The Drawing relationship connects an engineering Item to the managed Drawing record that describes it. It gives users a direct path from the part or assembly to its engineering drawing information in Nora IPLM.
When to use it
- Use it when a part or assembly needs an associated engineering drawing.
- Use it to connect an existing Drawing record to the Item it describes, keeping the drawing identity and content in context.
Records and direction
- Relationship type: Non-structure. Associates the records without placing the target in a parent-child hierarchy.
- From: the engineering Item, such as Housing H-100, a Mechanical Item.
- To: the managed Drawing, such as Housing Drawing D-100. Connected Files hold the drawing’s digital content.
Information to check
- The Item and Drawing have separate managed identities and revision contexts.
- The connection can carry a description and order where these are offered.
- Drawing-specific details such as drawing ID, standard, paper size, and scale belong to the Drawing record, rather than to this relationship.
How to use it
1. Create the relation with drag and drop in a Structure widget: drag the intended Drawing onto the Item it describes. Select Drawing from the relationship options offered, review the records, and confirm.
2. Alternatively, select the Item, choose Connect, and select the existing Drawing record with the Drawing relationship.
3. Use Quick Create with Relation from the Item when a new Drawing and its connection need to be created together. Enter the drawing details and choose Drawing.
4. Whichever method you use, open the Drawing from the Item and check its revision, details, and intended file representation. Review an existing connection before trying to add it again.
Drawing example and questions
Connecting a housing to its engineering drawing
Housing H-100 is a Mechanical Item. Housing Drawing D-100 is its managed Drawing, and Housing D-100.pdf supplies the drawing content. In a Structure widget, drag Housing Drawing D-100 onto Housing H-100 and choose Drawing to create the relation.
| Connection | From | To |
| Drawing | Housing H-100 | Housing Drawing D-100 |
| File | Housing Drawing D-100 | Housing D-100.pdf |
A reviewer can navigate from the housing to the Drawing and then inspect the drawing file. Before using it for review or production work, the reviewer checks that the item definition, drawing revision, and selected content represent the intended design context.
Common questions
Is the relationship the same as a Drawing object? The Drawing object is the managed drawing record. The Drawing relationship is the connection from an Item to that record.
Why is a duplicate connection rejected? Drawing prevents duplicate connections. Inspect the existing link and confirm the selected records before trying again.
The drawing was connected to the wrong item. How can I correct it? Select the incorrect connection and use Disconnect when permitted. Then connect the Drawing to the correct Item. The Drawing record remains available.
Choosing the relationship
Choose Drawing for an engineering drawing associated with an item. Choose Item – Document for supporting written information such as a specification or manual. Choose File when the target is the digital content itself.
Further reading
The Drawing, Mechanical Item, and File object articles explain the connected records. Use the Connect and Disconnect command articles for detailed procedures.
