What do you call your first revision?

[brrian]

Looking for some ideas.. when you all first create a drawing, do you start with a revision (1, or A, for example)? If so, what do you call that revision--what do you put in the revision text? Until now we've used "Breakdown Release" but we're considering changing that, and I'd like to get some alternative ideas. Thanks,

Brian

 

[ewh]

I have worked at companies that did it different ways. The most common I've seen was to release a drawing at rev A, using "Initial Release" as the description. I have also seen drawings released at rev "-" (same description). Both methods seemed to work well.

 

[brrian]

The only problem with that is that we use the term "Initial Release" as the status of a part/project that has become an order and is preparing to make its way to manufacturing. So, "Initial Release" is not an option for me. Thanks for the quick reply...

 

[ctopher]

Numerical revs prior to release, then revision A for initial release.

Chris
Sr. Mechanical Designer, CAD
SolidWorks 2005 SP0.1

 

[brrian]

Up until now, we've used a system like that--we're changing to start at 1 and continue through production with the next number. We're using a separate "Status" area in the title block to denote a drawing's current status, so we don't need to do it in the revisions any longer.

Thanks for the quick reply...

Brian

 

[SteveSmith]

We start all new drawings with "X" revisions, starting with X0 (followed by X1, X2, etc..). When the drawing is offically released we remove the revisions and start with no revisions. All revisions from then follow A, B, C, etc.. Except for revisions to bare PC boards. If a drawing is changed but the change does not affect the physical layout or hole sizes on the board then it gets a number instead of a letter, B1, B2 for example.

 

[rerig]

McDonnell Douglas used Rev: "NEW" for the Initial Release of a drawing. Then they used Alpha Revisions: A, B, ...Z, AA, AB, etc.

 

[ctopher]

X is never allowed per drafting standards.

Chris
Sr. Mechanical Designer, CAD
SolidWorks 2005 SP0.1

 

[MintJulep]

Rev. "new", "nil", "-" or "0" are all common.

I prefer systems that use an "Issue" level rather than a "Revision" level.

The first time a drawing is released it is at Issue 1. Make changes and release, Issue 2. It's so simple.

 

[swertel]

ctopher,

You are correct that "X" is never allowed, nor is I, O, S, or Q because each letter could look like a 1, 0, 5, or 0 depending on the font used.

But, and I'm going to reference DOD-STD-100 because I don't have the latest ASME equivalent in front of me, for the initial drawing release, there needs not be any information in the revision block, although most places add a rev "NEW" or "-" or "N/C" for no change there. The first change is denoted with an "A." Initial releases should not start with an A.

But, for parts that have not yet been production baselined (and this deals with configuration management and since CMII is out that no longer follows a MIL-Spec, this is now covered in the current ASME specs), a revision of X0 for initial "prototype" released followed by XA, XB, XC, etc. Once the part has been baselined for production, the revisoin goes to a "-" and the revision history is maintained in the rev block.

I believe this information is covered in the appendices of ASME specs because the are carry overs of the DOD- and MIL-STD. Commercial practices may not have this info defined, but it is useful and beneficial.

--Scott

For some pleasure reading, try FAQ731-376

 

[ctopher]

swertel I agree with "N/C" or "-". For some reason my company has always released new dwgs with "A". I have never agreed with it, but they will not change it. Our customers don't agree with it either, but we still do it.
All preliminary dwgs prior to release are numerical rev's "1,2,3...".

Chris
Sr. Mechanical Designer, CAD
SolidWorks 2005 SP0.1

 

[MadMango]

We use "000" as a prototype revision, with the description as "PRJ500nnn" to tie the drawings to what ever new project is going on. When the project is released to production it reverts to rev "A" with a description of "ECO 12345" to tie it to what ECO was done to release the project to production.

[green]"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers."[/green]
Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943.
Have you read faq731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

 

[Texrat]

I've seen a variety of schemas, but the one that worked best that I've used was utilizing numbers for engineering pre-release, and letters for formal release. In this case Rev 0 was the initial drawing for review, followed of course by 1, 2, 3, ad infinitum (although one would hope not...lol). Rev A would be the first revision for formal release into production.

Places I've worked that used "-" tended to go away from it after a while; I don't remember the arguments or reasons. Also, it's good practice to avoid the letters I, O, Q, X and Z due to confusion with numbers, each other and just good practice to avoid "X" as a revision designator (IMO).

 

[Texrat]

oops, I forgot to include "S" in my list of NO-NOs, but I see someone else had already addressed it.

In looking at the various responses, it occurs to me that "-" (or somesuch) for new formal releases makes better sense than "A" IMO. In addition, using a blank for formal release is undesirable because it could be assumed to be an error of omission.

 

[EngJW]

We use "NR" new release for the first issue of the drawing and then A, B, C and so on for revisions. Revisions have to be documented by an Engineering Change that gets signed off and contains all the information about what, why, effective date, parts disposition, etc.

We maintain a system of experimental numbers for prototype parts. You pretty much have a free hand in how you use them and you don't have to be as picky with the notes, tolerances, gdt and all that just to make one part. When the part is ready for release, it gets a regular part number and gets brough up to the company drawing standards.

 

[johnfalky]

NR doesn't give much of a hierarchy reference. IR initial release tells one where the drawing belows in the revision stack. Use Alpha Letters for the revision tracking. A, B, C, and so on.

 

[ctopher]

NR is correct.

Chris
Sr. Mechanical Designer, CAD
SolidWorks 05 SP2.0 / PDMWorks 05
ctopher's home site
FAQ371-376
FAQ559-1100
FAQ559-1091
FAQ559-716

 

[aamoroso]

We start development with "-" and if the drawing and/or part change it goes to A,B... When the part is released it is at the approved revision from development. This allows to retain all development versions and drawing release becomes a minor task requiring no revisoin of the document before letting it out to production.

Example: if we revise a design three times and the third time is exactly what we want, the drawing is released as Rev B (first was "-", then "A" then "B"). After are approvals are signed off the drawings go right into production via release, no further drawing time is required.

Fill what's empty. Empty what's full. And scratch where it itches.

 

[Karman303]

Brian,
We commonly track revisions through the design stage with simply the date. Once a print is finally approved, it is released to production as a "Basic" print with no revision ( - ). Changes made after the part is in production are revisions (A, B, etc.) that result in notations in the title block.
Good luck controlling the revisions once you decide which protocol to follow!
Karman

 

[namdac]

When doing revisions if this is a first revision a circled R1 with the date should appear in the upper righthand corner of the sheet that you are revising.
Place the circled revision symbol next to the item that you are revising so that it is easier to follow.
If you are making alot of changes to an electronic cad file then you can "X" out the sheet and state that in the upper right hand corner "Deleted Sheet" with the date.
After making the correction then you can Add a sheet by placing "Added Sheet" with the date.
Use alpha characters for sheet numbers.

Example:
Sheet 5
R1 Deleted Sheet 20APR05
Sheet 5A
R1 Added Sheet 20APR05

I hope this helps.
Regards,
Namdac