Project Delivery Overview – Engineering Workflow

Related Documents: Engineering Roles Engineering Assistant Workflow FE Workflow PE Workflow FE to PE Release

This document provides a high-level overview of the complete engineering workflow from project assignment through closeout.

Information and artifact flow (DRAFT)

This diagram is adapted from the internal Engineering Information Flow (DRAFT). It highlights artifacts (files, lists, Epicor records) and roles; dotted-line “form” steps in the original map correspond to submissions such as the FE to PE Release form. For procedural detail, use the phase sections below and the linked workflows—not this figure alone.

flowchart TB
  subgraph award [Award and setup]
    CA[Contract awarded]
    SO[Sales order]
    WS[Working set / PM markup]
  end
  CA --> SO
  SO --> WS
  subgraph epicorSys [Epicor]
    EJ[Jobs operations materials]
  end
  WS --> EJ
  EA[Engineering Assistant]
  EA --> EJ
  subgraph fe [Fabrication Engineering]
    FEM[FE model 3dm]
    FED[FE drawings PDF]
    BOM[BOM]
    SC[SC list CSV]
    TO[Takeoffs]
  end
  EJ --> FEM
  FEM --> BOM
  FEM --> FED
  FEM --> SC
  FEM --> TO
  subgraph clientLoop [Client and approvals]
    RFI[RFI submittal status]
    AR[Approvals and redlines]
  end
  FED --> RFI
  RFI --> CLIENT[Client]
  AR --> FEM
  FEPE[FE to PE release form]
  BOM --> FEPE
  SC --> FEPE
  FEM --> FEPE
  FEPE --> PEM[PE model 3dm]
  subgraph pe [Production Engineering]
    MPL[Master parts list]
    JT[Job traveler]
    CF[Machine cutfiles]
    SHOP[Shop model drawings stickers]
  end
  PEM --> MPL
  PEM --> CF
  PEM --> SHOP
  EJ --> JT
  • EA work (job creation, part creation, scheduling) feeds the same Epicor project context FE and PE use—see Engineering Assistant Workflow.
  • FE → PE is the controlled handoff from fabrication-ready data to production programming; see FE to PE Release.

Workflow Visualization 

graph LR
P1[Phase 1<br/>Assignment] --> P2[Phase 2<br/>Fab Eng]
P2 --> P3[Phase 3<br/>Handoff]
P3 --> P4[Phase 4<br/>Prod Eng]
P4 --> P5[Phase 5<br/>Closeout]
style P1 fill:#f9f,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px
style P2 fill:#bbf,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px
style P4 fill:#bfb,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px

Phase 1: Project Assignment & Initial Setup (Pre-Contract & Design Engineering Initiation)

Engineering receives a new scope of work

  • FEs check assignments via Epicor → Submittal Dashboard

  • Clocking into jobs:

    • General: PROJ.ENG (Design, Fabrication, Coordination, Meetings)

    • Specific: E1085.015 Submittal

Access project files

  • “AWARDED” → “1234_SOME PROJECT NAME” → “03 ENGINEERING”

Retrieve incoming documents from 01_INCOMING_Documents

  • 00_Contract_Drawings_from_Precon

  • 01_Addendum_Drawings_Post_Contract

  • 02_Working_Set

  • 03_Spec_Sheets (“Cut Sheets”)

  • 04_Coordination_Documents (AdjacentSub, Laser Scans)

Rhino Template Setup

  • Pull from internal templates → Save to 02_WORKING_Drawings_Models/01_FE_Models/PROJ.JOB_ScopeDescription

  • Rename: 1094.002_FE_Cache

Design Engineering (DE) Phase

  • Convert approximate geometries → precise geometries

  • Develop build strategies, assembly details, and SKs for client review

  • Use nominal dimensions pre-contract award

Phase 2: Fabrication Engineering (FE) – Core Work 

graph LR
subgraph Setup
A[Start] --> B[Template]
B --> C[Toolkit]
end
subgraph Modeling
C --> D[Drafting]
D --> E[Naming]
end
subgraph Output
E --> F[BOM]
F --> G[Drawings]
end

Toolkit & Setup

  • Launch Engineering Toolkit (Grasshopper)

  • Log into Epicor via toolkit

  • Pull DFW/CW payload

  • Restore model/layout space

  • Control drawing variables (project, job, client, quantity, date, initials)

  • Populate Project (T00) and Schedules (G00) pages

Modeling Standards & Drafting Standards

  • Use parent layers: CWKA-PRECON, CWKA-DE, CWKA-FE, CWKA-PE

  • Sublayers: IN-2D, IN-3D, CON, PUR, MFG

  • Drawing geometry → 00_CWKA-DWG layer

Material Tagging

  • Format: MaterialCode## (e.g., PLY01)

  • Entered in Project Transmittal Log

Scribes & Named Positions

  • Copy finished geometry → CWKA-PE > REF

  • Use Named Positions for exploded views

Referencing Geometry

  • Use Insert → Linked → Layer style: Active

  • Choose:

