UNIPLOT is a plot management for processing of technical drawings and documents. It can be simultaneously integrated in several PLM / ERP systems, and thereby optimizes cross-system work processes.

UNIPLOT assumes the following tasks:

  • Exchange of information and files between different PLM systems
  • Conversion of CAD and Office files in neutral formats (for example, TIFF, PDF, PDF / A)
  • Export of drawings and documents with stamps
  • Perfect output of drawings and documents with stamps on any printer
  • Web-based search of drawings and documents without PLM client in one or more PLM systems
  • Secure Viewing: stamping of drawings and documents before display
  • Integration of old data: check-in of scanned documents and drawings in PLM systems with installation of new records

UNIPLOT übernimmt dabei folgende Aufgaben:

  • Austausch von Daten und Dateien zwischen unterschiedlichen PLM-Systemen
  • Konvertierung von CAD- und Office-Dateien in Neutralformate (z.B. TIFF, PDF, PDF/A)
  • Export von Zeichnungen und Dokumenten mit Stempelung
  • Perfekter Ausdruck von Zeichnungen und Dokumenten mit Stempeln auf beliebige Drucker
  • Webbasierte Suche von Zeichnungen und Dokumenten ohne PLM-Client in einem oder mehreren PLM-Systemen
  • Sicheres Viewen: Stempelung von Zeichnungen und Dokumenten vor der Anzeige
  • Integration des Altdatenbestandes: Check-In von gescannten Dokumenten und Zeichnungen in PLM-Systemen mit Anlage neuer Datensätze

UNIPLOT Overview

UNIPLOT integrations

UNIPLOT provides tight integrations for the PLM systems SAP® PLM, Teamcenter and SmarTeam.

Here UNIPLOT meets the following standard features:

  • Conversion, check-in and link with the original documents at status change
  • Check-in, check-out, copy of original
  • Creating, updating records and create new versions
  • Overwrite existing files yes / no
  • Reading the metadata assignment to UNIPLOT fields i.e. for stamping
  • Access to PLM documents over the Web (Search client)
  • Control the entire interface by external programs

 

 

Data exchange between PLM- and CAD systems

Often a PLM system close to the CAD is used in the design department, while for the distribution in the company another system is established. The only system on the market that allows the exchange of data between several PLM systems is UNIPLOT. For example, you can search and print documents from the SAP® surface while the originals are in reality in Teamcenter. Or you can read metadata, copy files, rasterize files, entering a new record in SAP® and assign raster file to a record during a status change in Teamcenter or SmarTeam. Whatever your workflow is organized - UNIPLOT supports and accelerates these processes in all scenarios. (In the scenarios described below, the term PLM system represents one of the following systems: Teamcenter, Smarteam or Agile)

Scenario 1: You manage drawings and documents in the PLM system, until they are released. When sharing a conversion takes place in a long-term format. In the SAP system, a document master record is created from the metadata of the PLM system automatically and a long-term copy of the drawing of this document is stored.

Scenario 2: You manage both the original CAD files as the long term formats also in the PLM system. In company-wide ERP system, you create only documents master records. All employees who work with the ERP system can look for the drawings and documents and display them on UNIPLOT and plot them while the files are retrieved from the PLM system.

Scenario 3: You manage drawings and documents in multiple systems. With UNIPLOT a simultaneous search is possible in all systems, so that one set of documents can be placed together out of all systems. This is especially interesting when data is migrated over a certain period.

Integration with SAP® PLM

As a Complementary Software Partner of SAP, Advanced Software has seamlessly integrated UNIPLOT functionality into SAP. The user can search documents from out of the SAP interface using metadata and display them in the form of thumbnails. UNIPLOT is a SAP AG certified plot management system since 1999; in August 2008 there was a re-certification in the field of document management. Besides a number of integrations into SAP transactions that automatically determine the documents to be submitted, the views and outputting is everywhere possible where a document info record is displayed.

