Engineering Records: Maintaining and Organizing Documentation for Design Projects, Study Guides, Projects, Research of Engineering

Download Engineering Records: Maintaining and Organizing Documentation for Design Projects and more Study Guides, Projects, Research Engineering in PDF only on Docsity! Engineering Records Engineering Records.doc Page 1 of 3 V0.0 Documentation of the engineering that records the work that has gone into the development of a product is a crucial component of any project. Both formal and informal records provide a basis for future reference. These records may become necessary to provide a history of the design if there is a turnover in staff, if patent applications are made, or in the case of legal action where the demonstration of professional practices is necessary. Project activities in which engineering records are useful: ☛ Records should be maintained by all those involved in a design project throughout the duration, and should be retained for a predetermined period. Other tools that are useful in conjunction with engineering records: ☛ All tools that produce some form of documentation or drawing should form part of the engineering records Introduction In general, there are two main categories of engineering records: engineering log or notebooks that are kept by individuals, and more formal files that are maintained for the project. Depending on the size of the project, the more formal files may be kept in a binder or may require a number of filing cabinets. Application of Engineering Logbooks Every individual on a project should maintain a personal logbook. Ideally, this book should be a bound volume with sequentially numbered pages. If the logbook does not have numbered pages, they should be numbered before the logbook is put into use. It is useful if the pages have alternately lined and graph paper. It may be possible that an engineer will use a number of logbooks for a single project. It is therefore important that each book be labelled with the name of the engineer, the name of the project, and the range of dates for which entries are made. Many companies require that all entries be dated and signed for legal purposes so this is a good practice to get into. It is useful to think of the logbook as a design diary. It is not necessary that it is neat but it should contain all sketches, notes and decisions pertaining to the design. The logbook should accompany the engineer to all meetings and be available for every phone call so that a personal record can be made of these communications. These communication records can be extremely useful references in the future when it may be beneficial to say “During our conversation on December 10th, you stated that…” Work that is completed in another medium, such as computer printouts or test results, should be permanently affixed to pages in the logbook. If this is not practical due to bulk or size, the logbook should make note of the contents of this material and the location where it is located. Engineering Records Engineering Records.doc Page 2 of 3 V0.0 Application of Design Files Whether design files are kept in a binder or in multiple filing cabinets, one of the most important aspects of these files is that they be organized in a manner such that individual items can easily be located. The two main approaches to organizing files are alphabetical and numerical. Alphabetical filing can follow a dictionary style, with each item filed in alphabetical sequence, or an encyclopedia style, with items grouped alphabetically under alphabetized headings. Alphabetical filing allows for expansion, is self-indexing and material can be easily classified. Dictionary Style B Bearings Budget C Calculations Communication Contact Information Cost Analysis D Design Reviews Drawings E Engineering Change Notices F FMEA M Material Specifications Meeting Agendas/Minutes P Product Specification Progress Reports Purchase Orders Q Quotations T Trade-Off Studies W Work Orders Encyclopedia Style Administrative Budget Meeting Agendas/Minutes Schedules Communication Progress Reports Contact Information Correspondence Design Reviews Drawings Engineering Change Notices Procurement Purchase Orders Quotations Work Orders Specifications Material Specifications Product Specification Technical Data Calculations Cost Analysis FMEA Trade-Off Studies Trade Catalogues Equipment Materials Bearings