    • Block Instance for fixed geometry

    • Individual Objects for editable parts

Sections & Hatches

  • Use Rhino 8 clipping plane tool

  • Hatch settings:

    • Pattern: per material

    • Color: black

    • Background: white

    • Scale: 3–5

    • Rotation: adjustable

Manufactured Parts (MFG)

  • Naming: ProjectNumber.MFGCode.PartNumber (e.g., 1001.WC.00001)

  • Types: linked blocks, embedded blocks, or layer-integrated

Material Thickness

  • Nominal thickness (e.g., ¾” plywood = 0.73”)

  • Solid wood: design thickness

Lay-up Material Code

  • Format: PRE_438_331_7_19 → used as layer name

Solid Body Parts

  • Must be closed, manifold polysurface

  • Includes faces, backers, edgebanding

  • Exceptions: post-lam, curved/notched edges

Part Sizing

  • Fit within BOM’d material

  • Adjust for sheet sizes (e.g., 4’x8’, 4’x10’)

Painted MDF

  • Apply paintable edgebanding if edges exposed

Part Naming & BOM

  • Assign Shipping Component numbers (e.g., SC005)

  • Use Modeling Toolkit:

    • Generate part names

    • Store attributes: thickness, length, width, depth, area, volume

    • Ensure correct naming format

  • BOM material & hardware in Epicor

  • Use auto-BOM feature:

    • Refine with scrap %

    • Export for Epicor

  • Nesting:

    • 1D for sticks

    • 2D for sheets

  • Export Master Parts List (Excel)

Shop Drawings & Submittal

  • Finalize drawings with material, hardware, size, strategy

  • Save in 03_OUTGOING_Submittals

  • Submit to Project Advisor (PA) via Approvals app in Teams

  • Naming: PROJ.JOB_ScopeDescription

  • Attach: BOX.com link to internal review PDF

  • PM → PA approval flow

  • PM adds Bluebeam comments

  • Approved PDF → 01_Outgoing folder

  • Track status in Epicor → “Production Report”

Solid Wood Components (WC Jobs)

  • Lookup next WC number

  • Set UOM: EA or LF

  • Create 1-page WC drawing

  • BOM WC part to job

  • Request WC job via CWKA Forms Team

  • Notify Production Planner if quantity changes

Epicor Updates

Check:

  • “Engineering Complete”

  • “Field Dimensions Received”

  • “Shop Drawings Approved”

  • “BOM Complete”

Phase 3: FE Release to Production Engineering (PE Handoff)

For detailed step-by-step instructions, see FE to PE Release Step by Step SOP.

Ensure:

  • All material/hardware/vendor work BOM’d, ordered, received

  • All parts named correctly

  • Redlines picked up

  • Finalized shop drawings

Prepare Excel list of Shipping Components (SCs) Create clean PE file Check job is “Released in Epicor” Post release in CO Production Eng chat with file links

Place:

  • Shop drawings → Production_Drawings

  • SC file → Production_Files

  • WC drawings → Box folder → Epicor → chat post

Phase 4: Production Engineering (PE) Phase 

graph LR
A[Release] --> B[Setup]
B --> C[Processing]
C --> D{QC}
D -- Undo --> C
D -- Pass --> E[Output]
E --> F[Parts List]
E --> G[CNC]

  • Access job folder → Copy & rename template folders

  • Place PE Rhino file & SC list in Production Files

  • Copy & rename:

    • Master Parts List template

    • Lay-Up Summary template

  • Create SHOP model (purge FE geometry)

  • Layer: 04_CWKA-PE > MACHINING

  • Use GH scripts:

    • Lay Flat, Open Nest, Sheet Pairing, Geometry Creation

    • Part List, Sheet Name Text, Part Name Text, SK Creation

  • Check model:

    • Material layers, named parts, duplicates, bad objects

    • Open polysurfaces, scribes, quantity match, machining

  • Create:

    • Master Parts List (no MT parts)

    • Hardwoods List

    • Lay-Up Summary (if needed)

  • Place:

    • Shop drawings, CNC SKs, WATERJET SKs → Production Drawings

    • Mastercam files → Mastercam Files

    • Rhino exports → Rhino Files

    • Posted programs → machine folders

  • Program machines (Mazak, Weeke)

  • Check “Programming complete” in Epicor

Phase 5: Project Closeout (Samples)

  • PM completes Sample Request form

  • BOM nonstandard substrate → SMP job → mark “RTP”

  • Scheduler/PE prints Epicor Job Traveler

  • Finish Dept creates samples

  • PM scans samples → saves in project folder

  • PM completes Letter of Transmittal → sends to Shipping Manager

  • Track approval → update TRA log & Epicor status

  • Mark SMP job as “Production Complete” in Epicor

74 pages · 845 sections