The software solution developed by Applied Logistics for the production, maintenance and publication of ASD S1000D compliant operational and technical documentation. The software package has a modular structure, additional modules are connected to the base core, providing extended set of system functions.

Technical Guide Builder – an integrated set of software tools for development, maintenance and publication of operational documentation of complex products.

The core basis of the TG Builder is the most advanced international specifications ASD S1000D, developed by the AeroSpace and Defense Industries Associations of Europe – ASD, which regulates all issues related to the development, maintenance and transfer of operational documentation in electronic and paper form providing solutions to problems of integrated logistics support (ILS).

The basic idea behind S1000D is the modular structure of operational documentation. S1000D specifies how technical information about some system or product is created, managed, exchanged and published utilizing a Common Source Data Base (CSDB) of Data Modules (DM) in XML format. This principal provides that each data module can be considered as separate document.

Technical Guide Builder includes CSDB as well as set of administrative tools which enable management of stored data and creation of required publications in diferent languages. It also checks integrity and correctness of stored data through several quality control and approval levels.

For the production of different types of operational documentation (descriptive, procedural, technological, illustrated parts catalog etc.) Technical Guide Builder provides a set of specialized software editors. Utilizing this specialized high-level application allows users to develop operational documentation, focusing only on the technical content, and not requiring any deep knowledge of SGML / XML language that is typical when using other commercially available XML-editors.

Technical Guide Builder is built on a modular basis. The base module is the core of the system. To expand the capabilities of the basic module, additional modules can be added to it, depending on the specific required needs of a user.

Basic module

The main module of the system is the core module without which the work is not possible. The rest of modules operate as extensions to the core module. The basic module allows you to create and publish a simple, interactive online manual, which may include a descriptive data modules (DM), consisting of text data, tables, lists, links, and 2D illustrations. The basic module contains the basic tools for documentation development process management. The basic module of the network version is designed to work on several workstations on a local area network (LAN).

The module consists of the following components:

• Application server (TG Server) – which provides interaction of client workstations with the database. Installed and configured as a standalone application.
• License Server – provides monitoring and license management. Included in the TG Server
• Update server for client application – provides client software updates in a local area network (LAN). Included in the TG Server.

This module includes:

• Database management system for documents data
• Project management system, and the rules of their creation
• User management system, roles, rights and tasks
• Editor for descriptive type of data modules
• Automated data module formating system
• Basic set of tools for database analysis
• Map references
• Outbound links Tree
• Analysis of images (statistics, batch upload, automatic assignment of the ICN, batch convert to JPG format, find and replace)
• Analysis of catalog cards
• Generation of the list of existing data modules
• Tools for working with 2D illustrations
• Module for export / import of data in formats: PDB or XML
• System viewer for display of published manuals – TG Browser

Module for creation of maintanance documentation

The module consists of four editors:

• Task card editor – It allows you to create a description of operational workflow for maintenance operations of products. Descriptions may be supplemented by illustrations and tables, information on the necessary equipment, materials, spare parts and various infrastructure requirements and safery measures.
• Editor for data modules of type “Resources and service life” – It is intended to indicate information about the resource and the service life of parts.
• Editor for data modules of type “List of maintenance work” – it is designed to generate lists of maintenance work, with the conditions of their implementation.
• Editor for data modules of type “Maintenance Forms” – designed for input of the information data about type and scope of product maintenance.

Module for creation of electronic catalogs

The module contains the editor for product electronic catalogs. The editor allows you to create illustrated interactive electronic product catalogs. It supports 2D raster and vector illustrations and 3D models in following formats: RH, XVL, VRML.

(Without multimedia module, only available use of 2D illustrations)

The module for creation of instructions for the crew, typical minimum equipment list and norms of material consumption

The module consists of three editors for data modules that are specific to the aerospace industry:

• Editor for “Information for the crew” data modules. These modules are used for the formation of flight operations manuals (AFM).
• Editor for data modules of type “Master Minimum Equipment List (MMEL)”
• Editor for “Norms of material consumption rate” data modules

Module for creation of “Fault isolation procedures”

This module includes editor for “Fault isolation procedure” data modules. With this editor user can create principal algorithm that enables the troubleshooting process of the faulty unit. Description of the algorithm can be made in form of schematic diagram and in the form of textual steps. In the description of the algorithm user can use available references, figures and tables.

Printing module

The module provides the following functions:

• Custom data module printing
• Batch print of data modules and publications
• Print preview of the document
• Automatic prepress:
  • Automatic partitioning of data modules on the pages
  • Automatic generation of headers and footers
  • Automatic creation of lists of tables, illustrations and references
• Formation of a page-oriented manuals in PDF format.

Enhanced Printing Module

Expansion operates only together with the basic printing module, adding following functions:

• Setting of header and footer content
• Automated generation of front matter data modules (content, etc.)
• Custom settings of PDF printer parameters
• Formation of the combined PDF documents with different page formats and sizes (A4 and A3)
• Formation of PDF documents with a table of contents and cross-references

Module for documentation configuration management

The module allows the development of operational documentation for multiple product configurations. The module contains tools for determining the applicability of the rules for objects in the documentation and tools for conducting directories options and conditions. Display of documentation for the selected product configuration is formed accordingly while viewing documents.

Multimedia module

The module provides operation (insert, view, organize references) of multimedia objects – video, Flash and 3D models in formats RH, XVL, VRML in the following editors:

• Editor for descriptive data modules
• Editor for maintanance task cards
• Editor for electronic catalogs.

Change Management Module

The module automates account of changes in the documentation. The module contains the following tools:

• Notices of changes log
• Tool for assigning tasks to change the data modules
• Tool for version comparison of data modules and notification of marks of changes
• Tool for generation of reports on any changes in the publications.

Conform and approval module

The module provides implementation of “conform-approval” procedures of operational documentation and its constituent parts. The module allows you to:

• Set, modify, and monitor the status of the documents.
• Use personal electronic digital signature (EDS) of different types for installation and inspection of electronic permissions
• Generate certificate lists for sets of operational documents.

Documentation quality control module

The module allows you to analyze, create reports and conduct batch unification of the following objects in the database:

• Data module versions
• Illustrations
• Illustration legends
• Illustration leaders
• References
• Job card prerequisites (tools, materials, spare parts, labor input)
• Text fragments (search and replace)
• Applicability
• User task assignment

Expansion of documentation quality control module

Operates only with the quality control module, adding following types of batch operations with objects:

• Refferences batch replacement
• Find references in the text
• Batch delete data module versions
• Analysis of secrecy classes display
• Verification of electronic catalogs for invalid characters
• Additional types of database analysis based on documentation refferences