Vendor Item Drawings - thread1103-160568 3

[TBourland]

I am having a problem convincing Sr. Engineers that I can compile a set of general fab drawings, with critical items detailed, and still be within standard. I don't want, or have time to model and BOM every nut and bolt. BTW, we are talking about a 40' x 10' x 10' structure. I need to make purchasing a set of DWGs that they can get quoted with the quickness.

Thanks for any help!

 

[MadMango]

I am having a hard time understanding your question and/or problem. Are you saying that you want to create a drawing set for your Purchasing department so they can use them for quoting purposes, and that you would like to base it off of Vendor Item Drawings whereas not all the details are defined, only critical fit/form/function?

If that is the case, I think that is a bad idea, unless there are extensive notes or ancillary documentation to go along with the drawing package. You will not get accurate quotes if everything is just a generalization or undefined, but will get headaches and trouble.

 

[TBourland]

Mango,
The problem is that we (as a company) filled a need for a product by using a company whos bread-n-butter was nothing but this. Now this company is slacking, but we still need the product. I don't have time to fully reverse-engineer every single component, but I also need a way to tell FabShop B how to build it. Also, we currently have no documentation for receiving/ inspection, so the thing shows up without being inspected properly. I don't mean to whine, I just wanted to know more about 'Specification Control' or 'Vendor Item Drawings' and how I might pitch this to my superiors.

Thanks for the quick response!

 

[MadMango]

If your company follows typical industry drafting standards, you should have copies of those standards that you can reference. Please check out faq1103-1039

If you don't have "documentation for receiving/inspection" then how can you not be "within standards"? You are creating the standard by trying to document what you will receive, which is very different than specifying want you want to purchase.

 

[ctopher]

I have worked at companies where most products are reversed engineered. The techs/assemblers build the product, then we document. This is a marketing/purchasing way to run a company.
IMO, 'all' parts need to be documented somehow in a BOM, it's 'Configuration Management'. Your QA dept should be in control of this.

Chris
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 08 3.1
AutoCAD 08
ctopher's home (updated Aug 5, 2008)
ctopher's blog
SolidWorks Legion

 

[MintJulep]

It's not about standards, it's about risk.

You can go out for quotes with a "concept" drawing.

If your purchasing department is good enough to find a good vendor that actually sort of understands what your want, and understands that you don't really understand what you want - or at least haven't clearly defined what you want - then that vendor will gladly quote you something. That quote will have their risk factored into the price.

If you get a vendor that doesn't understand that your don't understand, you may get a lower quote. Then you either don't get what you want, or get change-orders or lawsuits.

 

[fcsuper]

You can document what you need with detailed but general notes on a drawing, if nothing else.

Matt Lorono
CAD Engineer/ECN Analyst
Silicon Valley, CA
Lorono's SolidWorks Resources
Co-moderator of Solidworks Yahoo! Group
and Mechnical.Engineering Yahoo! Group

 

[KENAT]

Sounds more like a potential application for a source control drawing than a vendor control drawing.

We have been using Source Controls where we've had vendors come up with the detail design for an item based on our requirements.

If they genuinely are controlling the design this can work OK. You just need an outline & mounting type drawing with any other requirements stated etc. For instance if it's a welded assy you don't need to specify all the welds etc but probably need to give loading information so they can make sure they make it strong enough.

Where it bites us is sometimes we actually come up with detailed design for an assembly, then try and turn it into a source control drawing so we can outsource it. We usually do this by grabbing an assy drawing, adding a few dimensions and hey presto. Trouble is, there are usually requirements etc captured by the piece part information that don't get put into the 'Source Control Drawing', then when parts don't fit/work properly we have no come back.

Take a look at ASME Y14.24

KENAT,

Have you reminded yourself of faq731-376 recently, or taken a look at posting policies:

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?