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Subject:Creativity Quiz: Solution From:Richard Lippincott <rlippinc -at- BEV -dot- ETN -dot- COM> Date:Mon, 21 Nov 1994 09:19:23 EST
Remember last week I posted a question under the heading creativity? The
problem dealt with corrosion on engine parts, and how to communicate color
information in a manual containing only black-and-white drawings.
Although no one hit it dead on (I guess there are no model airplane builders
on this list), there was one -very- close guess from a person who suggested
referencing the Pantone color chart.
Most people suggested including an actual example of the corrosion along with
the manuals. This probably is the -best- answer, but we weren't able to do
it. The corrosion was uncommon, we simply didn't have enough of the bad blades
to go out to all field locations. (I didn't point out this problem when I first
posed the question, though. So there's no way you would have known that.)
The answer was to reference a federal spec on paint colors, FED-STD-595. This
spec is used by the paint shops, so that they can be sure the colors applied
to aircraft, tanks, etc. are the proper shades and tones. FED-STD-595 actually
looks like one of those paint chip fans they have at hardware stores, with
samples of the colors and the reference numbers.
We knew all the military bases have (or are -supposed- to have) copies of this
spec. So the manual included a paragraph telling the technician to get a copy
of the color spec, and check the blade. If the color is FS35193, the blade is
ok for continued use. If the color is FS35622, the blade should be replaced.
It works. As I build scale model aircraft in my spare time, I was familiar with
the spec and had a copy at home.
The lesson? Simple solutions often come from oddball locations. (I've -gotta-
be a perfect example of that.....)
Rick Lippincott
Eaton Semiconductor
rlippinc -at- bev -dot- etn -dot- com
