When I started designing things more than 40 years ago, our options were limited when it came to documenting those designs. We had blueprints and typewriters and that was pretty much it. The blueprints were fairly adequate information for the machine shop's purpose of creating the actual parts and assembling the machines. Quite often parts needed to be remade or re-machined because the components just didn't quite fit. We counted on the shop to make our designs work.

Once the machine was created and running, it was time to create service and maintenance manuals and instructions for running the machine. That's where the typewriter came in. Illustrations amounted to photographs that were modified with taped-on arrows and artwork. Most companies employed an illustrator or two whose job was to create line art illustrations from photographs or the actual machine.

Today, the computer, 3D modeling systems, and publishing software have changed the way we work, allowing us to create professional, easy-to-read and fully illustrated parts, service, and instruction manuals. In addition, proper use of a 3D modeler allows digital prototyping of your design before any metal is cut or any parts are assembled. Modern CAM software and machining systems produce accurate parts from the original 3D model, eliminating common mistakes and speeding manufacturing manyfold. I have worked on complex machines that have been designed and built within a month or so.

Unfortunately, documentation of the design often takes longer than the creation of the machine. Many companies are handicapped, using the old cut-and-paste methods of creating these manuals. It is time that companies modernize this area of their business as well.

Modernization requires little or no expenditures, so it's not damaging to your budget. All it will take will be a change in your documentation workflow. You probably have most of the software that you will require already.

In this article, I will list some of the tools that I currently use for producing documentation. The list is segmented into two categories.

Required Tools

• Screen capture software
  • Hypersnap DX (my preference) or Snagit. Both are available online.
• Autodesk Inventor® (versions 2008 or 2009 recommended)
• Digital camera (preferably with a video option) for documentation purposes.
• Color printer. I personally recommend looking into a color LaserJet with duplex printing capabilities.
• DVD burner and software. This is useful for creating digital manuals. As an alternate, the digital information may be placed on a website.
• Digital photo-editing software. The basic Windows paint and photo editing software can fill this bill without frills.
• Microsoft Word or desktop publishing package.

Optional Tools

• Adobe InDesign CS3 (also available as part of the Creative Suite), Pagemaker, Microsoft Publisher or other desktop publishing software.
• Advanced photo-editing software such as Photoshop and Fireworks.
• If creating video documentation, Camtasia.
• Dictating software. Perfect for engineers and designers who cannot type with more than one or two fingers. All of my articles, training manuals, and books have been written using Dragon Naturally Speaking. After a short training period, it will type faster and better than you.

The Basics
Let's make a few assumptions. You've created and proved your design in Autodesk Inventor. Manufacturing has taken over and is currently building the machine. At this point, you're ready to start documenting your design. You've already created working drawings for the purpose of manufacture and assembly of the design.

In the following example we will be using Microsoft Word, as it is installed on most designers systems. While Word is not a desktop publishing package, it is commonly used to create training manuals and even books. It does have some limitations, such as the difficulty in placing an anchoring images within the text document. However if you have mastered the ability to place an anchor text boxes and pictures, it will do an acceptable job. If your job requires producing large quantities of final documentation, then you might want to look at one of the optional desktop publishing software packages.

Digital or Printed Documentation

Digital documentation provides advantages over printed documentation:

• Documentation can include video and audio segments that better illustrate operation or adjustment procedures. If used, be sure to also provide text documentation in a digital form such as a CD/DVD, html webpage, or PDF file.
• Corrections can easily be made at the source when digital information is used.
• The documentation manual may be updated quickly when engineering change orders or revisions are created.
• Creating documentation on a CD or DVD allows for wider distribution and lower costs.

Printed documentation offers the opportunity to utilize the publication anywhere including where computer systems or DVD players are not available. Printed documentation also provides a means to add notes and comments within the pages that are unique to a particular design.

In my design documentation, I create everything in a digital format first, then when complete, extract the information into printed documents. Providing both to a customer brings immense benefit in customer satisfaction.

