Engineering Documentation Control Handbook. Configuration Management and Product Lifecycle Management

381 Pages·2012·3.57 MB·English

by  Frank B. Watts (Auth.)

Engineering
DOCUMENTATION
CONTROL HANDBOOK
CONFIGURATION
MANAGEMENT AND PRODUCT
LIFECYCLE MANAGEMENT
FOURTH EDITION
FRANK B. WATTS
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PREFACE
Thewideacceptanceofthisbookhasbeenverygratifying.Thisworkseems
tohavetakenonalifeofitsown.Thethirdeditionpublisherwrote:“Your
bookoverthelastyearhasresultedinthemost‘BuyThisBook’linksofour
entire catalog . It is very well received by the Googleites.” Sales have
exceeded11,000atthetimeofwritingofthisfourthedition.Why?While
management fads come and go, buzzword programs abound, software
acronyms and software applications ebb and flow, the critical importance
andthebasicsofengineeringdocumentationcontrolremainthesame.The
author thinks of himself as “the Vince Lombardi of document control.”
Basic blocking and tackling! In that sense, the fourth edition has not
changed the principles but has been significantly rewritten and edited. A
newchapteronproductmanufacturingsystemshasbeenadded.Allwiththe
intent of improved explanations, emphasizing product lifecycle manage-
ment, and Configuration Management (CM) as engineering’s quality
control function.
Whether you think of this subject as Engineering Documentation
Control (EDC) or CM, or Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) it needs
to be recognized as a key business strategy. The wall or gap between
engineering and the rest of the world has existed too long in many
companies. The “throw it over the wall” syndrome can be overcome. It is
prevalent in new product releases, bills of material, change requests, and
change processes as well as in related softwarepackages. Simple, make-sense,
fast, accurate, efficient, measured, and well-understood Engineering Documentation
Control/Configuration and Product Lifecycle Management can tear down that
wall – bridge that gap.
The title of this book indicates that Engineering Documentation
Control–ConfigurationManagementandProductLifecycleManagement
are equivalent terms. But are they really? Many people feel that EDC is
a subset of CM. Some thinkof EDC as what theyare currently doing and
CM as what they ought to be doing. PLM is a term used primarily by
software applications for engineering – but it certainly implies a cycle that
transcends engineering into manufacturing and to the customer. Much of
the truth in this discussion is in “the eyes of the beholder.”
Historically,theCMtermwaslargelyinventedbytheDefenseIndustry
and the Department of Defense (DOD). The term had been used and
j
xiii
xiv Preface
abusedsoextensivelybyourproductmanufacturingworldthatithadtaken
on a parochial and avery complex meaning. Commercial businesses began
“taking back” the CM term in a simplified form. Many defense product
manufacturers are moving toward commercial practices – simplified
Configuration Management – a healthy trend.
In the meantime, the software configuration management folks have
largely usurped the CM term for application to the development and
production of software tools. If you “Google” the CM term, you will
largely find software tools for controlling software tools.
The author is thus all the more pleased to have consistently used the
Engineering Documentation Control term. This work will use all of these
terms selectively.
Can CM in a Defense Industry context be made simple? A study
published in National Defense magazine, September 1992, by George Kri-
korian, PE, summarizes the conditions at that time. “The results revealed
thatthecostof aproductwhensellingtoDODincreasesfromfivepercent
toonehundredpercentascomparedtothesameor similar productcostto
acommercial(non-DOD)enterprise.”Oneofthesignificantreasonsgiven
was MIL-SPECS and Standards. Configuration Management standards
makeupasignificantportionofthetotalDODSpecsandStandards.There
has been some significant reform in the DOD, however, so the hope for
military contractors and taxpayers is improving.
Meanwhile, some in the commercial segment are erroneously moving
toward more complex CM. The Automotive and Aeronautical segments
have written their own versions of ISO standards adding a layer of
bureaucracy that is making our autos and air transport expensive, adding
little value or safety to the products. The FDA continues to make their
requirements excessive by controlling products in the same manner they
control drugs. The ISO standards have evolved but not necessarily for the
better. While claiming to bemore general and less specific,the page count
has, nevertheless, increased significantly.
TheprimarygoalofthisbookistokeepCMsimple.Thebasicsofbest-
in-classConfigurationManagementwillbepresentedfromthegroundup,
for application in either a “commercial” or “military” kind of business.
