Work Instructions for solidworks parts - use Solidworks or Word or ?

[USAeng]

I want to make work instructions for how to step by step make the products we sell. This is for the shop floor to use and also to train new employees how to make the parts. I have never done this before and am only a beginner/intermediate at solidworks. I was thinking about doing it in Microsoft Word and inserting drawings here and there, but maybe there is a better way? Can anyone give me any more ideas? Maybe just insert text boxes in solidworks drawings and number them in order step by step? Thank you.

 

[USAeng]

Actually this is for assemblies, not parts, messed up on the title of the thread

 

[Eltron]

If you've got some extra cash check out 3Dvia Composer. I'm in love with that software right now.

Dan

http://www.eltronresearch.com

Dan's Blog

 

[MadMango]

I prefer to make my training handouts in PowerPoint, but have done many in Word as well. Instead of "step-by-step" it might be better to introduce things as "best practices". One of the great things about the software is there are several ways to achieve the same end results. The downside is that some of those other ways are horrible from a modeling perspective and can be resource hogs. By presenting best practices, you arm fellow users with knowledge on why one method is recommended over another without having to be the Thought Police, or risk having people do things by rote without knowing why.

"Art without engineering is dreaming; Engineering without art is calculating."

Have you read faq731-376 to make the best use of these Forums?

 

[ShaggyPE]

If you do go the Word route... save out screen shots as jpegs. A good utility (free) for doing screen shots and other image processing operations is Irfanview available here:

http://www.irfanview.com/

-Dustin
Professional Engineer
Pretty good with SolidWorks

 

[TheTick]

You do not want to embed work instructions into a place where non-SW users can't get them.

All that matters is that you have a documentation system that allows regular folks to find the WI's.

 

[SnowCrash]

We called these instructions, "process sheets" and there was a very structured way of presenting them.
Here is a more modern take:

http://www.velaction.com/standard-work-combination-sheet-swcs-blank-form/

--
Hardie "Crashj" Johnson
SW 2011 SP 2.0
HP Pavillion Elite HPE
W7 Pro, Nvidia Quaddro FX580

 

[ctopher]

I'm with Eltron on 3Dvia Composer.
If not, keep it simple. You may attach images from SW, then also attach eDrawings for a more graphic representation.

Chris
SolidWorks 10 SP4.0
ctopher's home
SolidWorks Legion

 

[fcsuper]

I might also recommend considering the use of photographs with other images or even entirely. Word is a powerful platform. Use its draw functions to bring clarity to any images you might include in your WI.

Matt Lorono, CSWP
Lorono's SolidWorks Resources & SolidWorks Legion
Follow me on Twitter

 

[TheTick]

I like PowerPoint for WI's, because I find it easier to move text, arrows, pictures, etc.

There is an addin for MS Office that lets you save directly to PDF. Very handy.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=4d951911-3e7e-4ae6-b059-a2e79ed87041

 

[rollupswx]

[Instead of "step-by-step" it might be better to introduce things as "best practices". One of the great things about the software is there are several ways to achieve the same end results. The downside is that some of those other ways are horrible from a modeling perspective and can be resource hogs. [/quote]

I think the question was about producing process sheets for the real world - not the virtual modeling process.

 

[rollupswx]

I guess I should preview before posting my observations.

 

[fcsuper]

Tick, no argument from me on usability, but pointing out that PPT isn't as universal or prevalent as Word.

Matt Lorono, CSWP
Lorono's SolidWorks Resources & SolidWorks Legion
Follow me on Twitter

 

[TheTick]

PPT converted to PDF. See link.

 

[fcsuper]

There may be a preference by some to use the source document only for WI's, without a secondary translated format.

Matt Lorono, CSWP
Lorono's SolidWorks Resources & SolidWorks Legion
Follow me on Twitter

 

[MSeelig]

As with any work instruction, you should use a platform that every user in the company has access too. Generally, that defaults to Word. It is a very powerful program and if you are in a regulated industry, like medical devices, it also allows for document controls that your company may have in place.

That being said, I use it constantly to create what we call Manufacturing Procedures, to show the step by step process of manufacturing our products. I use a combination of photos and SolidWorks screen shots, depending on what I am trying to describe. Sometimes you can never get a good photo and need to have high detail on a "zoomed" view of a particular part, etc.

You can annotate the models in SW before exporting the view, or like others above have pointed out, once you bring it into Word, you cn add text boxes / arrows to hi-lite details in the image.

Good luck! I have been doing this for years, and am always tweaking my method to provide a good balance between instruction and imagery to ensure consistent product builds from one operator to the next.

Matthew Seelig
Project Engineer
Interpore Cross, International

http://www.interpore.com

 

[DiegoLGraves]

About six years ago we moved from paper job travelers and prints to access to the job routing and prints on computers on the shop floor. The prints were scanned as tif files and linked to routing steps. Three years ago we added a setup sheet, scanned first along with the prints. When brought up on screen in the shop the first page was the setup sheet, with any special instructions for cutting, forming, welding, special materials and finishes, marking, packaging, etc. The next page(s) was the print or prints.

We are now at the start of writing standard operating procedures for critical parts, particularly those with a containment status. We'll probably continue to use tif files for this, for shop access. Engineering controls the setup sheets currently, in Word format; any changes are handled in our area. QC will be working on the sop's, reviewing them with engineering (hopefully.)

We have all the tif files located on the network, sorted similarly to our cad data, but separate from it. This has helped with shop floor access, and with revision control. The tif files are smaller in size than native Word, SW, etc files, and scale easily on screen for viewing. We've been using Brava Reader for viewing.

The two main concerns I've had with setup sheets and work instructions have been revision control and substituting the work instruction for reading and complying to the prints. We've been successful with both, but it's not always easy.

Hope that's helpful. Back to work now. Diego