The Workflow
Documenting your design productively requires that you prepare a workflow that matches your needs. Here are the steps that I take in creating documentation:

• Create a basic outline of the documentation package. If you've created previous packages that work well, then use a similar outline. The process of creating the basic outline is crucial and should not be avoided.
• When creating the outline, consider creating an index of the final contents. This assists others in locating information quickly.
• Quite often, the process of documentation begins long before the design is manufactured. If images are required at this stage, consider using the imaging tools within Autodesk Inventor to produce illustrations from the digital prototype. Inventor has a number of methods for creating images internally:
  • Save Copy As allows the creation of .bmp, .gif, .jpg, .png and .tif images as exact copies of the graphics pane.
  • Inventor Studio permits the creation of rendered photorealistic images and line art illustrations. Inventor studio resolution maxes out at 4096 x 4096 pixels.
• Create digital folders for each section of your documentation project, so that you can store images, text, related e-mails and other information.
• As portions of your design are manufactured and assembled, use the digital camera to capture essential service information (lubrication, adjustment, repair/replacement) items.
• This will reduce or eliminate the need for disassembly at a later time.
• As a machine design is completed, and before safety shielding is in place, be sure to use the video portion of your camera to take shorter videos of various operational aspects or special adjustment procedures.

Image Creation
Basic image creation in Autodesk Inventor is pretty straightforward. All that is required is to zoom and rotate your product to the desired position within the graphics window, then perform a Save Copy As and select the image type that you wish to use. The type of image file that you will use will determine the final print quality. The file types available within Inventor are listed below along with a brief comment:

• JPG - while popular because it supports a wide range of colors, this format does not scale upward or downward well, resulting in a loss of quality. If you use this format, you will want to capture the image at the exact size that you plan to use. JPEG does not handle continuous colors well.
• GIF - this format scales relatively well, but is limited in the number of colors that are represented within the file. Shading of images is often fairly rough due to the limited palette.
• BMP - this format also scales well, but the palette is typically limited in colors as well. BMP tends to create a little bit better image for publications than GIF.
• PNG - PNG supports a wider range of colors, offers a better smoothing of shaded images and scales well. This is the format that I normally use in creating printed publications.
• TIF - TIF is the standard image file type for publishing applications. It tends to create extremely large files compared to other formats, but is not limited in supporting colors and scales very well. TIF is supported by all desktop publishing packages, and is another highly recommended format.

Working with the Inventor Graphics Window
When utilizing the Save Copy As technique, resize your graphics window to the approximate size that the image will appear in your document. This will reduce the file size and minimize scaling of the image upward or downward. Please keep in mind that scaling an image upward will degrade the image quality. I would recommend using the PNG format for this technique, as you can then modify the image multiple times without degradation of image quality. Once the images are complete and sized properly for your documentation, then you may save the PNG and whatever format you desire. some things to consider:

• Pick a color scheme that will print well. Avoid dark backgrounds. I will typically use the presentation color scheme for printed material, allowing the background to completely drop out to the page color.
• Avoid dark colors in parts as they will not print well. If in doubt print and image to check for desired results. If the documentation is printed in black and white, be sure to check whether there is adequate grayscale separation between parts.
• Remember to resize the graphics window prior to capture. Consider turning off the coordinate indicator before saving the image.

Working with Screen Capture Software
Quality screen capture software such as Hypersnap or Snagit not only allows higher quality captures at different DPI resolutions, but also permits editing of the image with the inclusion of arrows, symbols, text and other items. Both softwares are available with a free trial download so that you can pick the one that works best for you. While not essential, you will soon find that you cannot live without one or both of the above.

Both packages allow windowing in on specific areas of the screen image before capture, allowing you to control image content.

Next Month...
In part two of this article, I will explore the use of Inventor Studio to create quality illustrations for documentation purposes. In addition, I will utilize Microsoft Word to import illustrations and Excel spreadsheets to create a complete sample document.

If you have questions regarding this article or the use of Autodesk Inventor, please do not hesitate to e-mail Dennis, or visit the AUGI Manufacturing discussion forums located at AUGI.com

(Discuss this Article! in the HotNews Discussion Forums.)

Submitted by Dennis Jeffrey, an Autodesk Inventor Certified Expert and Autodesk Implementation Certified Expert. Dennis is the founder of Tekni Consulting LLC, a firm specializing in Autodesk Manufacturing Solutions implementation, training and consulting. Dennis has been using Autodesk Mechanical 3D Products since 1987 and has been training and supporting manufacturing customers with Autodesk products since 1986. He has authored numerous book including Creative Design With Mechanical Desktop and Creative Design With Autodesk Inventor, and has co-authored a new book, Mastering Autodesk Inventor 2009 due out in Fall 2008. He will be returning this year to Autodesk University 2008 as a seventh year instructor. Dennis is a moderator for the AUGI manufacturing forums, an AUGI Wish List reviewer, and a columnist. Dennis has released a Live Web Training version of Creative Design With Inventor 2008.