The typical CM approach is to acquire and read all the applicable
commercial and Military Specs, Standards, and Directives, and then design
the system around them. Rather, every product manufacturing business
shoulddevelopasimple,make-sense,fast,accurate,efficient,measured,and
well-understood process approach to Engineering Documentation
Preface xv
Control/Configuration Management/Product Lifecycle Management and
then examine the DOD, MIL, DOE, FDA, ISO/QS/AS, and all other
applicable agency standards. After careful examination of those standards,
add to or modify that approach to satisfy the customer/agency specifica-
tions, as and if necessary.
Sincethefirsteditionofthisbook,manycompanieshavebecomeISO/
AS/QS-certified.Writedownwhatyoudoanddowhatyouhavewritten,
it is said. Companies have also come to realize that certification only gets
their CM practices minimally documented and followed. A significant
majorityofISOrequirementsandproblemsinvolvetheCMdiscipline,but
there is no built-in assurance in the ISO certification that the processes are
efficient, measured, productive, or that they outperform the competition.
Thus,writingdownwhatyoudoanddoingwhatiswrittenmaybeaform
of insanity – which is definedas doing thesame thing over andover again,
and expecting different results. Subsequent revisions of ISO requirements
haveemphasizedprocessimprovement.Theemphasisofthisbookisnoton
ISOrequirements.Theemphasisisonhelpingpeoplehelptheircompanies
toward exceptional CM practices and processes.
The quick release of new product documentation, minimal structuring
of a single bill of material database, the ability to request changes, and to
changethedocumentationandproductquickly,accurately,andatleastcost
are critical to a company’s profitability. Thus, the development and
implementationof asimple,make-sense,fast,accurate,efficient,measured,
and well-understood CM system is an important business strategy. Simply
put, it sets the stage for innovation in engineering and operations.
Thebasicprinciplesofworld-classEDC/CMareapplicable,regardlessof
the kind of manufacturing or the kind of customer. Toward achieving this
make-sense approach, the following will be the guiding principles of this
book:
(cid:129) Develop a generic approach that is good for commercial or agency-
regulated companies. Manyof the existing texts on this subject address
DODSpecificationsandStandards.Thisworktakesagenericapproach.
(cid:129) Taketheacronymsoutwherever possible!Thegoalherewillbetoonly
use those acronyms which are universal in the manufacturing business
and to explain each where it is first used.
(cid:129) UsetheEnglishlanguage,definingtermsaswego,asopposedtousing,
for example, over 20 pages of glossary found in one text.
(cid:129) Take the jargon, mystique, double-talk, fads, and unnecessary
complexityout of Configuration Management.
xvi Preface
(cid:129) Systematicallyapproachthedisciplinebyusinganexampleproduct–an
electronic ignition, application software programmed, front-end loader
with a varietyof features and options. Develop the design documenta-
tion for this product, structure the bills of material with operations
people, release it from engineering to manufacturing, request changes,
change it, and close the loop by knowing when each change was made
and what is in each product as needed.
(cid:129) Develop principles that are sound for any size company, while recog-
nizing the nuances that may be present in small, large, multinational,
make-to-print, make-to-stock, make-to-order, or design-to-order for
discrete product manufacturing.
(cid:129) Develop principles which are sound for any type of product, while
recognizing differences in products that vary from needles to nuclear
ships,andproductionratesthatvaryfromquantitiesper secondtoyears
per quantityone.
(cid:129) Emphasizeearlycostingoftheproductandchanges,agenerallyignored
aspect of CM practice.
(cid:129) Showhowredundantbillsofmaterialcanbeeliminated,howtosimplify
the bill of material structuring, and how to evolve bills in lead time to
produce the product.
(cid:129) Develop generic CM processes in the form of flow diagrams and
standards to use as a guide in the development of your own processes.
Assure that the horse (documentation) comes before the cart (the
product).
(cid:129) Establishmethodsfor achievingfast processingofreleases,requests,and
changes. The emphasis will be on speed – a long-overlooked criterion
and very costlyoversight.
(cid:129) Outline methods for analyzing an existing system and implementing
a new system. Outline methods that can be used, whether reinventing
the system and/or using continuous improvement techniques.
