Lifecycle management for small and medium sized companies
(without additional software)
The reason I wrote this document is because we are always taught about power of computers and automation, but very few places describe how to organize our files in order to save time during file retrieval and in order to become more efficient.
Everything is based on my own personal experience, with the aim to organize things in the simplest way possible in order to be more efficient. I have based my proposal on the principles behind the blue room, and have merely created its equivalent in the digital realm.
Target Audience: For companies which manufacture machines and systems and maintain them during their service lifetimes.
Server
The server will be the place that will store the digital copy of all engineering documentation, similar to a physical blue room. One common mistake is to store other types of information/documents on this server, which makes it difficult to find and use the engineering documentation. When we access the blue room, it should only store approved engineering documentation.
For companies which have up to a 10-person Engineering Staff, one could use a home server with the Windows Server operating system. Pros: easy integration into a LAN; easy to maintain (no need for a network administrator - the CAD administrator can maintain the system); low cost - under $1000 with two 1TB hard drives, one for storing the engineering documents, and the second for backup (30,000 2D and 3D drawings take up around 100GB). I personally have used such a server for over 2 years without any issues.
And thus, for the purposes of this document, let us name the server <ENG001>
Who has access to it: all company personnel, but in read-only mode.
On this server, we create a folder named "eng documents". This folder will store all files created with CAD software, and which have been approved by the Engineering Staff as per ECO and ERN. Who has access: the Engineering Staff who uses the CAD software has read-only access, whereas the CAD administrator who saves the files in this folder has read/write access. As with a physical blue room, modifications of the drawings can only be made with a modification request, which is fulfilled by authorized personnel (in this case, the CAD administrator), while the Engineering Staff can only receive a copy of the documents/blueprints (and thus require only read-only access).
1. Organization "eng documents" folder (\\ENG001\eng documents\). Anyone can make the organization in its own way, depending on its manufacture and to comply with the rules for database storage, which will list below.
Conditional, I divide "eng documents" to several sub-folders.
1.1. Sales products sub-folder.
\\ENG001\eng documents\sales products\
This is the directory stored 2D and 3D models of the final product (meet the sales order, packing, instruction for exploitation, spare parts, etc.)
1.2. Final assembly sub-folder.
\\ENG001\eng documents\final assembly\
This is the directory stored 2D and 3D models assembles, before final packaging, which makes functional product QC testing and inspection of complete.
1.3. Sub assembly sub-folder.
\\ENG001\eng documents\sub assembly\
This is the directory stored 2D and 3D models of the sub assembly. These assembles must follow the production process. If we have only one area for assembly, we do not need to set sub-assembly. If we have more than one area, we first make sub-assembly for the first area for assembly, and then we make sub-assembly for the second area for assembly, using sub-assembly from the previous area, etc. We don’t make sub-assembly for the last assembly. We do “final assembly” for the last assembly.
1.4. Detail sub-folder.
\\ENG001\eng documents\detail\
This is the directory stored 2D and 3D models of details in which applied the sub assembly, final assembly or sales products.
1.5. Purchase parts sub-folder.
\\ENG001\eng documents\purchase parts\
This is the directory stored 2D and 3D models of devices (other than material and fasteners), whitch purchase from outside.
1.6. Fasteners sub-folder.
\\ENG001\eng documents\fasteners\
This is the directory stored 2D and 3D models of fasteners.
2. Rules of Organisation on “eng documents” folder (\\ENG001\eng documents\).
2.1. Rules for save of the file name.
Every detail, material, assembly has part number with revision level.
File names of 3D and 2D models are format: <part number> (<rev. level>)
Revision level is always written in uppercase.
For example:
We have part numbers: 23129 rev. C (assembly) and 14212 rev. A (detail)
For 23129
File names: for 3D model is 23129(C).iam
for 2D model is 23129(C).idw
For 14212
File names: for 3D model is 14212(A).ipt
for 2D model is 14212(A).idw
2.2. Way of organizing and recording of 3D and 2D models.
The corresponding sub-folder of the directory \\ENG001\eng documents\ we create sub-folder with name is part number of the model.
In the already established sub-folder, we create sub-folder with the name is the part number + (rev. level), where we recording 3D and 2D model files.
