want to search on part geometry to overcome this. Will take a look at dotsoft and this sketch and search thing and see if they can do the job.

Cheers

[Mike.Perry]

Hi

Did you actually follow the "DWGBrowser" links within the thread I pointed you towards?

Only ask as those links will take you to a review of DWGBrowser + the author's web site (DotSoft).

Anyway, www.sketchandsearch.com (http://www.sketchandsearch.com/) looks quite interesting.

Have a good one, Mike