CAD Forum

I'm curious how many of you use revision tables on drawings, as opposed to only the ECO# for the current revision. I've heard cases made for both sides, but I'm wondering how the split looks.

Revision descriptions are important to inform the reader what they are looking for. However, it should be known and understood that the ECO is the master document and the revision description is reference only.

We have the last ECO number, date, and author initials only. PDM has the rest.

What's an ECO?

My world is architectural metalwork, so I put Revision history table (Submission, Rev.1, Rev.2, etc)

m2shell wrote: ↑Fri Nov 05, 2021 2:34 pm What's an ECO?

My world is architectural metalwork, so I put Revision history table (Submission, Rev.1, Rev.2, etc)

Engineering Change Order. It's an object or document that describes the change to the design and usually has signatures of various departments to sign off on the change. It would list each drawing/part being changed, a summary of the change to each, and maybe even a disposition of what to do with existing inventory when the new revision is released.

jcapriotti wrote: ↑Fri Nov 05, 2021 2:43 pm Engineering Change Order. It's an object or document that describes the change to the design and usually has signatures of various departments to sign off on the change. It would list each drawing/part being changed, a summary of the change to each, and maybe even a disposition of what to do with existing inventory when the new revision is released.

Ah. Makes sense.

Thanks jcapriotti !

Revision table with brief notes and revision flags (for latest version only). ECO is still the master though as it would also include the why of the change as well as the what.

Your survey is going to show you how many people are using a PLM or PDM system vs those that are not. You drawing is considered your legal document which it truly is..or is it? Not the CAD drawing file but the pdf is the legal document! So if you are a digital (not digitized) organization you have a digital information system that supports the digital routing and approval of Change Orders. As already mentioned the change order provides the legal authority to make revisions. The pdf file that is attached with the CO is legal document.
With this understanding you no longer need to maintain the ECO number and signoffs in the paper-based systems. This allows you to remove the previous CO numbers from the digital drawings. I have seen companies apply a note that reads something like this: ECO1234: Refer to PLM system for all change and revision history.