Electronic documentation, in particular the one that is developed as Interactive Documents, is an important component of Technical Documentation (Operation and Maintenance Manuals) that are nowadays delivered for customers. As a response to expectation of domestic customers, i.e. Polish Army (outlined in the decision MON/349), OBRUM developed tools for creation of web applications that serve as a tool to compile interactive electronic documentation. Such applications respond to needs of users that can operate on a systematized set of components (text, multimedia products, links to databases, etc.). The overwhelming objective of Interactive Documentation is quick and crafty navigation of the units among various components of technical documentation and extraction of essential content in the way that is easily absorbable by contemporary users. The application of Interactive Documentation can be stored on a data server (network access) or locally, on individual workstations. The sole condition for efficient use of such an application is access to necessary resources, i.e. the database and software engines designed to manage the database content. The access to such applications shall be enabled via web browsers supplemented with necessary plug-ins to play visualizations and videos. Web application designed to provide functionalities of Interactive Documentation must comprise the following functionalities:
• Browser,
• Interactive tables of contents, drawings, tables and animations,
• Hyperlinks,
• Tags
• Access control with login/logout mechanism (option),
• Viewer for graphics and snapshots,
• Player for videos and animations,
• Support for multi-window operation,
• Zoom-in and zoom-out options,
• Export to printers,
• Dedicated Graphic User Interface.
With respect to interactive datasheets of spare parts, the application of Interactive Documentation shall be capable of offering the following functionalities (only for the interactive option of the Spare Part Stock List):
• List of spare parts arranges as a search tree,
• Presentation of 3D models for equipment and subassemblies,
• Components listed in the hierarchical order (assemblies > subassemblies > details),
• Editable detailing of the part list view,
• Marking of a specific part on the part list and on a 3D model,
• Pop-up window with detail information about the specified part or subassembly,
• Searching engine incorporated into the part list, with the option of searching against various types of parameters (e.g. name, part code number, JIM number),
• Generation of ‘exploded views’ for assemblies,
• Highlighting parts according to their status:
• normal – the component is not highlighted on the 3D model,
• selected – the component is highlighted on the 3D model,
• marked – indication of the searching result (only by visual means, e.g. bolded) – the functionality depends on the searching engine,
• hidden – the component on a 3D model is dimmed and non-interactive.
The tasks related to operations on 3D models (e.g. for an interactive stock of spare parts) shall be carried out with the use of the OBRTrain – the software instrument developed by OBRUM.
