Let’s discuss our Design Record in a bit more detail. So far, we’ve defined it as “everything it takes to get your product built and shipped - without tribal knowledge”.
That’s admittedly a pretty wide definition. Let’s break it down into a few levels so it’s easier to talk about.
Functional Descriptions
These are your high level system diagrams. If we’re trying to describe how our product works to someone, this is where we start.
At this level, we’re talking about block diagrams, concept sketches, process flowcharts, performance calculation spreadsheets and models, and similar high level documents.
Component Designs We’re starting to describe each piece of the product in detail at this point. This level of detail begins to help us make sure our parts fit together, pick out components from suppliers, and begin reviewing our designs with our suppliers. We’re looking at CAD solid models, electrical system schematics, wire harness diagrams, hydraulic schematics, and other documents that capture the details of each component in our system.
Detail Designs This is where we start capturing our design in a way that we can communicate (very clearly) with the outside world. It gets a little harder to see the higher level function of the system or component, but that’s not the point of this layer. We’re making sure we capture every little detail of each piece of our system, so that we can send this to a manufacturer and get the parts we want back. Some good examples are detailed drawings (dimensioned and toleranced), PCB board designs, cut sheets for hoses and wire harnesses, and detailed BOMs for each subassembly.
Production Documentation We’ve handed our detail designs to a manufacturer (internal or external), but the CNC Machines, Injection Molding Presses, PCB Fab Machines, etc. can’t read our drawings! The manufacturers translate our detail designs into something the machines can understand, sometimes making special tooling to go along with the machine programs too. This level of our design record might include CNC G-Code programs, solder stencils, injection molding tools, pick and place programs, custom fixtures or forms, and anything else that the manufacturer might use to make our product.
What layer of design are you used to working with? What layers do you have direct control over?
-Brian Schoolcraft
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