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Two Onshape connections

Alforse offers two ways to connect Onshape. Both pull data from Onshape into Alforse and both use the same sync: they differ only in how the connection is authorized. A company holds one Onshape connection at a time. Connecting the second while the first is installed is refused with Onshape is already connected (or Onshape Government is already connected); uninstall the current one first. Two things come from the connection:
  • Bill of materials import. On an item’s bill of materials you pick an Onshape document, version and assembly and save its BOM onto a Draft make method; see Import a bill of materials.
  • Released-asset sync. With Sync released assets on, released Onshape drawings and CAD models attach to Alforse items that already exist, matched by part number. It never creates items; see Sync released assets.

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Connect a company

In Alforse, open Settings → Integrations. The Onshape cards are in the CAD category. If the connection fails, Alforse shows a message on the Integrations page:

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Onshape Government

Onshape Government is Onshape’s ITAR and FedRAMP edition. Because it has no public App Store, your Enterprise must create a private OAuth app for Alforse. After connection, it supports document browsing, bill-of-materials imports, and released-asset synchronization.

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Import a bill of materials

With an Onshape connection installed, an item’s Bill of Materials shows an Onshape card. Open it with the arrow and choose the Document, Version and Assembly (the BOM comes from a saved version of the document). Fetch reads the Onshape BOM and lists its rows in a Bill of Materials box; rows whose part has no part ID are marked No part ID. Save writes the rows to the make method. The card shows Last synced once a BOM has been saved, and Refresh reloads the list. The card is only usable while the make method is a Draft; on an Active method it is disabled. Saving needs the parts: update permission. Saving makes the method’s lines equal to the Onshape BOM, sub-assemblies included. A sub-assembly whose released method differs from Onshape is refused: create a new version of it (a Draft) and save again.

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Sync released assets

Sync released assets is off by default. When on, Onshape notifies Alforse of releases and Alforse attaches the released assets to existing items:
  • the CAD model of a released part or assembly, as the item’s 3D model;
  • the released drawing, as a PDF named after the part number and revision.
Items are matched by part number and revision against the item ID. A drawing numbered DRW-<number> is attached to PRT-<number> or ASM-<number>. When no item or more than one item matches, nothing is attached: the sync links only and never creates items. Repeating a release attaches nothing twice. Backfill released assets (on the card, shown when sync is on) pulls the already released assets for all matching items now instead of waiting for new releases. It needs the settings: update permission. Asset sync needs the write permission on the OAuth application; without it the card asks you to reconnect to grant write access.