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Silo Roadmap

Version: 1.0
Date: January 2026
Purpose: Project inventory, SOLIDWORKS PDM gap analysis, and development roadmap

Table of Contents

  1. Executive Summary
  2. Current Project Inventory
  3. SOLIDWORKS PDM Gap Analysis
  4. Feature Roadmap
  5. Implementation Phases

Executive Summary

Silo is an R&D-oriented item database and part management system designed for FreeCAD integration. It provides configurable part number generation, revision tracking, BOM management, and file versioning through MinIO storage.

This document compares Silo's current capabilities against SOLIDWORKS PDM—the industry-leading product data management solution—to identify gaps and prioritize future development.

Key Differentiators

Aspect Silo SOLIDWORKS PDM
Target CAD FreeCAD / Kindred Create (open source) SOLIDWORKS (proprietary)
Part Numbering Schema-as-configuration (YAML) Fixed format with some customization
Licensing Open source / Kindred Proprietary Commercial ($3,000-$10,000+ per seat)
Storage PostgreSQL + MinIO (S3-compatible) SQL Server + File Archive
Philosophy R&D-oriented, lightweight Enterprise-grade, comprehensive

Current Project Inventory

Implemented Features (MVP Complete)

Core Database System

  • PostgreSQL schema with 7 migrations
  • UUID-based identifiers throughout
  • Soft delete support via archived_at timestamps
  • Atomic sequence generation for part numbers

Part Number Generation

  • YAML schema parser with validation
  • Segment types: string, enum, serial, constant
  • Scope templates for serial counters (e.g., {category}, {project})
  • Format templates for custom output

Item Management

  • Full CRUD operations for items
  • Item types: part, assembly, drawing, document, tooling, purchased, electrical, software
  • Custom properties via JSONB storage
  • Project tagging with many-to-many relationships

Revision Control

  • Append-only revision history
  • Revision metadata: properties, file reference, checksum, comment
  • Status tracking: draft, review, released, obsolete
  • Labels/tags per revision
  • Revision comparison (diff)
  • Rollback functionality

File Management

  • MinIO integration with versioning
  • File upload/download via REST API
  • SHA256 checksums for integrity
  • Storage path: items/{partNumber}/rev{N}.FCStd

Bill of Materials (BOM)

  • Relationship types: component, alternate, reference
  • Reference designators for electronics
  • Quantity tracking with units
  • Revision-specific child linking

Project Management

  • Project CRUD operations
  • Unique project codes (2-10 characters)
  • Item-to-project tagging
  • Project-filtered queries

Data Import/Export

  • CSV export with configurable properties
  • CSV import with dry-run validation
  • Template generation for import formatting

API & Web Interface

  • Comprehensive REST API (30+ endpoints)
  • Middleware: logging, CORS, recovery, request ID
  • Web UI foundation with htmx
  • Health and readiness probes

Configuration

  • YAML configuration with environment variable overrides
  • Multi-schema support
  • Docker Compose deployment ready

Partially Implemented

Feature Status Notes
FreeCAD Workbench ~80% 8 commands implemented (save, commit, pull, push, info, register, open, browse), needs end-to-end testing
Date segment type Not started Schema parser placeholder exists
Part number validation Not started API accepts but doesn't validate format
Location hierarchy CRUD Schema only Tables exist, no API endpoints
Inventory tracking Schema only Tables exist, no API endpoints
Unit tests Not started Critical for production use

Infrastructure Status

Component Status
PostgreSQL Running (psql.kindred.internal)
MinIO Configured in Docker Compose
Silo API Server Builds successfully
Docker Compose Complete (dev and production)
systemd service Unit file and env template ready
Deployment scripts setup-host, deploy, init-db, setup-ipa-nginx

SOLIDWORKS PDM Gap Analysis

This section compares Silo's capabilities against SOLIDWORKS PDM features. Gaps are categorized by priority and implementation complexity.

