PTC Windchill Interview Questions

In simple words, PTC Windchill is the software for Product Lifecycle Management (PLM). It is a tool that supports high-degree of automation and interoperation between different teams of product development and manufacturing. It simplifies Product Data Management (PDM) so that you can manage operational process data most beneficially. It smoothly supports configuration management as well as multi-system orchestration.

PTC Windchill offers enhanced security to the product data with the support of advanced protection tools. Windchill’s integration with IoT technology provides 'always on' process monitoring and data collection in a secure way. It offers many benefits to users, such as faster lead time, lower costs, optimum quality, and improved security. On top of all, you can seamlessly deploy PTC Windchill on-premises and in the cloud.

In this blog, we have curated PTC Windchill interview questions and answers in the following category.

• Freshers
• Experienced
• Advanced

Top 10 PTC Windchill Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is PTC Windchill?
2. What is the role of the PTC Windchill Group Manager?
3. What is the Windchill PartsLink?
4. What are the benefits of PTC Windchill software?
5. What do you mean by ‘Context Teams’ and the associated roles in Windchill?
6. What is the use of Sequences in PTC Windchill?
7. What do you mean by Windchill ESI?
8. How can you implement Change Management in Windchill?
9. What can you do with MPMLink?
10. What do you understand by VRD in Windchill?

PTC Windchill Interview Questions For Freshers

1. What is PTC Windchill?

Windchill is nothing but Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) software. This software supports managing all the data and operations involved in product development and manufacturing. Windchill uses IoT technology to collect real-time operational data from different processes. This data helps users make informed decisions and optimize process performance. Another essential thing is that Windchill acts as a single source of information.

2. What is the prime difference between PLM and PDM?

PLM stands for Product Lifecycle Management. It manages a product from ideation to production to disposal. In other words, the product cycle starts from design, moves to production, sales, and service, and finally ends with product disposal.

On the other hand, PDM stands for Product Data Management. PDM manages data from its creation to deletion consistently. PDM covers technical specifications, version control, and many other data associated with a product.

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3. What are the different products of PTC Windchill?

Following are the different products of PTC Windchill.

• Thingworx Navigate
• PTC Windchill ProjectLink
• PTC Windchill Integrations
• PTC PLM Cloud
• PTC Windchill PartsLink
• PTC Windchill PDMLink
• PTC Windchill Supplier Management
• PTC Windchill Archives

4. What are the crucial features of PTC Windchill?

• Users can build their own custom apps with ThingWork Navigate.
• OSLC integration with PTC Toolchain helps to find and fix issues quickly
• Windchill is embedded with Creo View 7. So you can easily make visual comparisons as well as identify the changes in the process states.
• BOM tools support the reconciliation of upstream changes with downstream processes.

5. What do you mean by ‘Part’ in PTC Windchill?

A part in Windchill is a database object representing a physical component of a manufactured product. Generally, a part contains all the information about the component.

6. What do you mean by end item in PTC Windchill?

They are the parts that can be used to release a final product.

7. What is the role of the PTC Windchill Group Manager?

Windchill Group Manager is a framework that integrates Windchill with multiple CAD applications. In other words, it is a client application with which you can easily manage CAD data in the Windchill database. With this manager, you can efficiently work design processes in the Windchill environment. For instance, it provides a workspace where you can create designs before testing them in Windchill.

8. What is Windchill PDMLink?

Windchill PDMLink is nothing but a Product Data Management (PDM) system. It is a web-based tool with which you can effectively perform change, content, and configuration management. With this tool, you can build product structure views. It seamlessly integrates with various CAD applications, ERP systems, embedded software tools, and others. Further, this tool offers advanced version management and control.

9. What do you mean by Windchill ProjectLink?

Windchill ProjectLink is closely linked with Windchill PDMLink. This tool integrates with multiple CAD solutions, MS office applications, and Windows desktops. It offers improved visibility across all the current parts, documents, and plans. It allows users to share information with all the associated users – keeping them on track always. It is possible to automate crucial business processes and optimizes their performance with the Windchill ProjectLink.

10. What is the Windchill PartsLink?

The Windchill Partslink is used to classify objects as well as reuse them. You can organize design libraries with this tool. With PartLink, you can perform classification searches, standardize all the classifiable objects, and reuse components throughout the product lifecycle. As a result, you can increase productivity, reduce costs, and quickly deliver products.

