Product launch approaching but the User Manuals are still on the ‘To Do’ list? Speak to Orchid

How Orchid Can Help

It often happens that when a company, after many months of research and product development, finally comes to the point of bringing a product to market, that they realise that the documentation is the last, but vitally important, item on the project plan. Frequently we are asked to produce User Guides and Operating Manuals for new products as staff are tied up with the product launch and the product cannot go to market without the necessary documentation in place.

Existing products, on the other hand, require ongoing maintenance to maintain their market position. These changes, along with those due to revisions in legislation, company policy etc., need to be reflected in the product documentation. This is essential to keep support costs as low as possible and yet it is another task that is often overlooked or considered a burden to those tasked.

Let us take the documentation burden off of your staffs’ shoulders so that they can be released to concentrate on designing, building, launching and maintaining your products while we deliver your professional documentation.

Orchid’s Product Manual Writing Experience

Orchid has some staff that have worked in the manufacturing industry for forty years. Our experienced technical authors, illustrators and technical clerks have produced manuals for companies that manufacture products that range from household goods to specialist test equipment.

We have maintained one company’s entire product technical documentation set of several hundred technical User Guides and Datasheets, for over fifteen years, in ten foreign languages. This library is maintained both in paper format and on their website.

Orchid, for example, produce Operating and Maintenance Manuals for the following:

• Numerous domestic products such as lawnmowers and chainsaws (electric/petrol), kettles, toaster, irons, electronic photo frame etc
• Diesel injector test equipment
• Ice cream making machines and paint/print matching equipment
• Mobile phone equipment
• Military decontamination equipment
• Helicopter engine testing facilities
• Industrial hand tools and fasteners

Orchid have a wealth of experience supporting design and manufacturing companies with their product documentation, from operating and maintenance instructions, illustrated spares catalogues to simple user guides.

Products and Services for Industrial and Commercial Products

Orchid can provide, or update, the following documentation services to the manufacturing industry.

Operating and Maintenance Instructions / Manuals

Orchid have provided manuals for the following:

• Helicopter engine test facilities
• Hush houses
• Domestic appliances
• Nuclear power stations
• Pneumatic power tools
• Diesel injection systems
• Household goods
• Decontamination systems

Illustrated Spares Manuals

Orchid have provided Illustrated Spares Manuals for the following:

• Aero engine test facilities
• Office furniture
• Pneumatic power tools
• Electric hand tools
• Electrical supplies

Orchid can deliver prepared manuals using the following methods:

• Traditional paper format,  in a variety of sizes
• Simple, structured, PDF files on a CD
• Self-loading or pre-installed Interactive Electronic Technical Manual (IETM).

For further information see Technical Documentation.

User Guides

Orchid have provided User Guides for the following:

• Electrical and petrol gardening tools
• Household goods
• 3G home access point to connect mobile phones to the internet
• Digital picture frame
• Mobile phones

Datasheets

• Electrical goods
• Accessories for electric and pneumatic hand tools
• Office furniture
• Fasteners
• Agricultural suppliers

Manufacturing Training Aids and Materials

Orchid can provide custom training aids to help support your product.

For further information see Technical Documentation.

Manufacturing Computer Based Training

Computer Based Training (CBT) has real benefits for the training of manufacturing staff, as the training can take place in the working environment and can be undertaken by individuals when they have time or during allocated time slots. CBT is particularly suited to the familiarisation of new staff with company procedures/systems. CBT can be modular in design and developed to run on industry standard multimedia computers.

With careful planning and document design it is possible to utilise material generated for works operating manuals into the preparation of the associated CBT modules. This can make the overall project more cost effective and efficient. The shared information can be supplemented in the CBT with the addition of video, animations, sound clips and exercises.

For further information see Computer Based Training.