Legend

  • Silo Status: Full / Partial / None
  • Priority: Critical / High / Medium / Low
  • Complexity: Simple / Moderate / Complex

1. Version Control & Revision Management

Feature SOLIDWORKS PDM Silo Status Priority Complexity
Check-in/check-out Full pessimistic locking None High Moderate
Version history Complete with branching Full (linear) - -
Revision labels A, B, C or custom schemes Full (custom labels) - -
Rollback/restore Full Full - -
Compare revisions Visual + metadata diff Metadata diff only Medium Complex
Get Latest Revision One-click retrieval Partial (API only) Medium Simple

Gap Analysis: Silo lacks pessimistic locking (check-out), which is critical for multi-user CAD environments where file merging is impractical. Visual diff comparison would require FreeCAD integration for CAD file visualization.

2. Workflow Management

Feature SOLIDWORKS PDM Silo Status Priority Complexity
Custom workflows Full visual designer None Critical Complex
State transitions Configurable with permissions Basic (status field only) Critical Complex
Parallel approvals Multiple approvers required None High Complex
Automatic transitions Timer/condition-based None Medium Moderate
Email notifications On state change None High Moderate
ECO process Built-in change management None High Complex
Child state conditions Block parent if children invalid None Medium Moderate

Gap Analysis: Workflow management is the largest functional gap. SOLIDWORKS PDM offers sophisticated state machines with parallel approvals, automatic transitions, and deep integration with engineering change processes. Silo currently has only a simple status field (draft/review/released/obsolete) with no transition rules or approval processes.

3. User Management & Security

Feature SOLIDWORKS PDM Silo Status Priority Complexity
User authentication Windows AD, LDAP None (single-user) Critical Moderate
Role-based permissions Granular per folder/state None Critical Complex
Group management Full None Critical Moderate
Folder permissions Read/write/delete per folder None High Moderate
State permissions Actions allowed per state None High Moderate
Audit trail Complete action logging None High Moderate
Private files Pre-check-in visibility control None Low Simple

Gap Analysis: Silo currently operates as single-user with no authentication. Multi-user deployment requires authentication (LDAP planned), authorization (role-based access), and audit logging. This is prerequisite for any team environment.

4. Search & Discovery

Feature SOLIDWORKS PDM Silo Status Priority Complexity
Metadata search Full with custom cards Partial (API query params) High Moderate
Full-text content search iFilters for Office, CAD None Medium Complex
Quick search Toolbar with history None (API only) Medium Simple
Saved searches User-defined favorites None Medium Simple
Advanced operators AND, OR, NOT, wildcards None Medium Simple
Multi-variable search Search across multiple fields None Medium Simple
Where-used search Find all assemblies using part None High Moderate

Gap Analysis: Silo has basic API-level filtering but lacks a rich search interface. Content search (searching within CAD files) would require FreeCAD file parsing. "Where-used" queries are particularly valuable for impact analysis.

5. BOM Management

Feature SOLIDWORKS PDM Silo Status Priority Complexity
Single-level BOM Yes Full - -
Multi-level BOM Indented/exploded views Schema only (no API) High Moderate
BOM comparison Between revisions None Medium Moderate
BOM export Excel, XML, ERP formats None High Simple
Calculated BOMs Quantities rolled up None Medium Moderate
Reference designators Full support Full - -
Alternate parts Substitute tracking Full - -

Gap Analysis: BOM structure exists in the database but API endpoints for multi-level BOM retrieval and export are missing. BOM comparison between revisions would be valuable for change impact analysis.

6. CAD Integration

Feature SOLIDWORKS PDM Silo Status Priority Complexity
Native CAD add-in Deep SOLIDWORKS integration FreeCAD workbench (partial) High Complex
Property mapping Bi-directional sync Planned High Moderate
Task pane Embedded in CAD UI None Medium Complex
Lightweight components Handle without full load N/A for FreeCAD - -
Drawing/model linking Automatic association Manual Medium Moderate
Multi-CAD support Third-party formats FreeCAD only Low -

Gap Analysis: FreeCAD workbench commands exist but need thorough testing. Property synchronization between Silo database and FreeCAD document properties is planned but not implemented.