11. What do you mean by Windchill MPMLink?

MPMLink provides both a central repository as well as a design environment. You can effectively manage manufacturing data with MPMLink. MPMLink supports Manufacturing Process Management (MPM) to manage the process, product, and data in a single system. Also, it offers a collaborative work environment where you can validate product designs and significantly reduce errors. MPMLink offers significant features such as MAPSB, manufacturing Gantt explorer, process plan browser, and Creo View.

12. What is the function of the Windchill Scheduler?

Windchill scheduler never fails to log every completed task in the historical objects. It is one of the Windchill internal tools used to schedule the execution of various tasks. With the help of this scheduler, we can execute tasks periodically, only once, at a specific time, or even immediately after scheduling. In this regard, the ‘Windchill queue service’ is vital in executing the scheduled tasks.

13. What do you mean by Tree Picker in PTC Windchill?

Tree picker is a search tool that comes with a structural view of objects as well as a visualization panel. Using these options, you can easily select and manage the objects such as parts and resources. Note that Parts and resources are usually associated with process plans and operations. With the help of the Tree Picker, You can simplify defining associations when your author processes plans and operations.

14. What is the use of the FV Loader and Replica Loader in PTC Windchill?

FV Loader is nothing but a File Vault object loader. It is one of the classes of utilities that we use to perform tasks in both remote as well as master sites. We can create a file vault host and file vault mount with an FV Loader. Also, we can create as well as remove a file vaulting rule using FV Loader.

Like FV Loader, Replica loader is also one of the classes of utilities that we use to perform tasks in both remote and master sites. With a Replica loader, we can create a replica file vault host and replica file vault mount. Also, we can create and remove a replication rule with the replica folder.

15. What is Windchill ProductPoint?

Windchill ProductPoint supports teams to work concurrently as well as share the correct data across multiple teams. It encourages collaboration among product development teams through web-based workspaces, blogs, discussion forums, etc. With the help of Windchill ProductPoint, users can seamlessly integrate and work with different authoring tools such as AutoCAD. Besides, it comes with enhanced visualization in addition to reporting capabilities.

16. What is the meaning of Windchill Replication?

Essentially, Windchill Replication helps to reduce the time required to access data. This is because users access data from replica vaults. Replica vaults are nothing but external vaults. This is where users access data rapidly. Note that replica vaults store data from the slower external vaults as well as the Windchill database.

17. What are the benefits of PTC Windchill software?

• Windchill accesses operational data throughout the product lifecycle.
• It provides good visibility across product development as well as the manufacturing process.
• It offers high flexibility. So it easily integrates with other enterprise systems.
• It simplifies distributed product development in addition to supporting real-time collaboration.
• Windchill is scalable. Also, you can deploy Windchill on the cloud.

18. What is External File Vault in PTC Windchill?

Whenever you create an object, such as a part or document, in Windchill, you can find some content files associated with the object. These content files are usually stored in a logical container. This container is known as the external file vault. Every external file vault contains folders where you can store content files instead of storing them in Windchill databases.

19. What are eBOM and mBOM?

eBOM - Engineering Bill of Materials.

It has the elements used to define a product. The elements can be the fit, form, and function of the product.

mBOM - Manufacturing Bill of Materials

It has the list of parts required to build a product. Not only parts, it includes the quantities of the parts too.

20. What do you mean by ‘Context’ in Windchill, and mention the different Context Types?

Context plays a crucial role in organizing the Windchill database to become consistent with the organization’s function. Know that context has three essential components: people, data, and process.

 

 

Let’s see the list of different Context types used in Windchill below.

• Products
• Projects
• Libraries
• Programs
• Organizations
• Site

PTC Windchill Interview Questions For Experienced

21. What are the listicles of Object Types available in PTC Windchill?

Following are the different listicles of object types available in Windchill.

