Documentation for machines that came without it
What we produce
| As-built electrical drawings | Single-line diagram, power and control schematics, terminal plans and panel layout, traced from the real panel. |
|---|---|
| I/O list | Every PLC input and output with its address, device, terminal and drawing reference. |
| Alarm list | Every alarm with what it means, the likely cause and the first thing to check. |
| PLC program notes | Symbols and comments in the program, and a plain description of the sequence. |
| Parameter sheet | Settings, recipes, drive and servo parameters with defaults and allowed ranges. |
| Operating manual and SOPs | Start-up, changeover and shutdown, with photos, written for operators. |
| Maintenance schedule | Checks, lubrication points, wear parts and a recommended spares list. |
How an undocumented machine gets documented
- STEP 01SurveyPhotographs of the panel, every device and nameplate, and a walk through the sequence with the operators.
- STEP 02Trace and labelWire by wire, terminal by terminal, with labels fitted where they are missing.
- STEP 03Read the programPLC and HMI backed up, symbols named and the I/O matched to the wiring.
- STEP 04DrawSchematics in EPLAN Electric P8 or AutoCAD Electrical, to IEC practice.
- STEP 05Review with your teamThe maintenance team checks the drawings against the machine before they are issued.
- STEP 06IssuePDF for the floor, native files for future changes, and a copy kept with the program backup.
Why it pays for itself
- Faster fault-finding: the time lost tracing wires in a breakdown is spent once, during documentation, not at every failure.
- Safer work: lockout points, supplies and interlocks are on paper, not in one person's memory.
- Easier changes: the next modification starts from a correct drawing, not a guess.
- Less dependence: when an experienced technician leaves, what they knew about the machine stays.
Every machine we build is handed over with this documentation as standard. The same set can be made for any machine already on your floor.
Send photos of the panel and the machine. We will tell you what documenting it involves and how long it takes.
Documentation questions
Our machine came with no drawings at all. Can you make them?
Yes. We trace the panel wire by wire, label what is unlabelled, photograph the layout, and draw the as-built schematics from what is actually there — not from what a drawing from ten years ago says should be.
Do we have to stop the machine?
For most of the tracing, no — terminals, labels and devices can be recorded with the machine running. The few checks that need power off are done in a planned stop, such as a weekly maintenance window.
Which formats do we get?
PDF for everyday use on the floor, and the native files — EPLAN Electric P8 or AutoCAD Electrical for drawings, Word or Excel for lists and manuals — so your team can keep them up to date.
Can you document the PLC program as well?
Yes: symbol names and comments added to the program, an I/O list tied to the drawings, an alarm list with the likely cause and action for each alarm, and a short description of how the sequence works.
Will this help with audits?
Current drawings, maintenance instructions and operator work instructions are among the first things a customer or certification auditor asks to see. Keeping them as controlled documents is still your quality system's job — we produce documents that are worth controlling.
Have a job that a machine should be doing?
Send the part and the target output. You get a concept, a sequence and a budget range back — free, and with no obligation to build it with us.