Part Subtypes

Subtypes of the base part types are instantiable. They are used to create and manage actual business objects. Subtypes have structure-level properties and relationship constraints that the system uses to identify their place in the product structure and their role in the configuration management process. You can use the out-of-the-box part subtypes or create your own subtypes to fit the needs of your site.

Part subtypes use the Structure Level property to identify where they fit in the product structure. The Structure Level property indicates how the system should treat the part type. For example, certain actions, tabs, and tables are visible only to part types with certain structure-level property values.

A structure-level property of <blank> is selected for upper level parts. This value also allows the subtype to be subtypeable, which means subtypes can be created for it.

Relationship constraints define the relationship between objects. For example, if using out-of-the-box part subtypes, relationship constraints specify that only an upper-level part can be the parent of a configuration item. The following table outlines the pre-configured relationship constraints for the out-of-the-box part subtypes:

Parent Part Type	Child Part Type
Upper Level Part	Upper Level Part
Upper Level Part	Configuration Item
Configuration Item	Design Solution
Design Solution	Lower Level Part
Lower Level Part	Lower Level Part

You can also define relationship constraints for custom part subtypes. For example, if you create two upper-level part subtypes, “Zone” and “Section,” then you can specify that a zone is the only part that can be the parent of a section and that a section is the only part that can be the parent of a configuration item.

Although administrators can create new relationship constraints for part subtypes, the system uses structure-level properties to ensure that the Windchill Aerospace and Defense configuration management product structure remains intact. For example, an administrator cannot create a relationship constraint that specifies a part subtype with a structurelevel property of Lower Level Part as the parent of a part subtype with a structure-level property of Configuration Item.

For more information about managing relationship constraints, see Defining Part Subtypes and Relationship Constraints.