Drawing and Part Configuration Management and Release Procedures:

Effective Date:  February 28, 2006

Context: This procedure is intended for use by APO Telescope Drafting and Engineering personnel for the development, release and maintenance of telescope related models, drawings, and other controlled documents to facilitate the sharing of information between the various institutions and personnel that have need of technical information and engineering files regarding APO telescope design and development.

Cad Parts and Drawings:

Released Part models and drawings (especially those created using Computer aided Design) will use the Telescope Engineering Naming Convention to assign standardized part numbers to their respective models and associated drawings.

 

The released Parts and Drawings will be maintained, primarily for the use of technical personnel, on the ftp.apo.nmsu.edu site. Password entry and general site maintenance will be controlled by the APO staff, as assigned by APO management.

 

FTP data site management:

 

General ftp Site Structure

 

The APO ftp Site is organized into sub-directories, one of which is reserved for technical drawings and associated information. This "techdraw" directory is further subdivided to separate the engineering information according to individual projects or functional sub-systems of the site and the telescope. The drawings and related engineering documents associated with each sub-system are located within the appropriate sub-directory. Additionally, for active projects, to help track the progression of the design development process, all of the component designs and assemblies associated with the project are to be kept in one of three folders, depending on the current status of the design. The three folders are: "DrawingsInProcess," "DrawingsReadyForReview." and "DrawingsReleased."

 

Drawing Development and Release Procedure:

 

As new designs are being developed, at the discretion of the responsible engineer, the CAD files are first made available for peer review and use by other members of the design team when they are loaded into the "DrawingsInProcess" folder. Engineering staff will typically input any new or revised part model and drawing computer files to the ftp site via the "DrawingsInProcess" folder. Email will be used to notify any involved design team members of the availability of any new or revised models and drawings. The individual in charge of the specific engineering task is responsible for the direct ftp transfer of the computer files and the associated email alert. Notification of pending changes to other members of the design team that are directly affected is also the responsibility of the individual in charge of the task. This is also the method by which models are transferred from the design engineer to the drafter for the creation of separate (but related) drawing files based on the three dimensional model developed by the engineer.

 

A typical ftp address for models and drawings that are in this category would be:

ftp://ftp.apo.nmsu.edu/pub/techdraw/topend/DrawingsInProcess/

 

For most active projects, the models and drawings for each major subassembly will be held in a separate sub folder within the "DrawingsInProcess" folder. A hierarchical structure of sub level folders can be created as required to delineate top to bottom successive levels of subassembly parts and drawings.

Review and Checking Procedure:

 

When models and their associated drawing) are ready for check by the engineer, the updated files shall be transferred by the draftsperson to the "DrawingsReadyForReview" folder. An email will be sent to the designated engineer to inform them that the models and drawings are ready for the engineering check.

 

A typical ftp address for models and drawings that are in this category would be:

ftp://ftp.apo.nmsu.edu/pub/techdraw/topend/DrawingsReadyForReview/

 

Note:  Especially for Solidworks or CAD files of a similar nature, it is important that both the model and drawing files are transferred together, to ensure that the model and drawing files for each part are kept in sinc. with each other.

 

The engineer shall check the drawing to ensure it is complete and ready for the shop to manufacture and that all parts and drawings carry the correct part and drawing numbers as outlined in the standardized Naming Convention.  Any changes to the drawing(s) or model may be completed by the engineer or submitted to the draftsperson for incorporation.  The engineer may convey any pick-ups from the review to the draftsperson via email or by a redlined print.  The model and drawing files shall remain under the "DrawingsReadyforReview" folder until the changes are incorporated and the model and drawing(s) are deemed complete and ready for release. When the part model and drawing(s) are complete for release the reviewing engineer will input the checked date in the drawing block signifying that the engineering review has been completed.  The engineer will then transfer the computer files to the "DrawingsReleased" folder and provide the necessary notification that the part models and drawings have been released.

 

Note:  If the parts and drawings require an extensive change in engineering constituting a redesign, the Engineer may revoke the part and associate drawing(s) from the review cycle. However, the designated model and drawing number may only be reused at the same revision level if the drawing has not already been released at that revision level.  As a configuration measure, an email should be sent to all interested staff members to disclose that the in-process parts and drawings are obsolete and any outstanding file copies should be destroyed.

Release Procedure:

 

Drawing Release is complete when the computer files of the part model and drawing are transferred into the "DrawingsReleased" folder. Once released, there are to be no further changes to the files. Any subsequent changes to a model or drawing must then be handled as a drawing revision, using separate files which will follow the same release procedure described above.

 

A typical ftp address for models and drawings that are in this category would be:

ftp://ftp.apo.nmsu.edu/pub/techdraw/topend/DrawingsReleased/

 

When an active project is completed, or all drawings have been released to the "DrawingsReleased" folder, all of the drawings and models are additionally to be archived onto a cd or other permanent storage medium. During the active phase of a project, it is recommended that one person be responsible to archive the project ftp site to an external storage location on a regular basis (e.g., weekly).

 

Drawings or models to be used for manufacture of parts or subsequent engineering designs are be taken only from the "DrawingsReleased"  folder.

 

Note: During the development/release process for engineering drawings a current backup copy of each file is to be kept by the responsible engineer on his own computer until the permanent archive described above has been completed.

 

Questions: contact Larry Carey/Univ. of Washington

Effective Date:  February 28, 2006