Indexing Data
This topic is intended for the Windchill System Administrator.
Indexing is a foundational component of the AI Parts Rationalization plugin that runs in the background. The primary goal of indexing is to make parts searchable and comparable using AI.
The indexing process begins in Windchill, where the updated parts with the lightweight representations are queued. The plugin manages the process by polling Windchill, uploading lightweight representations to Azure or S3 storage, and submitting jobs to the Visualization content service (VCS). VCS then triggers the AI Adapter, which processes the files and stores 3D model embeddings via AI Services. Throughout the process, the WVS Job Monitor tracks job status, logs, and errors for visibility and troubleshooting.
During indexing, lightweight representations are converted into embeddings (mathematical representations).
Indexing is automatically triggered in Windchill when a part is created, revised, iterated, or checked in, as well as when CAD documents are checked in from Creo or other CAD tools.
Bulk Indexing and Run time Indexing
Bulk indexing is a process in which multiple parts of the system are indexed at once, rather than individually. This is useful for initializing the AI system with a large dataset or for re-indexing after major updates.
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Indexing may take time, depending on the amount of data.
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To start bulk indexing, the administrator must click Index Database on the Duplicate Part Search page. To manage the indexing process, choose from:
• Initiate Indexing: Queues up the parts for indexing.
• Pause Indexing: Pauses indexing of parts. When you click Pause Indexing, the indexing process is paused, and the tab status changes to Resume Indexing.
• Resume Indexing: This action resumes indexing of parts.
For more information, see Duplicate Part Search by an Administrator.
Run-time indexing is an automated process. When a part is created, revised, iterated, or checked in (from Creo or any CAD tool) along with a lightweight representation (PVZ is a ZIP file containing PVS, OL, and other Creo View files, providing a snapshot of a product structure), it is indexed automatically.
Criteria for Indexing
To ensure optimal performance and relevance, indexing is limited to specific parts and configurations. Only parts within contexts that have been granted access to the indexing user are included. The following are the criteria for indexing:
• Parts with lightweight representation only—Only the parts that include lightweight representations (with an Owner-associated WTPart) will be considered for indexing. Certain lightweight representations are not indexed. For more information, see the Known Issues topic.
• The absolute latest version of the part—Indexing is limited to the most recent version of each part.
For example, if a part has versions A.1, A.2, B.1, C.1, C.2, and C.3, then only C.3 will be indexed and appear in search results.