We implemented automated CAD-BOM synchronization between our ECAD and MCAD teams, eliminating the manual update bottleneck that was causing 3-5 day delays in our release cycles. Previously, our electrical engineers would complete PCB designs in Altium, but mechanical engineers had to manually recreate BOM structures in Creo, leading to frequent mismatches and rework.
Our solution leverages Windchill’s CAD integration framework to automatically synchronize BOM data between ECAD and MCAD environments. When electrical designs reach specific lifecycle states, the system triggers automated workflows that extract component data, map attributes between domains, and update the master BOM structure. Change management workflows now track modifications across both disciplines simultaneously.
The impact has been significant: release cycles reduced from 12 days to 7 days, BOM accuracy improved to 99.2%, and cross-functional change coordination became seamless. Engineering teams now spend time on design rather than administrative reconciliation.
Great implementation. I’m curious about your change management approach - when an electrical component changes, how do you propagate that to mechanical assemblies that reference it? Do you use promotion requests or ECN workflows to manage the cross-domain dependencies?
The 5-day reduction in release cycles is impressive. Did you encounter any challenges with timing - like ECAD changes coming in late that disrupted MCAD schedules? How do you handle the coordination of design freeze dates?
Change management uses ECN workflows with automated impact analysis. When an electrical component changes state to ‘Released for Review’, our workflow scans for mechanical assemblies that reference it and automatically adds them to the ECN as affected items. The system checks dependency graphs to find all downstream impacts across both domains. Mechanical engineers receive notifications showing exactly which assemblies need review, with side-by-side comparisons of old vs new component specs. This automated change propagation was critical for maintaining synchronization.
This is exactly what we need! Our ECAD-MCAD coordination is painful. How did you handle the attribute mapping between Altium and Creo? We have different part numbering schemes and component classifications in each system.
Excellent questions on timing and validation - these were our biggest challenges during implementation.
For design freeze coordination, we implemented milestone-based synchronization gates. The automated sync only triggers when both ECAD and MCAD reach compatible lifecycle states - typically ‘Design Complete’ on the electrical side and ‘Ready for Integration’ on mechanical. This prevents late changes from disrupting stable designs. We added a 48-hour buffer period before major milestones where the system flags any pending ECAD changes and notifies mechanical leads. Teams can then decide whether to pull changes in or defer to the next cycle. The workflow engine enforces these gates through state-based rules.
Validation happens at three levels during automated CAD-BOM synchronization. First, schema validation ensures all required attributes are present and formatted correctly - missing manufacturer part numbers or invalid units of measure block the sync. Second, business rule validation checks logical consistency: component quantities must be positive integers, electrical ratings must fall within acceptable ranges, and part classifications must match approved categories. Third, cross-domain validation compares physical constraints - if an electrical component’s dimensions don’t fit the mechanical envelope defined in Creo, the system raises a conflict flag.
We also implemented reconciliation reports that run post-sync, comparing source ECAD data against the resulting Windchill BOM structure. Any discrepancies generate review tasks assigned to both electrical and mechanical leads. These validation layers caught approximately 200 data quality issues in the first month that would have otherwise caused downstream manufacturing problems. The validation framework is configurable through property files, allowing teams to adjust thresholds and rules as processes mature.
The key to maintaining high accuracy is the automated impact analysis in change management workflows - it ensures that when electrical components evolve, all mechanical dependencies are identified and updated systematically rather than relying on manual coordination.