Formtek has enhanced its Engineering Data Management (EDM) solution for Alfresco with a new Connector for AutoCAD.

The Formtek EDM Connector for AutoCAD works in conjunction with the Formtek EDM Module for Alfresco, and allows users to interact with the Alfresco content repository - including browse, open, check-in, check-out, and view/edit metadata functionality - directly from within the AutoCAD application. Together, these products provide a pre-packaged, installation-ready, minimal services solution for secure, enterprise engineering document and drawing management and collaboration on the Alfresco Open Content Platform.

The Formtek EDM Module defines a data content model specific to the needs of engineers for the management of drawings and documents. Within Alfresco Share, the Formtek EDM Module provides View, Edit and Advanced Search forms that enable engineering metadata to be displayed, edited and efficiently searched.

It also supports the DWG, DXF and DWF file formats from AutoCAD, automatically generating thumbnail and flash (SWF) renditions of these AutoCAD formats for display and use within the Share Document Library. In addition, PDF renditions of AutoCAD files can be generated on-demand, and are then stored in the repository.

The Formtek EDM Connector also maintains the integrity of AutoCAD referenced drawings (XREFs), as well as other types of referenced files (DGN, PDF, raster, etc.), by automatically associating them to the current drawing within the Alfresco repository. When a drawing is checked-in or checked-out from AutoCAD, the EDM Connector presents the user with a list of all associated files, which the users can then select for check-in or check-out in association with the current drawing.

Additional information on Formtek's EDM products can be found in the Alfresco Solution Showcase located at:http://blogs.alfresco.com/wp/solutions/engineering-data-management/ and http://blogs.alfresco.com/wp/solutions/autocad-alfresco/, or on Formtek's website, (including links to datasheets) at: http://www.formtek.com/products/alfresco_edm.shtml and http://www.formtek.com/products/edm_connector.shtml.