Model Based Definition (MBD) uses 3D models, which may include annotations and notes instead of 2D engineering drawing. The MBD practices helps you to augment 3D models with additional engineering information. This information helps the downstream stakeholders to determine product definition to manufacture a product. This additional information can be searched and reused in the planning stage transforming the 3D drawing into a single source of engineering and design documentation. This additional information is known as Product Manufacturing Information (PMI).

The PMI is non-geometric data and acts a single source of digital manufacturing documentation that can be reused beyond engineering and design. The PMI data includes and is not limited to analytical, manufacturing, and product inspection data.

Windchill Workgroup Manager (WWGM) reads PMI data from the original CAD file and exposes the information to Windchill PDMLink. This enables you to define manufacturing information, known as Standard Control Characteristics through Windchill MPMLink. The Windchill MPMLink is a repository and design environment for manufacturing data management in Windchill. The manufacturing data is displayed and edited in Manufacturing Associative Part Structure Browser.

In this topic, we will see how WWGM reads PMI in the following adapters: