Engineering Information Management

Contents:

Engineering Information Systems Concepts
Engineering Systems in the 21st Century
What Are the Technology Fundamentals?
How To Identify the Economics of Information Technology in Product Development
How to Perform Product Development Operations Management Efficiently
How To Develop an Effective Training Program
How To Develop the Engineering Organization
How To Perform Day-To-Day Operations
How To Develop Effective Procedures
Programming Engineering Systems
What Are the Engineering Systems Trends?
How To Make Effective Use of Outside Consultants
How To Make Effective Use of Service Bureaus

1. Engineering Information Systems Concepts

These publications are designed to help managers who are challenged by the rapid growth of the Engineering Information Systems industry and will help the Engineering Systems manager increase productivity, improve user morale and performance, and work more effectively with manufacturing and other departments.

1. Engineering Systems in the 21st Century

1.1 Engineering Systems Acceptance and Capabilities

Overview
The Key Points of Successful Operations
The Key Points of Unsuccessful Operations
What Are the Critical Success Factors?

1.2 Who Uses Engineering Information Systems?

Surveys
Other Users

1.3 Engineering Information Systems Applications

Group Applications
Applications By Category
Specific Applications

1.4 Typical User Complaints and Concerns

General Concerns
Specific Complaints

1.5 User Compliments

Global Features
Specific Commands

1.6 How Do We Achieve Productivity Returns?

Industry Averages
Exceptions

1.7 How Do We Achieve Personnel Development?

Background
Potential

1.8 What Are the Benefits of Engineering Systems?

Within the Department
Company-wide

2. What Are the Technology Fundamentals?

2.1 What Is the Scope of Technology in a Virtual Environment? 2.2 What You Should Know About Information Systems?

Rules/Recommendations
Information Systems Basics
Computer Codes
Storage/Database Management

2.3 What Are the Components of Engineering Systems Technology?

Drafting 2-D
Drafting 3-D Wireframe
Solid Modeling
Dimension-driven Drafting
FEM
CAM
CIM
Robotics
Data Exchange and Networking

2.4 What to Expect From Your Engineering System

Performance Features
Reliability
Other Applications

2.5 Commands You Should Know

Suggestions
Examples

2.6 What Are the Shortcuts and Techniques to Efficient Design?

Engineering Systems Tips
Proven Techniques/Examples

2.7 How Do You Handle New Designs?

Design Layout
Common Database

2.8 How Do We Handle Interdepartmental Interface?

Methods/Recommendations

2.9 How Do We handle Special Projects?

Examples
Implementation

3. How To Identify the Economics of Information Technology in Product Development

3.1. How To Manage Savings, Costs and Return on Investment

Savings
Costs
Return on Investment

3.2 How To Manage Expected Productivity Returns

Methods For Calculation
By Engineering Function
Improvement Over Time
“High-End” Exceptions
Other Factors Affecting Engineering Systems Productivity

3.3 Cost Per Terminal Hour

System Costs
Cost Per Terminal Hour

3.4 Utilizing PC’s as Engineering Systems Terminals

Costs
Application Theory
Advantages
Disadvantages

3.5 How To Identify Engineering Systems Utilization Economics

Cost Allocation
Project Hours To Engineering Systems Use Ratio

3.6 How To Achieve Key Areas of Savings-Engineering

Facility Personnel
Other Areas of Savings

3.7 How To Achieve Key Areas of Savings-Manufacturing

Facility Personnel
Other Areas of Savings

3.8 How To Achieve Key Areas of Savings-Sales and Other Departments

Department Personnel
Other Areas of Savings

3.9 How To Manage Personnel Compensation

Concepts
Industry Averages

4. How to Perform Product Development Operations Management Efficiently

4.1 The Typical Product Development Operations Issues

Life Cycle Profile
Manager’s profile
Typical Management Problems
Engineering Systems Inefficiencies
Other Management Concerns

4.2 How To Identify Responsibility and Authority

Identifying Responsibility and Authority in Product Development
Identifying Other Responsibilities
Establishing the Challenge and the Reward

4.3 How To Improve Communications with other Departments

How To Identify Confrontation Versus Collaboration
New Approaches
Introducing Lateral Thinking

4.4 How To Improve Communications Within Your Department

Survey of Typical Operations
Education Required
Formal and Informal Communication Links
How To Improve Feedback and Follow-up

4.5 How To Improve Communications Within the Engineering Systems Group

How To Define Group Charter and Policy
A Communication Corridor
How To Manage Meetings, Action Items, and Follow-up

4.6 How To Organize the Engineering Systems Facility

Facility Design and Support
Facility Expansion

4.7 How To Define Company Operations, Policy and Procedures

Information Flow
Company Goals
Engineering Systems Applied to Company Goals

4.8 How To Establish General Management Guidelines

Managing Yourself
Managing Others
Managing Time
Managing Priorities
Decision-Making
Problem-Solving

4.9 How To Establish Personnel Management – Training

Hiring
Training
Personnel Problems Unique to Engineering Systems Operations
Individual Career Planning
Tips on Motivating Engineering Systems Personnel
Encouraging Creativity

5. How To Develop an Effective Training Program

5.1 How To Define the Need for Training

CAD Operator Proficiency
Basic Requirements
Lead Individual
Other Operators

5.2 How To Manage the Training Investment in Dollars and Time

Initial Training Costs
Loss of Production Time

5.3 How To Develop and Perform Technical Training

System Training By Vendor
Software Vendor Training
Training By Others (Consultants)

5.4 How To Develop and Perform In-House Training

Problems
Advantages
Methods
Tips

5.5 How To Develop and Perform Advanced Training

Lead Individual
Types of Training

5.6 How To Develop and Perform Self-Teaching Courses

Definition
Examples
Advantages
Design and Application Hints

6. How To Develop the Engineering Organization

6.1 How To Set Up the Engineering Systems Technical Team

Where to Begin
Survey of Other Experience
Determining Team Structure
Selection of Team Members

6.2 How To Define Job Descriptions

Engineering Systems Team Responsibilities
Engineering Systems Operator
Engineering Systems Designer
Engineering Systems Programmer
Engineering Systems Engineer
Engineering Systems Manager

6.3 How To Define Department Organization

Initial Engineering Systems Installation
Future Engineering Systems Installation

6.4 How To Define Engineering Systems Within the Company

Engineering Group
Engineering Department
Engineering/Manufacturing
Engineering Systems Company-wide

6.5 How To Define Facility Organization and Growth Tree

Initial Facility Organization, Engineering
Facility Organization, Engineering/Manufacturing
Facility Organization, Company-wide

6.6 How To Plan for Future Growth

Planning for Imminent Growth
Need for Planning Ahead
Guidelines

6.7 How To Manage the Engineering Systems Committee

Charter
Membership
Activities
Action Items
Follow-Up

7. How To Perform Day-To-Day Operations

7.1 What Are the Key Considerations

Productive Operations
Responsible Operations
Morale
Group/System Development
Personnel Development

7.2 What Are the System Configuration/Operational Procedures

“General Rules” for Increasing Operational Performance
Recommendation for Smooth Operations

7.3 What Are the Group Charter and Goals

Immediate Objectives (0-12 months)
Tactical Objectives (13-24 months)
Strategic Objectives (25-60 months)

7.4 How To Organize Projects/Scheduling

How Do Things Get Off Track?
Intelligent Work Assignments
Scheduling
Activity and Progress Reports

7.5 Achieving Productive Operations

Priorities of Work Assignments
Managing Time
Production Assignments
Productivity Review
Special Applications
Background Operations

7.6 Developing a Library Parts/Menus

Definition and Purpose
Application
Examples

7.7 Developing Programming and Other Productivity Enhancers

Programming Applications
Examples
Recommendations

7.8 Developing Research and Development

The Need for R & D
Methods of R & D
Results of Others

7.9 How To Perform Filing, Retrieval, and Security

Parts Classification
Filing Systems
“Password” Retrieval
“Read Only” Retrieval
System Backup
System Security

7.10 How To Perform Multi-Shift Operations

Advantages
Disadvantages and Problems
Recommendations

7.11 System Maintenance

Manufacturers’ Recommendations
Group Responsibility
Methods

7.12 How To Manage Inter-Departmental Interfaces

The Common Database
Database Management
Equipment Compatibility
Working with Other Departments
Future Expansion Within the Organization