• Attachments: They are the local files uploaded to the server. An attachment can be a URL link. Or, it can be an external source content. We can add an attachment when we create an object. Similarly, we can remove an attachment when we remove an object.
• Baselines: It is a snapshot of the collection of product data objects. They include parts, CAD documents, documents, and so on.
• Documents: The documents can be MS Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. We can attach them with CAD documents as well as part objects. Note that we cannot manage CAD documents in a workspace.
• CAD Documents: They have design data created with the help of CAD applications. They are associated with Windchill parts.
• Dynamic Documents: They contain XML files created with the help of the Arbortext Editor. Not only that, it has graphic information files too.
• Managed Collections: A set of objects created when we select specific collection options. Although managed collections and baselines are the same, there is a crucial difference. It means we can update a managed collection, whereas we cannot update a baseline since it is a snapshot.
• Parts: They are the core elements used to build an assembly or a product. We can associate parts with CAD documents.
• Notes: A note provides extra design information about a part.
• Packages: They are the group of objects that we can transfer to external sources.

22. What is the role of the Task Assistant in PTC Windchill?

We can use the Task Assistant when we move from the ‘task information page’ to other Windchill pages. Essentially, the task assistant contains all the information of a task type. It has a link to the task information page. Not only that, but it also has a link to the page that contains the subject of the task. We can open the Task Assistant when we start a task and close it when we complete it.

23. What do you mean by ‘Context Teams’ and the associated roles in PTC Windchill?

Context teams in Windchill have a set of members of an application context. Windchill allows assigning roles to the context team members. Every context team has guests, members, and a collaboration manager. A Member is a user who can access every action included in the context. Guest is another context team member who can only view the context but cannot change the context. The collaboration manager is the member who provides users with the necessary access controls with which users share objects with other application contexts.

24. Can you list out some of the Part Attributes of PTC Windchill?

Following are the some of the Part Attributes of Windchill.

• Assembly Mode
• Context
• Unit
• End item
• Gathering PartPart
• Life cycle template
• Line number
• Location
• Type
•  View

25. What do you mean by Baseline in PTC Windchill?

Every baseline in Windchill has a static list of objects along with a snapshot of the objects. It also indicates the objects' status at a given time. With a baseline, you can track the progress of a product over time. Know that one object can be included in any number of baselines. Windchill allows adding or removing objects in baselines at any time. Besides, you can compare two baselines so that you can find the differences between the two.

26. What is the use of Sequences in PTC Windchill?

We can execute Windchill sequences sequentially. By using sequences, we can group many operations together. Also, we can use sequences to document operations.

There are two types of sequences in Windchill – Alternate and parallel.

An alternate is a sequence we can use instead of a set of operations in another sequence. A parallel is a type of sequence that occurs parallel to other sequences.

27. Why do you use the purging method in PTC Windchill?

We use the purging method to remove objects from a production system permanently. With the help of the purging method, you can specify the selection criteria to identify the objects to be removed from the system. More to the point, you can remove both metadata as well as content using this method.

28. What do you mean by Windchill ESI?

Windchill ESI stands for Windchill Enterprise Systems Integration. It is a product designed by integrating Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) with distribution targets such as ERP systems. In other words, this is the product that is a combination of PDMLink and ERP Systems. Besides, Windchill ESI maps business objects such as Parts, Change Notices, BOMs, etc., with distribution targets.       

29. What do you understand by the ERP Connector, and mention its key function?

The ERP connector is a product designed only with Windchill ESI capabilities. There is no role of any EAI software in building the ERP connector. This ERP connector is a uni-directional integration that transfers business objects to distribution targets. Moreover, it acts as a strong foundation for sophisticated transaction-managed integrations.

With the ERP connector, Windchill PDMLink users can publish different objects to distribution targets. They can publish objects using many methods, such as sample workflow, custom calls, customised workflow, and Ad-hoc operations.

Related Article: Types of ERP

30. What is the use of the Critical Patch Set (CPS) in PTC Windchill?

CPS is a set of fixes for critical issues and security updates. It is periodically released for Windchill users. These updates and fixes don't change the existing use cases. The significant thing is that CPS doesn’t come with any new features. It means CPS is released purely for fixing issues and security updates.

31. Can you mention the significant thing about PLM Architecture?

IoT technology is the backbone of PLM architecture. Through IoT technology, users can access operational data of the entire product lifecycle and use the data to optimize product and process performance. IoT-enabled performance advisor is the tool used to optimize PTC Windchill. Furthermore, Windchill uses real-time failure reporting to analyze product data and deliver error codes with the support of IoT technology.

