Automated design data management

Manufacturing requires files to be issued from a document control center in order to set up a production line. Engineering technicians also need access to design files in order to make design changes. In both cases, the document control manager acts as a central scheduler and facilitator. The entire process has always been manual, costly and slow. Production Data Management (PDM) software for PCB designers is becoming increasingly usable and accessible due to its easy-to-access Web center configuration. Solutions that are very beneficial to the PCB design environment provide the following two valuable functions: custodial and electronic access tools for the company's technical drawings; design change automation , also known as engineering change order (ECO) workflow. PDM solutions for design environments allow anyone in the company with a Web browser to access the company's technical files for the purpose of making technical changes or viewing information. There is no need to manually stick or upgrade any software on each customer PC, and application management is extremely simple.

Traditional method

Design change management is a difficult and time-consuming task for company file managers. The creation, implementation, and approval of ECOs require resources from both engineering and manufacturing departments. The paper trail begins like this: The ECO originator first completes a form requesting a design file change. The document control manager assigns the ECO tracking number and sends the form on the originally designated route. The design engineer reviews the form and provides some modification suggestions, which are annotated in the file and schematic... so a lot of paper is needed. Finally, the ever-expanding ECO request is sent to the Change Review Center for approval; the center is composed of many reviewers (Figure 1).

There are many potential pain points in the traditional change management process described above:

* Tracking: An ECO form and its related documents are usually tracked manually and recorded in a log.

* Serial processing: Because there is only one original ECO with attachments, it cannot be used by many people at the same time. Also, approvals at the Change Review Center cannot be done in parallel.

* Visibility: Procurement needs to be informed of pending changes to avoid having purchased components become unusable due to an ongoing ECO. A manual ECO system can notify procurement that a particular component is being changed, but the details of the change are not known until the ECO is completed.

* Notification: People involved in an ECO may not know they have work to do unless there is information in their inbox. So someone must inform them of what work needs to be done and their position in the overall ECO.

* Routing arrangement: ECO forms and related documents must be moved step by step, and each step is executed serially.

Automated ECO workflow #e#Current approach: Automated ECO workflow

The above steps can now be automated or simplified by programming, especially for the automation of brief design processes. For example, the ECO workflow module can enhance user-defined business transactions through electronic processing and relieve document control managers of ECO routing and tracking work. ECO workflow can also adapt to multiple processing processes, such as allowing urgent but low priority ECOs or dividing the process into engineering change requests (ECRs) and subsequent ECO approvals.

The automation of ECO processing begins with a clear definition of the company's ECO program. Software tools can now help users simulate the desired process and store it as a reusable template. Document control managers can log in to the ECO, select the next task according to the predefined workflow model, and notify all relevant staff through E-mail or member workflow inbox, with documents and reference files, marking documents and other design files. Whether accepted or rejected, the ECO is passed to the next task. The advantage of this processing method is that it can save a lot of time, which is reflected in the fact that multiple tasks can be processed in parallel, such as changing the approval work of the review center. As the work is carried out, a tracking report including the following content will be output: the progress of ECO processing, start and end dates, and the assigned work group members.

Breathing signal cabinet design

The PDM file "library" consists of two parts: one is the database, and the other is the electronic file storage area. The database contains the information of each file stored in the library and the related information between files, such as whole parts, components and components (Figure 2).

For example, using ACCEL RecordsCenter, any descriptive information that the program administrator considers relevant to the index files in the library can be stored in the database. Then users can use a variety of conditions to search the database to locate the data and files of interest. There are several potential problems in the traditional document control process:

* Document Archiving: Document control personnel must keep track of thousands of documents, schematics, and files. The main problem is that the database or log table only lists the location of the physical document or file, so even if the database thinks the file has been archived, manual efforts are still required to ensure that it has been archived successfully. Improper archiving can easily lead to the loss of documents.

* Backup: There is no reason for the original file to be removed from the file control space. The file control personnel must make backup copies of the requested files and archive the original files. This manual process is very slow and costly.

* Distribution: After the file is backed up, it should be distributed to the party who requested it. This is often done by inter-company mail or messengers. Large companies provide multiple "inventory" points throughout the enterprise to store original files. Each point has copy tools for backup and distribution to places closer to the point. The "inventory" points must be updated frequently, thus increasing the cost of document control.

PDM software solutions can automate the company's document control functions. The product should include two basic modules. The first module is used to manage all documents and files entrusted to the document control center. The conditions for accessing the file library are a web browser plus a login ID. The second module is used to automate the design change cycle and compress the ECO processing cycle time by reducing ECO management, electronic assignment notifications, and task-to-task ECO wiring automation. As with accessing the file library, users can participate in the ECO workflow using only a web browser. Therefore, modern PDM systems can provide a better way to manage the entire life cycle of design information.