In an engineering business, changing a drawing can be relatively straightforward. Making sure that change reaches everyone and everything it affects can be a different matter. A revised drawing or specification can have implications for purchasing, stock, production, suppliers, quality and ultimately the customer. So the important question isn't simply “Have we updated the drawing?” It's “Has the change made its way through the business?”.
One Change. Several Consequences.
A change rarely exists in isolation. Depending on what has changed and where a product is in its lifecycle, the implications can reach different parts of the business. Here are a few examples of what that might look like in practice.
Scenario 1: A Drawing Is Revised
A component drawing moves from one revision to the next. The new version may be straightforward to approve, but what happens to work that's already underway? Production needs to know which version applies, Purchasing may need to communicate updated requirements to suppliers, and any related Bill of Materials (BOM) or supporting documentation may also need reviewing.
This is where version control becomes important. It's not simply about identifying the latest version; it's about being able to establish which version applied to a particular piece of work at a particular point in time.
Scenario 2: The Supplier Needs to Know
A specification changes for a purchased component. The internal documentation is updated, but an outstanding purchase order has already been raised and the supplier is working from the previous specification.
The question becomes less about whether the change has been recorded and more about where else that information needs to travel. Are there open orders affected? Does the supplier have the correct drawing? Are there certification or approved-supplier requirements to consider?
A useful test is: when a specification changes, who is responsible for following that change beyond Engineering?
Scenario 3: There's Already 20 in Stock
A component specification changes, but 20 of the previous version are already sitting in the warehouse. Can they still be used? Only for existing work? Do they need inspecting first? Or should they be held separately?
This is where batch, lot or serial traceability, alongside stock statuses such as quarantine, can become valuable. Physical stock and usable stock aren't necessarily the same thing.
Put simply, “we've got 20” and “we've got 20 we can use" aren't necessarily the same answer.
Scenario 4: 6 Months Later, Somebody Asks a Question
The finished product was supplied months ago, and a question is raised about one of its components. Which drawing was current? Which specification was followed? What went into the product? Which supplier provided it? Is the relevant certificate still available?
Drawings, specifications, certificates and other supporting documents form part of the history behind a product. Keeping those records connected to the products, suppliers and transactions they relate to can make answering those questions considerably easier.
What Connects These Scenarios?
None of these examples is really about the drawing alone. They're about what happens to information when something changes.
A useful change process should make it possible to understand what changed, what else was affected, who needed to know, what happened to existing work or stock, and what information may need to be retrieved later.
Put Your Change Process to the Test
The next time a drawing, component or specification changes, follow that change through your own business:
- Who needs to know? Consider Engineering, Purchasing, Production, Quality and external suppliers.
- What else does it affect? Could the change affect a BOM, existing stock, purchasing, works orders or customer requirements?
- Which version is being used? Can you identify both the latest version and the version applicable to work already underway?
- What happens to existing stock? Can you tell what's still suitable for use and what needs to be held or checked?
- Could you trace it afterwards? Six months from now, could you establish which version, specification or components were used?
If answering those questions requires several systems, spreadsheets, folders, emails and people, it's worth considering where that information could be better connected.
Updating the Drawing Is Only the First Step
Engineering businesses deal with change every day. The challenge is making sure the right information follows that change through the business. By connecting products, BOMs, purchasing, stock, works orders, suppliers and documents, De Facto ERP can help maintain that thread from the initial change through to the finished product.
See our tailored solutions for the Engineering industry.