The industrial sector is a major driver of the world economy. The industrial sector needs to continuously develop and innovate in order to remain competitive globally. This is why industrial firms, governments, and international organizations alike need to be aware of new technologies that can help them improve efficiencies or reduce costs. One such technology is interactive electronic technical manual (IETMs).
An IETM is a digital manual It that can interactively guide users through the repair or installation of equipment or products. It provides clear, step-by-step instructions for completing a task, and it can be customized to meet the specific needs of each user. Because they are digital, IETMs can also include animations, videos, and other interactive features that help users understand and complete tasks more easily.
The development of international standards for IETMs would benefit industrial firms, governments, and international organizations by providing clarity and certainty with regard to the use of this technology. The benefits of such standards would include increased efficiency in product assembly and maintenance operations, as well as reduced costs associated with training and support.
How could an IETM reduce costs associated with training and support?
An IETM could reduce the cost associated with training and support because it provides step-by-step instructions that are clear on what you need to do so there is less reliance on human resources or external sources when trying to figure out how repairs should be done without any assistance from others which can help save time overall since using manuals aren’t always dependable due to them being easily misplaced or damaged.
IETM Standards are currently being developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). The ISO Technical Committee on Interactive Electronic Technical Manuals (ISO/TC 262) is responsible for developing these standards. The committee is made up of representatives from industrial firms, governments, and international organizations.
The first standard that ISO/TC 262 developed was a terminology standard. This standard defines terms related to IETMs, such as “manual,” “task,” and “step.” It helps ensure that everyone involved in developing and using IETMs understands what each term means.
In June 2017, the ISO/TC 262 published its first technical specification: ISO TS 26262-based on IEC 62552. This specification defines the requirements for an IETM (Interactive Electronic Technical Manual) authoring tool. An authoring tool is a software application that allows users to create and edit IETMs.
The ISO/TC 262 is currently working on two additional standards:
– A standard for the structure and content of IETMs
– A standard for the transmission and exchange of IETMs
Once these standards are finalized, they will provide clarity and certainty with regards to the development, use, and interchange of IETMs. This will help industrial firms, governments, and international organizations improve efficiencies and reduce costs in their product assembly and maintenance operations.