For example:
For part 23129
\\ENG001\eng documents\final assembly\23129\23129(C)\23129(C).iam
\23129(C).idw
For part 14212
\\ENG001\eng documents\detail\14212\14212(A)\14212(A).ipt
\14212(A).idw
Why should all this? It will be explained in section 3D model changes.
2.3. Recording of details.
Depending on the mode of production, details may be made into the company or be ordered to make outside.
2.3.1. If we do 3D model outside, it is saved as part (.ipt file), and in the 2D model we save
information for the vendor and vendor number under which ordered this detail. (if 3D
model is assembly, we make two 3D models. One 3D ass'y model (.iam file) which is
made 2D file (.idw file) (all support 2D and 3D files are stored in directory
(\\ENG001\eng documents\) to the right place. With this documentation we ordered
parts and QC controlled input parts. From 3D assembly model (.iam file) we make 3D
part model (.ipt) file. This 3D image is used to create assemblies in the company.
This is necessary, because, when we create BOM, we seek purchase assembly (not to leave the details of the purchase item). Everything is coming outside are details (.ipt) file.
2.3.2. If the part is made in the company, 3D model is assembly (.iam) file. This assembly
uses 3D model of the material (.ipt) file. Thus BOM build which shows us what to order. BOM tells us what to order to produce an article within the company.
2.4. Recording of purchase parts.
Whether, devices or details, 3D models are saved as parts (.ipt) files. If the vendor has a 3D model, we list it as a part. 2D model must contain information about the vendor and vendor part number.
2.5. Recording of fasteners.
All fasteners have the company's part numbers. 3D model is saved as a part (.ipt) file. 2D model should be having information about the size, vendor and vendor part numbers.
3. Change 3D and 2D models and there revision level.
All files in the “eng documents” folder, and there sub-folders, are “read only". If we need to make changes, we must change revision level of the model.
3.1. Change revision level.
Information of our server are "read only", we can not make changes or enrollment. So we should choose a place where we work. For example, C:\data\ is the directory for our work.
We want to make amending model 23129 (C).
We create the directory in C:\data\23129(D) (part number + next revision level).
We open Autodesk Inventor.
Fixed project to \\ENG001\eng documents\ (if it does not, we create it and make it active).
Open \\ENG001\eng documents\final assembly\23129\23129(C)\23129(C).iam file.
Use command “save as”, we save it with next revision level in folder: C:\data\23129(D)\23129(D).iam
Same way, we save 2D model.
Open \\ENG001\eng documents\final assembly\23129\23129(C)\23129(C).idw, and we save it, “save as” command, with next revision level in folder C:\data\23129(D)\23129(D).idw
We have in our work place:
C:\data\23129(D)\23129(D).iam
\23129(D).idw
But, 2D model 23129(D).idw file has connection with 3D model 23129(C).iam file.
To make connection between 2D model 23129(D).idw file and 3D model 23129(D).iam file, we must close all files opened with Autodesk Inventor. Change project to C:\data\ (if it does not, we create it and make it active).
Open file 23129(D).idw (it is in folder C:\data\23129(D)\. The file 23129(d)idw doesn’t find 3D model file (239129(C).iam), and we show to use 3D model file 23129(D).iam from C:\data\239129(D)\239129(D).iam. This way, we connected 2D model file 23129(D).idw with 3D model file 23129(D).iam. Save all files, and closed. Change the project to:
\\ENG001\eng documents\.
3.2. Change files that are part of the modified assembly.
If 3D model file \\ENG001\eng documents\detail\14212\14212(A)\14212(A).ipt is part of 3D model assembly 23129(D), and it is reason to change 3D model file to next revision level 23129(D), we will modify 3D model 14212(A).
In the manner described above record 14212 files in the workplace in the directory number of the file the next revision level.
C:\data\14212(B)\14212(B).ipt
\14212(B).idw
And we make connection between 14212(B).idw и 14212(B).ipt.
To make connection between 3D model file 23129(D).iam and 3D model file 14212(B).ipt, we open 3D model file 23129(D).iam and replace 3d model 14212(A) with 14212(B). Save.
Now, all changes of 3D model file 14212(B).ipt, will reflected to 3D model file 23129(D).iam
If we have to modify other 3D files, we use the procedure described above.
