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Subject:Re: Parts lists in maintenance manuals From:"L. H. Garlinghouse" <garlinghou -at- WATERLOOINDUSTRIES -dot- COM> Date:Mon, 11 May 1998 10:10:46 -0600
Further to Don's parts list post:
> Subject: Re: Parts lists in maintenance manuals
> A few short years ago when I was in another life, I documented
> auatomation equipment. We included at the end of our
> remove-and-replace procedures manual an illustrated (as in exploded
> isometric drawings) parts list, which included all the parts
> (individual and assembly) the customer could order. We even showed
> and included the fasteners in case they got lost during removal and
> replacement. That way the customer would know the type and size of
> fastener to use.
==========================
I totally aggree with Don. Moreover in one of my past lives I
discovered an unexpected business reason as to why that approach is
sensible.
I had been involved with creating the parts drawings as well as
maintenance and operations manuals in English and Spanish covering
construction equipment gong to a large project in South America.
For a variety reasons we really came up with excellent quality
documentation. The result was lots and lots of parts orders for a
long period of time. More spare parts than could have been consumed
if the equipment had been poorly designed and really really abused.
We came to the conclusion that at the end of the customer's budget
year when it was discovered that the spare parts budget had not been
depleted, there was a rush to buy spare parts - and the spare parts
puchased were the ones that were easiest to spec. out and order,
which fortunately for us, were the ones from our documentation.
<< All opinions, statements, &c are my own>>
L.H. Garlinghouse, C.Q.E.
Pocahontas AR U.S.A.
(870) 892-4586 ext 7659
garlinghou -at- waterlooindustries -dot- com