(cid:129) Explore methods for standardizing the processes and auditing them.
(cid:129) OutlinetheimportanceofEDC/CMinthesupplychain,notehowthe
chain can be broken and address the issues facing the Original Equip-
ment Manufacturer (OEM) and the supplier.
(cid:129) Share benchmarking surveys and analysis with the readers.
(cid:129) Identify the most serious, most often made, mistakes in the discipline.
(cid:129) Distinguish between Engineering Documentation Control, Configu-
ration Management, and Product Lifecycle Management.
Preface xvii
(cid:129) Develop a few key metrics for all the processes – speed, quality, and
volume. Many more measures of merit are in the author’s CM Metrics
book.
(cid:129) Develop EDC/CM/PLM rules and give reasons for the rules. Realize
that almost all rules have exceptions. Realize that all the rules need not
be followed in your company, but violation of very many will lead to
chaos.
(cid:129) Demonstrate why the CM function is essentially the quality control
function for engineering.
Suchgoalscanbeaccomplishedwithoutsacrificingproductquality.Infact,
the quality of documentation releases and changes as well as the quality of
theproductmustincreaseasneworimprovedEngineeringDocumentation
Control is implemented.
Good CM alone will not achieve best-in-class Total Quality
Manufacturing (TQM); however, best-in-class TQM cannot be achieved
without best-in-class Configuration Management. This will be accom-
plished while improving quality, not hurrying up to do it wrong!
Engineering Documentation Control is a significant business strategy
and an absolute foundation block for: TQM, JIT (Just In Time), cross-
functional teams (concurrent engineering), engineering/manufacturing/
supply chain software systems, lean manufacturing, meeting domestic or
international standards, and efficient manufacturing. In fact, it must be
a significantcompany strategy if best-in-class or world-class manufacturing
is to be achieved.
One reviewer of this book titled his review, “Setting the Stage for
Innovation.” Time for innovation in design and manufacturing can be
realized, with the current work force, by first making the EDC/CM
processes simple, make-sense, fast, accurate, efficient, measured, and well
understood.
My thanks to the universities who have sponsored my seminar. Also to
theover3500folkswhohaveattended–Ilearnsomethingineachseminar.
MymanycustomersalsodeserveheartythankssinceIlearnsomethingfrom
eachofthem.Last,butnotleast,thankstothethirdeditionreviewers,their
compliments and ideas for improvement.
Frank B. Watts, BSME, CCDM
[email protected]
www.ecm5tools.com
WinterPark,Colorado
11
CHAPTER
Introduction
Contents
WhatisConfigurationManagement 4
BetweenEngineeringandManufacturing 5
ConfigurationManagementLadder 7
ConfigurationManagementDiscipline 8
ConfigurationManagementSystem 8
HistoryofConfigurationManagement 9
OrganizationofConfigurationManagement 10
DocumentControlFunctionResponsibilities 12
ConfigurationManagementFunctionResponsibilities 12
DistributedConfigurationManagement 14
Manager’sJob 14
ManagerofConfigurationManagement 14
OrganizationWithinConfigurationManagement 16
ConfigurationManagementdWhatisIt? 16
Summary 19
Why do we need engineering documentation at all? Why control that
documentation? The mere use of the word “control” puts most engineers
intoaverydefensivemode.Arewetryingtostifletheengineer’screativity?
What is there to “manage” about the configuration of a product?
Letusfirstidentifythebasic“rawmaterials”ofproductmanufacturing–
the very essence of product manufacturing. There are four primary
elements:
(cid:129) Money – for the start-up/profits.
(cid:129) Tools (machine, mold, software, etc.).
(cid:129) People (and the processes and measurements they choose).
(cid:129) A product embodied in design drawings and specs.
Sowhyisitasurpriseforsometohearthatthemanagementofthosedesign
documents is a critical discipline? Think about it. Without design docu-
ments, you do not have a producible product. Without control of design
documents with make-sense processes and measurements, you have chaos.
Whydoarchitectsmakedrawingsandspecificationsforahomeorplant?
Dotheydothisfortheirownpleasureorforatrademagazineorshow?Isn’t
the documentation done so the customers get what they want? Aren’t the
EngineeringDocumentationControlHandbook (cid:1)2012ElsevierInc. j
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ISBN978-1-4557-7860-7,Doi:10.1016/B978-1-4557-7860-7.00001-6 Allrightsreserved.
