Many companies require extensive product documentation. Documentation may include user manuals to explain how a product works or how it should be installed, commissioned or maintained. Information is often required to write software to control the operation, or details to allow integration with other systems. Law or customer specifications often require compliance information. Product documentation can be time-consuming and costly to produce. Customers may link essential documentation completion to final payment terms. By working differently, the burden of product documentation can be reduced, saving time costs while improving accuracy.
Problems:
Producing good quality product documents can take significant time and is costly to produce. Creating good quality documents can add significant workload to engineering teams and other departments resulting in workflow bottlenecks. Underestimating the documentation required can have a significant impact on product margins and cash flow.
Solution:
Product standardisation can be used to link pre-prepared product data to components. Documents need to be constructed in a modular format to allow documents to mirror the product. The configuration of the product documentation requires both product configuration and design automation software. Once completed documents automatically complete at the touch of a button.
Advantages from different perspectives
Very fast and accurate document compilation
Very fast and accurate document compilation
Eliminate engineering cost
Fewer bottlenecks requiring management attention
Increased productivity as more work is possible
Increased profitability with the reduction of cost and risk while improving productivity
Eliminate engineering cost
Increased productivity as more work is possible
Reduced impact on delivery and improved cash flow
Increased profitability with the reduction of cost and risk while improving productivity
Increased customer satisfaction as customers receives documentation faster with fewer errors.
Less risk, fewer processes and transfers of information
Fewer bottlenecks requiring management attention
Increased customer satisfaction as customers receives documents faster with fewer errors.
Documentation planned and managed without production deadlines
Very fast and accurate document compilation
Further help and assistance
Gatehouse Design are specialists in product standardisation, product configuration and design automation. We can help companies develop highly effective product strategies, maximising profitability, productivity and customer satisfaction. We can help you reduce the burden of product documentation and improve the efficiency of your business. Please contact us to discuss any product design related issues that you may have.
Peter Slee-Smith founded Gatehouse Design in 2012, a Chartered Mechanical Engineer with more than 30 years experience in industrial design. Peter qualified with a Masters Degree and has held senior positions in many leading engineering and product manufacturing companies. He is passionate about product design efficiency and has written many articles on the subject. Based in Littleport just outside Ely in Cambridgeshire, Gatehouse Design specialises in product standardisation, configuration and design automation.
