Technical Writing Service Manual - Case Study
Case Study
TRT – Tidd Ross Todd Limited
Industry
- Heavy Vehicle Design and Manufacture
- Defence
Website
Client Testimonial
“Focus Technical has been a huge help getting our Tidd manuals up to the required level. Kim was great to deal with, we could give her the information and leave her to work autonomously to deliver projects on time and to a high standard.”
David Tutt, Engineering Manager
TRT - Tidd Ross Todd Limited
TRT - PC28 Pick and Carry Crane Service Manual
TRT is a family-run manufacturing business in Hamilton that designs and builds road transport solutions. They are the only manufacturer of a road-registerable vehicle in New Zealand with their TIDD PC28 Pick-and-carry crane. Focus Technical were approached to pull together all of the information, and write the service manual for this vehicle.
The Challenge
Having introduced a higher-capacity model of their pick and carry crane, TRT needed customer documentation to match. Initially they needed a high-quality service manual to go with the vehicles, but didn’t have the internal capacity to do so themselves.
A fit-for-purpose service manual would help customers maintain their crane in top condition, and support TRT’s reputation for reliable, long-lasting products.
The Solution
Following their standard process, Focus Technical began by gathering information including documentation for previous models, engineering drawings, and information from component suppliers. Where information about specific components was missing or out of date, Focus Technical contacted suppliers to get the necessary information.
Focus Technical worked with suppliers and TRT staff with experience in the field to create a service schedule for the new model. The schedule was tested by the servicing department at TRT and proved to be useful.
A fortnightly meeting was held with various stakeholders to review content, check progress, answer questions, and make decisions. Given the product’s complexity, Focus Technical worked on-site to have easy access to the SMEs and the crane.
The tasks in the service schedule formed the basis of the sections to include in the manual. Checklists, customised photos, and illustrations were created to make the instructions clear and easy to understand.
Finally, TRT staff reviewed the draft for technical accuracy, Focus Technical made final updates and the manual was ready to supply to customers.
The Result
The service manual, produced using Adobe InDesign and Photoshop, had a high-quality look and finish, as befits an internationally recognised vehicle manufacturer. The succinct and accurate information contained in the manual ensures that crane owners, and their service technicians, know what they need to do to keep their crane running well, how often to do it, and most importantly how to do it correctly.
By partnering with Focus Technical, TRT was able to expedite the production of the service manual and free up their design team to move onto the next project.