3.3. Creation of new part numbers (2D and 3D models)
First, you need to get a new part numbers (for example 32111). This number should not have it into directory \\ENG001\eng documents\. Then, in our workplace we create sub-folder with revision level (C:\data\32111(A)).
Creating 3D and 2D models.
C:\data\32111(A)\32111(A).ipt or .iam
\32111(A).idw
Note: Basic rule is simple details will be made without regard to assembly or other details and there are not ipart. Sketches must be completed and fully dimensioned.
For assembly, should be checked for degrees of freedom (in X, Y or Z). Details of assembly to be oriented with the "constrains". Not applied the additional views, there is problem with BOM.
3.4. Check changes.
Once we have done with the amendments of details and assemblies, we should check where enter those 3D models to other 3D models. We use the program Autodesk Inventor "Design Assistant" (for the project: \\ENG001\eng documents\) and go to "manage". We check all files that we have made changes to revision level of directory \\ENG001\eng documents\ and are stored in work place C:\data\, where you applied the in directory C:\data\ to make a new revision level of part numbers, where uses the part numbers changed. If any part numbers we have done, so already, we do not make new.
For example: part number 14212
In directory \\ENG001\eng documents\, part number 14212 is revision level (А), so we look with a "Design Assistant" for part number 14212(A) where it is used and create new revision level of part numbers which enter. This feature comes in 23129(C), but we have already made changes to 23129(D), and we don’t more change this part numbers.
Why is this necessary? The reason is, because, we use as a file name , part number+revision level . In "sales products" (Final BOM), all components come with their revision level. When the revision level changed for one component, we modify revision level of final product.
For example:
Detail 14212(А) is used in final product 23331(C), when we change detail 14212 to revision level (B), we must change revision level of final product 23331 to (D).
In this way we achieve "Life cycle management". After time, if you have a problem with 23331 device, we need only to know it revision level, and to find all components that come into it. Revision level can easily find with serial number or date of manufacture or sell order.
Before to save the changes and new part numbers in directory \\ENG001\eng documents\, let us optimize our system.
4. Optimization of the system.
For now, we have on the server:
\\ENG001\eng documents\
4.1. Directory: „catalog”
On the server we create the new directory “catalog”.
And we will have:
\\ENG001\catalog\
\eng documents\
Who has access to it?
All engineering staff. They can "read and write", and only they have the right to enter in this the directory. It is to assist the engineers, to organize their work (ECO numbers, part numbers, screws part numbers, nuts part numbers, washers part numbers, etc.), and easier to find 3D models.
These directory contents: “Excel” files.
4.1.1. Part number
File name: Part numbers.xlsx
Format
PART NUMBERSPART NUMBER / DESCRIPTION
In these file engineering staff will take and record the new part numbers, to use in their projects.
4.1.2. ECO number
File name: ECO number.xlsx
Format
ECO NUMBERSECO NUMBER / DESCRIPTION
In this file engineering staff will take and record, the new ECO number that will be used to create a new ECO.
4.1.3. ECO form
ECO form file name: ECO form.xlsx
This file is the template for the creation of ECO. It is only “read only”.
4.1.4. Screw catalogs
Format
KIND SCREW:SIZE / DESCRIPTION / PART NUMBER / VENDOR / VENDOR PART NUMBER
These files record the various types of screws by type and size and information for their part numbers, vendor and vendor part number. So we can more easily find a 3D model of a species screw (for part numbers) and we have not a kind of screw in 2 or more part numbers. If we are looking for screw and it is not in catalogs, we create a new part numbers with 3D and 2D model, and record information in the respective catalog.
4.1.5. Nut catalogs
Same as Screw catalogs
4.1.6. Washer catalogs
Same as Screw catalogs
And others, who help engineering staff.
4.2. Read the engineering documentation from other employees in the company.
Not every employee has installed or can work with Autodesk Inventor. To see and use the engineering documentation, all 2D models, they are saved in PDF format. This format can read it all. Every one can find necessary for his work engineering documentation.
On the server we create the new directory "pdf"
And we will have:
\\ENG001\catalog\
\eng documents\
\pdf\
Who has access to it?
Every one of the company, but only "read only".
Only, CAD administrator is “read & write”