Drawing Management

1. Drawing Management Chapter 13

2. Objectives • Understand the importance of document management and control • Understand how an electronic file can be used as both a communication and a storage device • Understand the differences between CD-ROM, optical disk, and other storage options

3. Objectives (cont.) • Describe printing and reproduction methods for technical drawings • Be familiar with the Internet and the World Wide Web and understand how to use them in the product development process

4. Managing the Design Process • A Program Evaluation Review Technique (PERT) chart or Gantt chart can be used to track time and activity for a project • By working backwards from an end date, plans to meet critical deadlines can be established

5. Managing the Design Process • Design milestones and reviews help ensure that the design process is timely • Milestones include: • Product proposal • Design proposal • Development plan • Engineering release • Product release

6. Design Review • If designs require changes, engineering change orders document these changes • Regulatory bodies, standards organizations, and case law contribute to rules for retaining and producing documentation for engineering designs

7. Preserving Documentation • Companies may need to produce documentation for various purpose including safety and legal issues • Because electronically stored files can be altered, they may not be considered acceptable for documentation • Most legal requests are for copies of all versions of designs

8. Legal Standards for Drawings • Legal standards for how long engineering drawings need to be retained vary from state to state and industry to industry

9. Improving Efficiency • Efficient document management is a key to the effective use of CAD tools and concurrent engineering practices • Access to current and accurate information is crucial • Design databases can be used to streamline the design process

10. Drawing Approval and Release • Once a drawing is determined to be complete, the title block is used to document the change from a draft to a finished drawing • Once approved, the drawing or set of drawings, and contract are released for manufacturing

11. Change Orders • After a drawing has been released, an engineering change order (ECO) is used to document and approve drawing changes • ECOs are also known as: • Engineering change notifications (ECN) • Engineering change requests (ECR)

12. Revision Block • A revision block describes changes, may indicate the number of the ECO, and requires approval

13. Drawing As a Snapshot in Time • Some companies print and store paper copies of CAD files as a permanent record • Quality standards in some industries allow for electronic documents to serve as a permanent record if they are properly controlled

14. Good Practices for Electronic Drawing Storage • Organized practices for storage, approval, retrieval, file naming, and tracking revision history for electronic CAD data is very important • Individual companies often have their own standards of data management

15. Storing Electronic Files • To be useful, drawings must be stored electronically in a manner that satisfies the requirements for a static snapshot of the design at the time of release • Companies should have an organized system for managing files

16. Organized Directory Structures • Using an organized directory structure enables retrieval of CAD files and other electronically stored engineering data • It is not a good idea to have a single directory to store work • Documents may be stored on networks in directories that others can access

17. File Naming Conventions • It is important to establish a procedure and name files systematically • Additional data may be added to file names over time such as revision numbers to aid in file management

18. Drawing Standards • Many aspects of creating a drawing can be standardized including: • Layers • Colors • Borders • Title block information • Fonts and letter sizes • Standard notes and symbols

19. Storage of Paper or Mylar • Paper or Mylar drawings may be stored: • In large flat-drawer files • Hung vertically in cabinets • Rolled and stored in tubes • Folded and stored in standard office file cases

20. Reproduction of Drawings • Copies of drawings may be supplied in electronic formats such as PDF files • Plots can be created on Mylar or other specialty papers that allow prints to be made from the plot • Large format copy machines are also used

21. Printing and Copying Engineering Drawings • There are a variety of options for reproducing drawings: • Engineering printers • Diazo-moist prints • Diazo-dry process • Xerography • Fax technology • Digital image processing • Color laser printing / copying

22. Digital Storage Systems • Systems for storing digital files include: • CD-ROM • Optical disk • DVD • Blu-ray • Network drives

23. Document Management Software • Specialized software is available to help manage: • Document revision history • Approval • Storage • File naming • And other issues

24. Electronic Files and the Internet • Drawings created with commercial software are saved as electronic files • These files can be shared through E-mail or the Internet • Using the Internet and E-mail as a communication and design review tool can help shorten the process and eliminate productivity barriers

25. Microfilm, Microfiche, and Computer-output Microfilm • Although electronic files have replaced the use of microfilm and microfiche, some are still in use as data storage tools • Computer-output microfilm is a process used to produce drawings and records on microfilm with the aid of a computer