7. External Integrations

Feature SOLIDWORKS PDM Silo Status Priority Complexity
ERP integration SAP, Dynamics, etc. None Medium Complex
API access Full COM/REST API Full REST API - -
Dispatch scripts Automation without coding None Medium Moderate
Task scheduler Background processing None Medium Moderate
Email system SMTP integration None High Simple
Web portal Browser access Partial (basic UI) High Moderate

Gap Analysis: Silo has a solid REST API foundation. ERP integration can be built on this API but would require specific adapters per target system. Email notifications and scheduled tasks would enhance workflow automation.

8. Reporting & Analytics

Feature SOLIDWORKS PDM Silo Status Priority Complexity
Standard reports Inventory, usage, activity None Medium Moderate
Custom reports User-defined queries None Medium Moderate
Dashboard Visual KPIs None Low Moderate
Export formats PDF, Excel, CSV CSV only Medium Simple

Gap Analysis: Reporting capabilities are absent. Basic reports (item counts, revision activity, where-used) would provide immediate value.

9. File Handling

Feature SOLIDWORKS PDM Silo Status Priority Complexity
File versioning Automatic Full (MinIO) - -
File preview Thumbnails, 3D preview None Medium Complex
File conversion PDF, DXF generation None Medium Complex
Replication Multi-site sync None Low Complex
File copy with refs Copy tree with references None Medium Moderate

Gap Analysis: File storage works well. Thumbnail generation and file preview would significantly improve the web UI experience. Automatic conversion to PDF/DXF is valuable for sharing with non-CAD users.

Gap Summary by Priority

Critical Gaps (Required for Team Use)

  1. User authentication - LDAP/SSO integration
  2. Role-based permissions - Folder and state-level access control
  3. Workflow engine - State machines with transitions and approvals
  4. Check-out locking - Pessimistic locking for CAD files

High Priority Gaps (Significant Value)

  1. Email notifications - Alert users on state changes
  2. Where-used search - Impact analysis for changes
  3. Multi-level BOM API - Retrieve full assembly structure
  4. BOM export - Excel/CSV/XML for downstream systems
  5. Audit trail - Log all user actions
  6. Web UI search - User-friendly search interface

Medium Priority Gaps (Nice to Have)

  1. Saved searches - Frequently used queries
  2. File preview/thumbnails - Visual browsing
  3. Reporting - Activity and inventory reports
  4. Scheduled tasks - Background automation
  5. BOM comparison - Revision diff for assemblies

Feature Roadmap

Phase 1: Foundation (Current - Q2 2026)

Complete MVP and stabilize core functionality

Feature Description Status
MinIO integration File upload/download with versioning and checksums Complete
FreeCAD workbench 8 toolbar commands implemented Needs Testing
Revision control Rollback, comparison, status/labels Complete
CSV import/export Dry-run validation, template generation Complete
Project management CRUD, many-to-many item tagging Complete
Unit tests Core API and database operations Not Started
Date segment type Support date-based part number segments Not Started
Part number validation Validate format on creation Not Started
Location CRUD API Expose location hierarchy via REST Not Started
Inventory API Expose inventory operations via REST Not Started

Phase 2: Multi-User (Q2-Q3 2026)

Enable team collaboration

Feature Description Complexity
LDAP authentication Integrate with FreeIPA/Active Directory Moderate
User/group management Create, assign, manage users and groups Moderate
Folder permissions Read/write/delete per folder hierarchy Moderate
Check-out locking Pessimistic locks with timeout Moderate
Audit logging Record all user actions with timestamps Moderate
Session management Token-based API authentication Moderate

Phase 3: Workflow Engine (Q3-Q4 2026)

Implement engineering change processes

Feature Description Complexity
Workflow designer YAML-defined state machines Complex
State transitions Configurable transition rules Complex
Transition permissions Who can execute which transitions Moderate
Single approvals Basic approval workflow Moderate
Parallel approvals Multi-approver gates Complex
Automatic transitions Timer and condition-based Complex
Email notifications SMTP integration for alerts Simple
Child state conditions Block parent transitions Moderate

Phase 4: Search & Discovery (Q4 2026 - Q1 2027)

Improve findability and navigation

Feature Description Complexity
Advanced search UI Web interface with filters Moderate
Search operators AND, OR, NOT, wildcards Simple
Saved searches User favorites Simple
Where-used queries Find parent assemblies Moderate
Quick search Toolbar search box Simple
Content search Search within file content Complex

