Engineering Document Management Systems: Implementation Issues

In 1987, Digital Equipment Corporation began implementing a system to capture and manage its own library of engineering drawings. This project, called ERICA, was the result of several years of researching and evaluating alternative approaches to this problem. The result is an integrated system, based on an "open" architecture and industry standards that is a combination of standard internal and external products, and customized software. This paper discusses the needs analysis, specification, installation, and use of an engineering document management system. While specific examples will cite the ERICA system, the remaining topics will be general enough that managers and users, as well as technical personnel, will gain knowledge of the metrics necessary to evaluate their current drawing management system, available options, and implementation procedures.