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Client
Undisclosed
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Business need
Consistency of data for component specifications. Short timescales required a different solution approach.
Engineering systems are becoming ever more complex and require a large number of parts. These systems are required to operate in demanding environments and the design, development, and manufacturing of these systems require exact specifications to be derived and adhered to.
Our client had a complex system that required the generation of several hundred Engineering Specifications to strict design definitions within a short time frame to enable parts to be ordered through a strict internal procurement process.
OUR SOLUTION
Given the short timescales and she sheer quantity of data the implementation of the project required a different solution approach. Frazer-Nash began by setting up a cross functional team and working with the client to define the required information for the Engineering Specifications. Flow-lines were established for gathering, cataloguing and storing the information. In conjunction with the client, the project team derived the format for the document and captured the required information for generating the Engineering Specifications.
A key challenge of the project was managing the large amount of asset data within the client organisation along with the priority of the Engineering Specifications. We developed a bespoke software solution that; interacted with a defined document hierarchy and templates and allowed a large team of engineers to work concurrently throughout the project. This software held historically defined part information, manufacturing data and operation data in order to assist the project team in defining component and assembly requirements.
Our approach and solution;
- Enabled multiple user to interact with the data;
- Enabled consistency/traceability for the documents prepared,
- Enabled multiple users to draw information from other engineering specifications and assemblies and use the previously defined information within documents.
The knowledge obtained throughout the development process resulted in the development of a standalone tool which contained all of the process knowledge embedded within it. The tool was created through a structured development process, allowing the customer to offer continuous feedback to ensure that their requirements were met. Our step by step approach to software development helped to ensure that the tool was delivered on time and to specification.
THE BENEFITS
Automating the Engineering Specification process:
- Reduced level of overhead for generating the specifications and enabled the sharing of information across the project team
- Provided consistency between specifications and terminology
- Reduced the amount of review time for approval
Our streamlined approach enabled the project team to generate ~1200 specifications and enabled Frazer-Nash to embed all of the knowledge obtained throughout the implementation of the project into a standalone tool that allowed the client to prepare their own documents.
The standalone tool draws the user through the process and provides help information and enables the client to retain all of the knowledge obtained throughout the development of the project.
The work was delivered on time and the customer reported that the tool not only undertakes its primary function but also provides a means of training new engineers on the derivation of component/assembly engineering specifications whilst also acting as a prompt for thought for experienced engineers.