Integration with Teamcenter from Siemens PLM

UNIPLOT offers a particularly extensive and tight integration with Teamcenter from Siemens PLM. The UNIPLOT integration into the Teamcenter portal allows in addition to normal views, exporting and printing out of the portal, i.e. the outputting of all drawings in a BOM. Whole assemblies can so be processed and all related documents can be automatically selected. Besides, access to documents can be produced via the Web-based search client worldwide where documents are required to view and print, but no PLM functionality is needed. In addition, we support the conversion of CAD and Office files.

Conversion Overview

When converting the following steps are performed:

  • determine the size of the input file

Due to the configuration and the target format:

  • Scaling and rotation
  • Adjust Resolution and line weights
  • rasterization
  • attach stamp and watermark
  • generate printer language

The format conversion runs in UNIPLOT for each plotting - this approach has the following advantages:

  • All UNIPLOT processes (for example, stamps, block processing) work with all printers,
  • the operational reliability is substantially increased,
  • each printer is charged only with the graphic language and the data that it understands
  • no interruptions of plotting due to errors in the printer language.

The following conversions are possible with UNIPLOT:
 
Input formats:

  •     ASCII
  •     CAD: AutoCAD * - CADAM ** - * CADDS - CADRA * - Catia * - * DWG - DXF * - * Inventor - Medusa ** - MicroStation * - * SolidWorks - Solid Edge * - Unigraphics **
  •     Hybrid: PDF - PostScript Level 1 & 2 - HPGL
  •     MS OFFICE: MS Excel * - MS PowerPoint * - * MS Word - MS VISIO *
  •     Raster: BMP - CALS Type 1 - Formtek - HP-RTL - JPEG - PCX - PSD - TIFF (Standard Version 6) - SW / Greyscale / Colored CCITT - WMF
  •     Vector: Calcomp 907 - CGM - DXF * - HPGL - HPGL / 2 - ProRen (PPI)

All formats with * require the original application on the UNIPLOT server; all formats with ** require parts of the original application on the UNIPLOT server.

Ausgabeformate:

  •     Raster: Calcomp CCRF - CALS Type 1 - CCITT - ESRP - Formtek - HP-RTL - PCL 3 - PCL5 - PDF - PostScript Level 1 & 2 - standard TIFF version 6 - Versatec® - Colour: PDF - PS - TIFF
  •     Vector: Calcomp C907 - Canon CaPSL - CGM - ESRP - HPGL / 2 - Kyocera Prescribe - QMS QUIC - Versatec® VRF
  •     Special cases: DWG> DXF - DWF> DWF - SLDDRW - DXF

The following conversion modes are available:

Vector -> Vector
Vector -> Grid
Raster -> Grid
Hybrid -> Grid
CAD -> Grid
Office -> Grid

Secure Viewer for PLM systems

Whether in operating system, free, extremely expensive, 2D or 3D: The vast majority of viewers provide a wealth of features in the display of technical drawings, but they contain no concept to protect your intellectual property.

In your PLM system you have a sophisticated authorization concept introduced to ensure that only authorized persons have access to the data. But if a drawing or a document from the PLM system is loaded in the viewer, the user can output it as a rule to a printer, save copies of the file and send the file via e-mail, without the security mechanisms of the PLM system be considered.

This is the point at which the UNIPLOT-View solution joins to protect your intellectual property.

 

 

What is a secure viewer?

The following conditions must meet a secure viewer:

  • Drawings and documents may not be issued without stamping the document status and the origin or a copyright. In addition, user name and the date of issue should be stamped for later tracking.
  • Drawings and documents or parts thereof may not be uncontrollably be exportable for further use from out of the viewer or can be sent by mail. Also, the uncontrolled use in other programs must be prevented.
  • On the other hand may speedy operation and especially the necessary cooperation with others not be hindered!

The UNIPLOT-View solution

The UNIPLOT-View solutions stamp all drawings and documents before displaying them. The stamped attributes are adjustable and can include e.g. the following values:

  • Document status, and other attributes of the PLM system
  • Current Date and Time
  • User name of the operating system or login name of the PLM system
  • Fixed texts that should be displayed only when viewing

The UNIPLOT-View solution deliberately renounce on a clipboard to secure that the drawings cannot be transferred to other programs. There is no "file" function. There are neither export nor "Save As ..." options, so that the files cannot be saved from the viewer into the file management system.

