Why Document Calculations?
Why Document Calculations?
(OP)
Why do we have to document all our calculations?
We seem to waste a lot of time form filling, documenting, filing, to produce a mountain of paper that mostly never gets looked at again.
We seem to waste a lot of time form filling, documenting, filing, to produce a mountain of paper that mostly never gets looked at again.






RE: Why Document Calculations?
It really helps when doing a peer review, or checking someone else's project. It even helps when checking your own work. I have often found myself wondering what I was thinking when I designed a certain thing, and having my calcs answered the question.
RE: Why Document Calculations?
RE: Why Document Calculations?
RE: Why Document Calculations?
Because one day you will have to go to court and justify your design.
Cheers
Greg Locock
Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.
RE: Why Document Calculations?
Also, documenting and backchecking design calculations is part of having a proper QA/QC process, as mentioned by rholder98.
Documented calculations are also helpful to have for future work that’s similar to what you have done in the past. For similar designs, old calcs can be used as a starting point for your new designs. You can kind of build up an archive of design samples with your old calcs.
RE: Why Document Calculations?
My practice includes a substantial amount of Forensic work. I have seen cases where good documentation caused the litigation cannon to get pointed elsewhere. I just recently was involved in a case where poor documentation cost a company about $500,000 US (in cold cash) not to mention the loss of continuing on a multi-million dollar revenue project.
Document everything (wish I could always follow my own advice!). Throw away draft reports. Keep only the final version of anything your produce. Be able to reproduce the project many years from now...sometimes you have to do that.
RE: Why Document Calculations?
In the aerospace industry where the customer often wants to change the use of the product or add more stuff it is often necessary to go back to the original calculations and see what the consequence of these changes would be for, say, fatigue stresses. It is also often a requirement; the customer demands calculations are kept for at least the lifetime of the product in case of in-service issues.
RE: Why Document Calculations?
#2 Liability
#3 Proof that you did things right.
#4 If a modification is done to a structure at a later date it makes it much easier to see the calcs.
Youve never been sued egh?
RE: Why Document Calculations?
RE: Why Document Calculations?
RE: Why Document Calculations?
clearly, there are any cynics around !!
RE: Why Document Calculations?