Software for cataloguing parts of a steam locomotive

[mylesdw]

I have become involved in a project restoring a steam locomotive and I'm looking for software that would keep track of the parts and assemblies as they are removed.

The wish-list would look something like:

* Define a part with a name, where it came from, where it is now.
* Associate documents with a part - photos, drawings, reports, notes
* Tree-like structure so that parts can be attached to assemblies
* Key words to help find parts
* Other useful stuff like suppliers

It seems like a fairly standard cataloguing task but any recommendations would be very welcome.

Thx in advance
Myles

 

[Dapph2]

EXCEL spread sheets made into several books sort of thing ?

My lass was a whizz at Excel and set up our small mammal farm business on it back in 1997 including the breeding programmes , so if I wanted a high chance of loads of black & white hamsters, rats or bat eared mice etc. etc. I could find which stock reference numbers tended to produce them .

IIRC you could insert pictures & drawings in to the blocks .

 

[Ross365]

There's an old saying that the best software is the software you know. I think pretty much everyone knows Excel and if you use the Libre Office derivative it will be totally free. I'd love to be involved in a steam preservation group, but don't have one thta's close enough.

 

[Kayos]

Id start with Excel unless you know someone who is a whizz with Access?

I have some very clever Excel sheets, mostly created by others

 

[RichardM]

Excel will do that, link the sub assembly in separate tabs.

 

[Robotstar5]

Id start with Excel unless you know someone who is a whizz with Access?

I have some very clever Excel sheets, mostly created by others

Excel is very powerful, but most folks only know/use a small percentage of it's capabilities.

 

[Agroshield]

There is an old saying that if you have a problem and think a spreadsheet is the answer to your problem, you now have two problems.

What might be important to consider is what device the program will be run on. Are you to have a PC in the workshop next to the loco? If so, you would need a greaseproof keyboard.

How are you to get photos (and other associated documents) into the PC? In that case, a robust tablet, with camera, might be more useful as the photos are instant (and you can review their quality at the time of upload).

Where is the data to be stored? How will you back it up? Single point of failure and everything is lost will annoy you considerably.

I would be looking at (free) inventory management s/w or asset management s/w. Some of the free ones are online, so would work in a remote location with a data SIM and also work on any device.

Before we have any more Excel suggestions, please take seriously every one of the bullet points in the initial post and think hard how these would be achieved in a robust manner in a spreadsheet.

There are many loco preservation societies in the UK. Have you asked them what they use to manage their assets?

 

[daleyd]

There is an old saying that if you have a problem and think a spreadsheet is the answer to your problem, you now have two problems.

What might be important to consider is what device the program will be run on. Are you to have a PC in the workshop next to the loco? If so, you would need a greaseproof keyboard.

How are you to get photos (and other associated documents) into the PC? In that case, a robust tablet, with camera, might be more useful as the photos are instant (and you can review their quality at the time of upload).

Where is the data to be stored? How will you back it up? Single point of failure and everything is lost will annoy you considerably.

I would be looking at (free) inventory management s/w or asset management s/w. Some of the free ones are online, so would work in a remote location with a data SIM and also work on any device.

Before we have any more Excel suggestions, please take seriously every one of the bullet points in the initial post and think hard how these would be achieved in a robust manner in a spreadsheet.

There are many loco preservation societies in the UK. Have you asked them what they use to manage their assets?

Good points, but also consider an online version is basically trusting all your data and work to a third party. If the company folds or ceases to provide the software for free you are at their mercy, and without a physical file you could well have lost all your work.

I imagine a loco restoration may well run into years, if not decades of work before things are reassembled.

Excel or equivalent may have shortcomings and may not provide all of the answers, but you can be sure of having a file (backing up to a one drive account, plus local storage is easy enough nowadays) and being able to open it in some form in the future.

 

[Misterg]

I have become involved in a project restoring a steam locomotive and I'm looking for software that would keep track of the parts and assemblies as they are removed.

The wish-list would look something like:

* Define a part with a name, where it came from, where it is now.
* Associate documents with a part - photos, drawings, reports, notes
* Tree-like structure so that parts can be attached to assemblies
* Key words to help find parts
* Other useful stuff like suppliers

It seems like a fairly standard cataloguing task but any recommendations would be very welcome.