32. Why is PTC Windchill known as a single source of truth for product data?

There are four reasons why Windchill is famous as the single source of truth for operational product data.

First, Windchill is multi-dimensional since it integrates product requirements with PLM data with the help of OSLC technology. Secondly, Windchill is transformational because it supports synchronised manufacturing. Another thing is, Windchill is process-driven just because it has essential PLM functions such as change, workflow, and visualization. Windchill is model-based because it leverages a parts-centric design approach to deliver CAD data to downstream processes.

Advanced PTC Windchill Interview Questions

33. What are the components of Windchill ESI architecture?

The Windchill ESI architecture includes many crucial components, such as 

 

 

• PTC Windchill ESI services
• CBO data model
• XML schema specification
• Default and cross-referencing
• Transaction management process
• Error handling and notification process
• Message logging process

34. How can you implement Change Management in PTC Windchill?

We can implement Change management in Windchill through two methods. The methods are CN-controlled publishing and object-controlled publishing.

When it comes to CN-controlled publishing, you can publish objects with CN from the Windchill PDMLink. On the other side, you can publish objects without CN in object-controlled publishing,

35. How can you transform eBOM into mBOM in PTC Windchill?

We can transform eBOM into mBOM in the many ways as follows:

• We can rename eBOM Parts or create new Part numbers. Note that we use this method when eBOM and mBOM come with different part numbers. Also, we use this method when we need to use multiple mBOM assemblies instead of a single eBOM assembly.
• We can reuse eBOM Parts in the mBOM or add selected parts. Note that we use this method when we don’t need to change the eBOMs. Also, we use this method when we don’t need to manage parts separately.
• We can create a new branch of the eBOM PartPart. Note that we use this method when separate management is required for parts.       
• Lastly, we can use visualization options for the transformation if we want to copy and paste parts

36. What are the different integrations used in PTC Windchill, and how can you use them?

• MES and ERP Integration: With this integration, you can easily publish BOMs, Documents, Process plans, Parts, and Changes.
• Embedded Software Integration: You can use this integration for software configuration as well as defect tracking.
• Cloud Integration: This integration allows connecting with ALM, CRM, and DevOps tools in the cloud.
• EDA Integration: It is a BOM-level integration that supports ECAD visualization.

37. What can you do with MPMLink?

As we can see below, we can do many things with MPMLink, as follows:

• We can allow users to access any product data strictly based on their roles
• We can compare different versions of product data
• We can perform ‘unified change management’ by streamlining various PLM processes
• MPMLink automatically publishes the changes that we have made in the upstream processes to downstream processes. As a result, the entire production system is updated with all the changes at every moment.

38. What do you mean by Context Inheritance, and how is inheritance defined for different items in PTC Windchill?

Windchill's context inheritance is defined by context types such as Site, Library, Project, Product, and Program. Organizational context is the child context of the site context. The organization context has the child contexts such as product, project, library, and program.

Know that Administrative items such as policies, templates, processes, etc., are inherited by child contexts. At the same time, general document templates are defined in the site context.

 

 

39. What do you understand by VRD in PTC Windchill?

VRD stands for Value Ready Deployment. VRD minimizes planning as well as design time in deployment significantly since VRD provides pre-configurable in addition to adaptable best practice processes. With VRD, you can deploy software on a cloud-based architecture. Windchill's role-based adoption capabilities remarkably minimize potential slowdowns and resistance to changes.

40. What is PMI, and how will you use the workgroup manager to read PMI?

PMI is the short form of Product manufacturing information. This information can be used in the planning stage to transform the 3D drawing into a single source of engineering. Also, PMI is used to identify the product information to manufacture a product.

We can use the workgroup manager to read PMI as follows:

• First, we need to check the 3D model in the Windchill workspace
• We need to define control characteristics
• Then, we need to transform eBOM and mBOM.
• Reconcile the upstream as well as downstream processes
• Finally, prepare process plans in addition to work instructions to produce, check, and maintain a part or an assembly of a product.

Conclusion

To wrap this up, we hope you are ready to attend PTC interviews confidently. This blog post might have enriched your knowledge of PTC Windchill. We advise you to read the blog frequently to make your knowledge foundation on PTC Windchill strong and evergreen. Always remember that if you want to ride the wave of success, you must learn continuously and repeatedly.