2 EngineeringDocumentationControlHandbook
documentsfor thebuilder whohastobuild thehouseandfor theeventual
ownerwhowillhavetomaintainit?Trybuildingor maintainingaproduct
without adequate drawings and specs, it becomes especially difficult and
error-pronewhenchangesarebeingmade.Trycontrollingthecostwithout
controlling the changes. Still, most businesses operate to some extent
without proper, timely, or adequate control of their documentation. The
symptoms are usuallyeverywhere. Let us take a look at the symptoms.
Manufacturing says:
(cid:129) I don’t understand what I’m supposed to build.
(cid:129) What criteria dowe test to?
(cid:129) Where is the change I need to:
Reduce costs
Avoid making scrap
Avoid making parts that will have to be reworked?
(cid:129) Will this change increase the “bone pile” of down-level material?
(cid:129) Why do I have these bad parts on the dock?
Sales says:
(cid:129) You mean the product isn’t ready for the market window.
(cid:129) Where is that promised new feature?
(cid:129) Whydidn’twedeliveraproductwiththeoptionsthecustomeraskedfor?
Customer says:
(cid:129) I didn’t get what I ordered.
(cid:129) Where is the fix you promised me?
(cid:129) Where is that new feature or option?
Dealer/Field Service says:
(cid:129) Shouldn’t my publications match my product?
(cid:129) Where is the fix for this nagging product, firmware, or software
problem?
(cid:129) Our customer is angry – can’t we move faster?
Repair says:
(cid:129) I could fix it easier if I knew what is in this product.
(cid:129) What changes should be and shouldn’t be incorporated upon repair?
Quality says:
(cid:129) Is this cost included in our Cost of Quality?
(cid:129) Should we treat ourselves, our suppliers, or our customers this way?
(cid:129) How can we meet our customer’s standards?
(cid:129) We can’t meet international and US standards.
Employee says:
(cid:129) I asked them to do something about this a long time ago.
Introduction 3
Doanyofthesesymptomssoundfamiliar?Thecureis:simple,make-sense,
fast, accurate, measured, efficient and well-understood Engineering
Documentation Control/Configuration Management (EDC/CM) stan-
dards and processes. Good design documentation and its control is the
solution for the root cause of these symptoms. Thus, Configuration
Management is the medicine that cures the root causes.
CM,keptsimple,resultsinmanybenefitstothecompany.Whatarethe
benefits of a fast, accurate, and well-understood CM system? Let us take
a look at the potential benefits of a carefully planned CM strategy.
Benefits:
(cid:129) Helpstogetnewproductstothemarketfasterandreducedeliverytime
for a customized product.
(cid:129) Happiercustomers becausetheyseethe newoption, change, or feature
they had requested, much quicker.
(cid:129) The customers get what they ordered with fewer missed delivery
commitments.
(cid:129) Reduces the “bone piles” of down-level material.
(cid:129) Gets real cost reductions implemented quicker.
(cid:129) Reduces the manufacturing rework and scrap costs significantly.
(cid:129) Improves bill of material (BOM) accuracy and saves the corresponding
material waste and correction time, resulting in corresponding
improvement in product quality and inventory accuracy.
(cid:129) Eliminates multiple BOMs and saves the costs of maintaining the
bills, not to mention eliminating the risks associated with multiple
bills.
(cid:129) Evolution of the BOM in lead time to produce the product quicker.
(cid:129) Reduces field maintenance, retrofit, and repair cost.
(cid:129) Knowexactly what items are non-interchangeable in each product.
(cid:129) Improves the understanding and communication between design
engineering and the rest of the world.
(cid:129) Clarifies the responsibilities and thus eliminates finger pointing.
(cid:129) SaveswearandtearonCMmanagers,masterschedulers,andalltypesof
engineers.
(cid:129) Complies with applicable customer or agency standards.
(cid:129) Sorts out changes that are not needed or aren’t cost-effective.
(cid:129) Saves many dollars a year in paper and copying costs alone.
(cid:129) Significant reduction in the cost of quality.
(cid:129) Allows the company to qualify as a best-in-class producer.
(cid:129) Sets the stage for innovation in engineering and manufacturing.