8. How To Develop Effective Procedures

8.1 Concepts of Procedures

Scope
Contents

8.2 Defining Departmental Responsibilities and Interface

Work Requests
Responsibilities of Engineering Systems Design and Management
Responsibilities of Design Engineering
Responsibilities of Project Management
Responsibilities of Data Processing and Support Services

8.3 Defining Data and Document Classifications and Types

Bills of Materials
Engineering Indexes and Lists
Engineering Systems Text Files
Engineering Systems Library Parts and Symbols
Engineering Systems Menus
Programs
Master Drawings/Multi-Layer
Templates
Standard Drawings
Proposal Drawings
Engineering Drawings
Three-Dimensional Geometry
N/C Data
Electrical, Electronic, and Piping Flow Diagrams
Sketches
Customer and Vendor Drawings
Manufacturing and Master Comparator Drawings
Manufacturing Open Items
Operation and Maintenance Manuals
Specifications
Data Transmittals

8.4 Performing Numbering and Filing

Problems and Recommendations
Data Classifications
Lists
Part Number Files

8.5 Managing Data Format

Guidelines
Drawings and Sketches
Notes
Specifications
Programs
Other Data

8.6 Managing Approval Procedures

History
Problems
Engineering Control
Recommendations
Data Release and Transmittals

8.7 Managing Revision Procedures

Engineering Indexes and Lists
Engineering Systems Programs
Library Parts and Symbols
Drawings
Revisions to Procedures

8.8 Managing Filing, Security, and Back-Up Procedures

Importance
Recommendations
Engineering Systems Programs and Other Data
Drawings

8.9 Managing Data Transmittal Procedures

Initial Methods
Future Methods

8.10 Managing Operational Procedures

Operational “Bugs”
Casual Users
Complex Operations

9. Programming Engineering Systems

9.1 Defining the Need for Programming

Computer Fortes
Programming Application

9.2 Graphics Tablets/Menus

Definition
Application
Examples

9.3 Text Files

Definition
Application
Examples

9.4 Parametric Processing Programs

Definition
Application
Examples

9.5 Other Programs

Types
Applications
Examples

9.6 Program Modules

Purpose
Applications

9.7 Combining Programs

Methods
Applications

9.8 Demonstration Programs

Need
Examples
Recommendations

9.9 Working with the Programmer

What the Manager Should Know About Programming
Manager’s Contribution
Creating New Programs
Methods/Examples
Recommendations

9.10 Programs You Should Have

Operating Systems Tasks
General
Technical

9.11 Your Program Library

Creating New Programs
Filing
Maintaining

10. What Are the Engineering Systems Trends?

10.1 Profile of Future Engineering Systems Technology

Overview
Predictions

10.2 Manufacturers’ Future Plans

Production
Hardware/Software

10.3 Users’ Future Plans

Applications
Exchanging Engineering Systems Data
Hardware and Software Acquisitions

10.4 IGES and Government Future Plans

Standards
Contract Prerequisites

10.5 Industry Trends

10.5.1 Applications
10.5.2 Hardware
10.5.3 Software

10.6 Summary

11. How To Make Effective Use of Outside Consultants

11.1 Why A Consultants?

What Can Go Wrong?
Why a Consultant?

11.2 Do You Need A Consultant?

Checklist

11.3 Selecting a Consultant

Checklist

11.4 What the Consultant Should Do For You

Checklist

11.5 How To Work with the Consultant

Information You Must Provide
Defining Action Items/Guidelines
Consultant’s Recommendations
Follow-up On Action Items

11.6 Special Projects

Definition of Special Projects
Why a Consultant?
Monitor Performance/Milestones
Follow-up

12. How To Make Effective Use of Service Bureaus

12.1 What are CAD Service Bureaus?

Definition
Advantages of Hiring a Service Bureau

12.2 Do You Need a Service Bureau?

If You Don’t Have CAD
If You Do Have CAD

12.3 Selecting a Service Bureau

Considerations
Benchmark
How To Find A Service Bureau

12.4 What A Service Bureau Should Do For You

Checklist

12.5 How To Work with A Service Bureau

Information You Must Provide

12.6 Special Projects

Definition of Special Projects
Service Bureaus Versus Consultants
Monitor Performance/Milestones
Follow-up