Thx in advance
Myles

Look at free 'BOM Builder' software (I can't recommend any, as I've only used one as part of a much larger ERP system, but IndaBOM looks interesting).

Are you sure that you'll get buy-in from everyone involved to keep whatever software you use updated? It will quickly become useless if people move stuff around without logging it.

I would really try and avoid Excel for this if you can.

 

[RichardM]

A few more things I would add, how long is the project expected to last? What is the age of those doing the project? Are they likely to be around throughout the expected time scale? Do you have the people with the relevant skill set to maintain the system?

Have you thought about a paper system with an index and filing system?
Print std pages with standard boxes for the information required to be filled in, print photos and file in an wallet. Maintain an index system to identify which wallet.
Pros, available to all, no backups required, if the file creator is not available any more it is relatively easy to carry on.
Cons, space required, cost of printing and storage facilities. Think of printing ink used UV and time degradation is a factor.

 

[dave h 2]

Myles,
Data Storage can be as simple as email the file, that gives you 2 copies, one at each end. I did that with my daughters Dissertation. File size dependant though.
Most of your list will need defining by the keeper, as in you. So Tender buffer, tender wheel. More than one engine? 'name' tender buffer.
If the wheels go out for re-tiring then tracking this begins to be more worthwhile with photos and paperwork like quotes and contracts.

 

[seriesonewelder]

The Talyllyn railway use a software for loco rebuilds, which may help. I'll look into what's used.

 

[Erie Fred]

I have become involved in a project restoring a steam locomotive and I'm looking for software that would keep track of the parts and assemblies as they are removed.

The wish-list would look something like:

* Define a part with a name, where it came from, where it is now.
* Associate documents with a part - photos, drawings, reports, notes
* Tree-like structure so that parts can be attached to assemblies
* Key words to help find parts
* Other useful stuff like suppliers

It seems like a fairly standard cataloguing task but any recommendations would be very welcome.

Thx in advance
Myles

If you have the original drawings, your computer list should follow that.
Is there a parts list on each assembly drawing ?
Make entries under a folder with that drawing number on it along with the title (from the drawing).
The structuring of the assemblies follows a very defined path for good (maybe not obvious) reasons.
I would retain that system in your new files if possible.
Any deviations should be clearly explained with notes as to why original is not followed (document the original way as well)

 

[Hitch]

I'd say Excel would be a very good starting point.
The simple data storage functions are pretty easy to use.

Perhaps use individual workbooks for main components, then divided into sheets for further sub assemblies...someone at work was telling me the other day, within a single excel book you can store over a million pieces of info.

I'm fairly new to excel, but once you get it, its very powerful.
You can add clickable links into cells that could be employed to automatically open up a pdf file of a drawing, or a word doc report for example....
You could also add images to cells for quick identification of less obvious parts (This is very simple to do from a phone in a pre existing sheet)
Options to colour code cells.... a simple system like stored on blue shelving unit shelf 4 could simply have a colour coded cell with a 4.
It can even create QR codes, that could be label printed and stuck on parts to identify whilst in storage...lots and lots of possibilities.
Easy to filter info, search by supplier, etc etc..

 

[bricol]

If you go the software route, I think you need to be rigorous in having back up copies - every week at least.

And limit people abilities to edit it - only takes one uneducated slip and you lose info.

 

[DanZac]

Excel, will do what you want, and unlike the good old days when you needed to be an Excel ninja with a million formulas in your head to make anything work, AI is now your friend.

 

[premmington]

There's an old saying that the best software is the software you know. I think pretty much everyone knows Excel and if you use the Libre Office derivative it will be totally free. I'd love to be involved in a steam preservation group, but don't have one thta's close enough.

BIG +1 for the above...

Nothing wrong with spreadsheet - LibreOffice is free and works well!

 

[sako243]

Whatever you do it has to be easy and simple to use. If it's not nobody will want to use it.

 

[bricol]

Whatever you do it has to be easy and simple to use. If it's not nobody will want to use it.

For 12 years we've been telling our IT dept this about our plm system - used to control our CAD drawings and models, and and ever increasing amount of the business.

Keep adding more and more stuff into it, making it more and more complicated, so people make mistakes. So they add a few more things to do . . .

Any instructions for it are out of date - when I submit a ticket for assistance, and ask about instructions "we're too busy answering questions to write instructions" . . .

 

[RichardM]

Method if use should stay the same irrespective of how many items are added.