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Engineering drawings, data and document control systems
A
profitable, high-quality product
is a mere possibility until all engineering drawings and related engineering
data have been created, captured, approved and published.Engineering drawings and engineering data
A good product, well-documented, is generally more useful than an excellent
product that's been poorly documented.
It's been said that "product design without complete engineering documentation
is just a hobby." While most engineers enjoy the process of getting to the first
working model, few employers view that event as an end in itself. Instead, engineers'
efforts are relevant only when the design has been captured in engineering drawings
and supporting engineering data because:
- Engineering drawings describe how to consistently reproduce
the design. Consistent reproduction is key, since it forms the basis for product
improvements and production efficiency.
- Engineering data proves that the product conforms to the
original design goals. Proof of conformance is important to both internal stakeholders
(marketing, accounting, production) and external groups (distributors, customers,
service providers, regulatory agencies).
But simply creating engineering drawings and recording engineering data is insufficient.
To be useful, engineering drawings and engineering data must be stored, reviewed
and approved, published and maintained. In other words, engineering drawings and
data require engineering document control.
Document control for engineering drawings
Document control for engineering drawings is comprised of both document
attributes and a defined control process.
Engineering drawings, including technical documents such as specifications,
procedures, will usually have these attributes:
- Owning organization, which is ultimately responsible for the document
content.
- Document identification through the use of a document numbering system
- Title or description
- Document revision or other indication of a specific design iteration
- Author(s), reviewer(s) and/or others who created the information
- And, of course, the appropriate technical information necessary to
fulfill their purpose
A document control process consists of a set of procedures for creating and
maintaining the attributes of engineering drawings. Engineering drawing
management processes include business rules that define:
- Which engineering drawing types are supported, and the contents and
format of each type
- How engineering drawings are identified (e.g., owner, number, revision,
title)
- Who is responsible for creating, reviewing and approving engineering
drawings
- When engineering drawings may be released to interested parties
- The conditions under which existing engineering drawings are revised,
replaced or canceled
- How obsolete obsolete engineering drawings are controlled, recalled or
destroyed
Engineering drawings that reflect a consistent set of attributes, and are
controlled using a documented set of procedures, significantly reduce product costs by simplifying
design, sourcing, production, customer adoption and field service.
PDXpert PLM software offers these precise advantages — try it now.
Engineering data management policies
In addition to managing the formal engineering drawings, a complete
engineering document control system will manage the "background" information
that is the basis for the engineering drawings. This engineering data may
include a wide variety of electronic files:
- Product capabilities & functional requirements
- Budget estimates, production volume assumptions, and development
schedules
- Suppliers' component datasheets
- Product performance tests and qualification results
- Alternative design data
- Notes, calculations and other written communications
A complete engineering drawing management environment encourages archiving as
much "organizational knowledge" as possible. The ideal system captures all the
data that would allow performance analysis, field diagnostics, and incremental
design improvements over the entire product life cycle.
Engineering document control using PDXpert PLM software
Engineering drawing management capabilities should include efficient methods
for creating design document and part data records, managing assembly structures,
storing electronic file attachments, and processing engineering change forms.
PDXpert PLM software provides a comprehensive set of engineering
document control capabilities that in-house solutions can't match. From
revision-based electronic file management in a centralized data library to change workflow that
encourages detailed design reviews, PDXpert PLM software solves many of the
document control challenges that face growing companies.
PDXpert PLM software provides these engineering document control capabilities:
- pre-defined, extensible part and drawing types with default attributes
- fast, attribute-driven engineering drawing and part record searches
- rules-based item number assignment, which support simple sequential
assignments, intelligent part
numbers, and tabulated drawing schemes
- flexible item revision rules, including optional pre- and post-production
formats
- drag-and-drop object construction for quickly defining document
relationships and building part assemblies
- engineering drawing, part, BOM and design file release management with
change approval
workflow
These functions translate directly into real benefits including
increased sales revenue through faster engineering drawing releases;
lower product costs by instantly displaying the most current engineering drawings and parts;
and
lower administrative overhead by allowing users to attach important supporting
engineering data directly to document records.
Prove it yourself with a free evaluation now.
PDXpert PLM software: Controlling more than engineering drawings & data
As engineering departments' requirements have expanded, engineering drawing management
solutions have become more sophisticated. Product lifecycle management software
is the evolutionary descendant of simple "engineering drawing control" software.
PDXpert PLM software provides the necessary engineering drawing management
capabilities and, equally important, automates and enforces the many processes necessary
for good engineering data management. And, PDXpert PLM software goes beyond
just engineering document control by including the functions essential for managing
the complete product design life cycle, such as part records,
bills of materials,
engineering changes, and materials composition.
And it's all done within a simple and flexible software application.
Learn how PDXpert PLM manages your engineering drawings & data
PDXpert PLM software has been specifically designed for growing
companies making the transition from inefficient and costly manual document
control processes.
We invite you to:
Learn more about how PDXpert PLM can handle your engineering drawings
and engineering data by registering now for our free, fully-functional evaluation software.
Register to receive a free download link to evaluate our engineering document control system.
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