Documenting a Product for Production — A Key to Quality

When a product doesn’t meet customer expectations, the root cause often lies in the documentation process. A manufacturing failure can typically be traced back to one of three issues:

• The manufacturer didn’t follow the drawings correctly.
• The drawings were unclear or incomplete, leading to a product that didn’t meet requirements.
• The product was used in a way that exceeded its design limitations.

Think of it like building an electronic circuit. If the schematic is inaccurate, missing crucial details, or poorly communicated, even the best engineer will struggle to assemble a working device. Similarly, a product can only be as good as the documentation guiding its production. Even a flawless design will fail in manufacturing if the documentation isn’t precise and complete.

Let’s explore the key steps to ensure your product is properly documented for smooth, high-quality production.

1. Validate Your Product Requirements

Before committing time and resources to document your product for manufacturing, ensure that the product still aligns with market needs. This step is akin to verifying the specifications of a power supply before designing the circuit—if the voltage and current ratings don’t match the application, the design won’t be useful.

Market validation ensures that enough customers will buy the product at a price that justifies the investment. If the requirements aren’t solid, even perfect documentation won’t make the product successful.

For a structured approach, check out our Requirements Document Template to help define and validate your product specifications.

2. Conduct a Design Verification Test (DVT)

A Design Verification Test (DVT) is like bench-testing a new circuit design before sending it to production. It ensures that the product meets all functional and performance requirements before finalizing documentation.

A robust DVT should validate all key requirements through testing, analysis, or inspection. Here’s what you should verify:

• Functional Requirements: Does the product perform as intended?
• Performance Metrics: Does it meet speed, power consumption, and efficiency benchmarks?
• Unit Cost & COGS: Can it be manufactured profitably?
• Compliance & Certifications: Does it meet industry standards like UL, FCC, or RoHS?
• Reliability & Lifecycle: Can it withstand expected wear and tear?

Skipping DVT is like sending a PCB for mass production without testing the prototype. Any issues discovered later will be costly to fix.

For guidance on conducting a proper DVT, visit our Design Verification Testing Services.

3. Create a Clear Drawing Tree

A Drawing Control System functions much like a hierarchical block diagram in electronics. It shows the relationships between different components and subsystems, ensuring that nothing is overlooked.

A proper drawing tree should include:

• Detailed part drawings
• PCB layouts
• Assembly instructions
• BOM (Bill of Materials) with all required components, including consumables
• Vendor specifications for critical parts

Reviewing the drawing tree with your engineering and production teams—or contract manufacturers (CMs) if outsourcing—can uncover missing or incomplete drawings before they cause issues in manufacturing.

4. Implement Rigorous Drawing Reviews

In circuit design, peer reviews help catch design flaws before fabrication. Similarly, each drawing should undergo a structured review process using checklists tailored to different drawing types:

• Detail Drawings – Ensure dimensions, tolerances, and material specifications are accurate.
• PCB Layouts – Verify trace routing, component placement, and design rule compliance.
• Assembly Drawings – Check for clear step-by-step instructions.

Having multiple engineers review each drawing increases the likelihood of catching errors early, reducing rework and delays.

For best practices in drawing reviews, refer to our Drawing Review Checklists.

5. Get Production Involved Early

Bringing in production teams during the design phase is like consulting a manufacturer before finalizing a new semiconductor layout. Their input can optimize manufacturability, material selection, and assembly techniques.

• Collaborate with CMs and Key Vendors: They can suggest alternative components with better availability or lower costs.
• Evaluate Assembly Methods: Early feedback can prevent costly design changes later.
• Optimize for Automation: If high-volume production is the goal, ensure the design supports automated assembly and testing.

The earlier you engage production, the smoother the transition from design to manufacturing.

6. Establish a Robust Drawing Control System

A Drawing Control System ensures that only the most up-to-date, approved drawings are used in production. Using outdated or incorrect drawings is one of the leading causes of defects and parts waste.

Key features of a good Drawing Control System include:

• Version Control: Tracks changes and prevents outdated drawings from being used.
• Access Management: Restricts unauthorized edits and maintains data integrity.
• Change Approval Process: Ensures that modifications are reviewed and documented before implementation.

A well-implemented system is like a firmware versioning tool—it prevents errors and ensures everyone is working with the correct data.

For solutions that simplify drawing management, check out our Documentation Services.

7. Develop Work Instructions & Purchase Orders (POs)

Work instructions are like a step-by-step debugging guide for an embedded system—without clear steps, troubleshooting becomes chaotic. Similarly, detailed work instructions and precise POs streamline manufacturing and procurement.

• Work Instructions: Should provide clear, repeatable steps for each process.
• Purchase Orders (POs): Should specify exact part numbers, vendors, and lead times to prevent sourcing errors.

A structured approach to documentation enhances consistency, reduces errors, and ensures smooth operations across the supply chain.

Conclusion

Just as a well-documented PCB layout ensures a flawless manufacturing process, clear and comprehensive documentation is the foundation of a high-quality product. Investing in meticulous documentation early prevents costly mistakes, improves manufacturability, and ultimately delivers a better product to customers.

For more resources, templates, and expert guidance, explore our Documentation Services.

By following these steps, you can ensure that your product documentation is as robust as the design itself—setting the stage for a smooth, high-quality production process.