We create a manufacturing document for each part.
 
This is a word document
 
In it we create an OLE link to the AutoCAD file as well as placing all the related manufacturing info,  Tool list, Photos, and CNC machine setup sheets ect.
 
When we print work orders the custom program I had Ben create forced MS word to open the word.doc and print it  its get the file name from the drawing field and it requires a short word macro to be installed.
We also have the option of not printing the word doc.
 
I can print hundreds of work orders at a time and all the doc’s come out with the work orders.
 
All I have to do is match them with the traveler and pick list and off they go to the shop.
 
To be sure drawings always match the AutoCAD files you open the word doc and the double click on the drawing it then opens AutoCAD for editing. When your done it updates the word doc and everything stays synced.
 
This has saved us thousands of hours of office work from the old way of having print books that were always out of date, dirty and full of metal chips from the machine shop.
 
I hope Lynn can incorporate this into her DBA as a standard feature.
 
John Waddington
www.waddingtonelectronics.com

Thanks Lynn

Import utility is a good idea, I had already thought of it as well.  Also looking at how difficult it would be to enable specifying different applications and a default path.
 
We are also changing the camera icon on the lower right to a small one up in a toolbar in the upper right with the forum link icon and others as they are developed to eliminate the resolution issues.

Not yet but that is in the plans for Phase 2.  We plan to have both multiple links and a way to link shop sketches and/or manufacturing instruction documents to a specific routing sequence of an item.

OK, we are about to release Phase 2 - should be out by the end of the week.  We now have:
 
Unlimited number of links for each inventory item - drawings, inspection instructions, .
 
Ability to enter a central path to a folder holding links so each inventory link need only specify a file name for those files located in that folder.  Other links located elsewhere need the full path specified.
 
Each link can be associated with any application to open it.  Default is Internet Explorer but anything else can be specified - AutoCad, VoloView, anything you want to specify.
 
A link can be further associated with a routing sequence, such as setup or inspection instructions.
 
A link can be set Y or N to print with the shop traveler (actual printing capability to follow later).
 
An import utility is available to populate the link table from a comma delimited file.
 
Icon to open the linked files is available in IN-A, IN-B, BM-A, RO-A, PO-A, SO-A.

We use autocad too  and the way I get arround haveing 2 copies, one in word and one in autocad is to use MANUAL OLE links in word and always open the word doc to edit the drawing.  The word doc can even have many drawings or views in it. You cant have large format drawings though.  maybe you can  Im not sure.
however I can click the camera icon
pull up the word doc
double click on the drawing and it brings up the master drawing in autocad.
There I can large format print, laser print, edit, ect and then update the word doc automatically if I wish.
 
It would be nice to have autocad print the doc but autocad has so many printing options I dont see how you could get the proper views ect from a simple print command.
 
besides our word doc's have lots of things in them that are not in the autocad file. Tool list for the cnc machine.
setup screen shots from the CAM program, some have setup photos.
 
heres a link to an example word doc  that we use
http://www.waddingtonelectronics.com/pfTPT72000.doc
 
Note the info in the header  this really helps to match up the word docs with the workorders and the pick slips.
 
JW

I believe it loops at the link so you can enter many links if you need to.
 
I love the links I think i hit that camera icon 100 times a day.
 
Im setting up a camera dedicated  to takeing photos of stuff we buy where there is no drawing so we can document those hard to deal with items
 
jw

I love the weblinks! When do I set the global path for links? I think I read there was such a thing but can't find it now.