In this context, there is no local temporary file on the user's desktop PC, so that the document also cannot be copied off during the display. Furthermore, there is no editing function to change the graphic. The local print function on Windows printer can be inhibited by the administrator, so that a print with stamping and logging is only possible via UNIPLOT.

 

 

[Translate to Englisch:] Sicheres Viewen – sicheres Drucken und Plotten

The UNIPLOT server provides the following functions that are logged and thus can be checked:

  • Printing with appropriately configured stamps
  • Export (if need be with stamping) in a user-specific folder that can be provided with appropriate access rights
  • Shipping via email, while the drawings and documents are given as attachment to an e-mail that is sent to the client.

The client can then forward this email in its normal mail program where he can normally detect the accompanying text and extract the email address from its address book.

The search engine for your drawings and documents

Via Browser: All documents in all PLM systems, ODBC databases and file management system

Do you want to find documents in your PLM system, without the respective PLM client is installed? If you use SAP PLM, Teamcenter, Smarteam, Agile or a SQL database as a PLM system respectively use your file management system, we have the right solution for you.

The UNIPLOT search client is a Web application that is connected to a UNIPLOT server. Via the PLM integrations of this UNIPLOT server, the search client searches documents in the connected PLM systems.

The results can be displayed with the integrated UNIPLOT View solution on screen and printed, converted and exported, or sent via email via the UNIPLOT server.

 

 

Application scenarios for the UNIPLOT Search Client

Scenario 1: You use more than one system to manage your drawings and technical documents – for example one system that includes old stocks of detached CAD systems, and a new system with current drawings and documents. Your users no longer need to consider the system in which they have to look now for every query - the search client finds the documents easily, as he researches parallel in several PLM systems.

Scenario 2: You need a system to find, display or output drawings and documents that is easy to operate and can be used anywhere. In this case, the search client as a web application with exactly this functionality is the right tool.

Scenario 3: You are traveling, for example, when visiting a customer or on a construction site, and have no direct access to your PLM system. The search client as a web application nonetheless offers access to the drawings and documents in your PLM system.

Search features of UNIPLOT search client

  • Administrator-configurable search mask
  • Finding of documents
  • Finding of all documents on assemblies, parts lists and materials with appropriate BOM explosion
  • Targeted acquisition of the required results in the output list
  • Set building over a number of searches and across different administrative systems

The features of UNIPLOT research clients in the overview

  • Web application
  • Integrable into a business directory
  • Scope of functions concentrated on:

    • Finding of drawings and documents, also on assemblies, parts lists and materials
    • Finding of the latest, released version, or - if authorized - specifically, certain versions or status
    • The hit list indicates whether only metadata or a file exist
    • Display on the screen
    • Printing, converting, exporting and sending
    • Very easy to use

  • No change in the PLM data possible
  • Parallel searching in several PLM systems and archives
  • Screen display of the input screens and hit lists flexibly configurable
  • All activities auditable on the UNIPLOT server
  • Possible integration with the UNIPLOT-View solution

Integrations

The UNIPLOT search client works directly with the following PLM systems:

  • mySAP PLM
  • Siemens PLM Teamcenter
  • Dassault Smarteam
  • Oracle Agile
  • SQL database
  • File management system

Through the integration with the UNIPLOT-View solution and the UNIPLOT-Output management a very comfortable and secure processing of the results is possible.

Technical specifications

Web Technology: Java Servlets
Application Server: Apache Tomcat
PLM Integration: UNIPLOT PLM driver

Trademark Attributions:
SAP is the trademark or registered trademark of SAP SE in Germany and in several other countries.
SMARTEAM is the trademark or registered trademark of Dassault Systèmes or its subsidiaries in the US and/or other countries.
Teamcenter is a trademark or registered trademark of Siemens Product Lifecycle Management Software Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States and in other countries.