Phase 5: BOM & Reporting (Q1-Q2 2027)

Enhanced BOM management and analytics

Feature Description Complexity
Multi-level BOM API Recursive assembly retrieval Moderate
BOM export Excel, CSV, XML formats Simple
BOM comparison Diff between revisions Moderate
Standard reports Activity, inventory, usage Moderate
Custom queries User-defined report builder Moderate
Dashboard Visual KPIs and metrics Moderate

Phase 6: Advanced Features (Q2-Q4 2027)

Enterprise capabilities

Feature Description Complexity
File preview Thumbnail generation Complex
File conversion Auto-generate PDF/DXF Complex
ERP integration Adapter framework Complex
Task scheduler Background job processing Moderate
Webhooks Event notifications to external systems Moderate
API rate limiting Protect against abuse Simple

Implementation Phases

Phase 1 Detailed Tasks

1.1 MinIO Integration -- COMPLETE

  • MinIO service configured in Docker Compose
  • File upload via REST API
  • File download via REST API (latest and by revision)
  • SHA256 checksums on upload

1.2 FreeCAD Workbench -- Needs End-to-End Testing

  • Silo_Save, Silo_Commit, Silo_Pull, Silo_Push implemented
  • Silo_Info, Silo_Register, Silo_Open, Silo_Browse implemented
  • End-to-end testing with running Silo instance
  • Document workbench installation

1.3 Unit Test Suite

  • Database connection and transaction tests
  • Item CRUD operation tests
  • Revision creation and retrieval tests
  • Part number generation tests
  • File upload/download tests
  • CSV import/export tests
  • API endpoint tests

1.4 Missing Segment Types

  • Implement date segment type
  • Add strftime-style format support

1.5 Location & Inventory APIs

  • GET /api/locations - List locations
  • POST /api/locations - Create location
  • GET /api/locations/{path} - Get location
  • DELETE /api/locations/{path} - Delete location
  • GET /api/inventory/{partNumber} - Get inventory
  • POST /api/inventory/{partNumber}/adjust - Adjust quantity
  • POST /api/inventory/{partNumber}/move - Move between locations

Success Metrics

Phase 1 (Foundation)

  • All existing tests pass
  • File upload/download works end-to-end
  • FreeCAD users can checkout, modify, commit parts

Phase 2 (Multi-User)

  • 5+ concurrent users supported
  • No data corruption under concurrent access
  • Audit log captures all modifications

Phase 3 (Workflow)

  • Engineering change process completable in Silo
  • Email notifications delivered reliably
  • Workflow state visible in web UI

Phase 4+ (Advanced)

  • Search returns results in <2 seconds
  • Where-used queries complete in <5 seconds
  • BOM export matches assembly structure

References

SOLIDWORKS PDM Documentation

Silo Documentation

Appendix: Feature Comparison Matrix

Category Feature SW PDM Standard SW PDM Pro Silo Current Silo Planned
Version Control Check-in/out Yes Yes No Phase 2
Version history Yes Yes Yes -
Rollback Yes Yes Yes -
Revision labels/status Yes Yes Yes -
Revision comparison Yes Yes Yes (metadata) -
Workflow Custom workflows Limited Yes No Phase 3
Parallel approval No Yes No Phase 3
Notifications No Yes No Phase 3
Security User auth Windows Windows/LDAP No Phase 2
Permissions Basic Granular No Phase 2
Audit trail Basic Full No Phase 2
Search Metadata search Yes Yes Partial (API) Phase 4
Content search No Yes No Phase 4
Where-used Yes Yes No Phase 4
BOM Single-level Yes Yes Yes -
Multi-level Yes Yes Schema only Phase 5
BOM export Yes Yes No Phase 5
Data CSV import/export Yes Yes Yes -
Project management Yes Yes Yes -
Integration API Limited Full Full REST (35+) -
ERP connectors No Yes No Phase 6
Web access No Yes Yes (htmx) Phase 4
Files Versioning Yes Yes Yes -
Preview Yes Yes No Phase 6
Multi-site No Yes No Not Planned
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