Product Specification Document

Project Title
Version 1.0 Revised 1/22/2013
Authors:

MAE 479 Product Specification Document Template

Executive summary
Half a page to one page summary (NOT an introduction!). Include specific information about your
project, such as mass/performance characteristics, outline of manufacturing process, etc.

Updated 1/22/2013

MAE 479 Product Specification Document Template

Table of Contents
Update TOC below (right click on TOC)

Executive summary.......................................................................................................1
1. Scope..........................................................................................................................4
1.1. Identification..........................................................................................................4
1.2. System overview...................................................................................................4
1.3. Document overview...............................................................................................4
2. Applicable documents...............................................................................................4
2.1. Government documents........................................................................................4
2.2. Non-government documents.................................................................................4
3. System .......................................................................................................................4
3.1. Definitions..............................................................................................................4
3.2. Characteristics.......................................................................................................4
3.2.1. Performance...................................................................................................4
3.2.2. External interface characteristics....................................................................5
3.2.3. Physical characteristics..................................................................................5
3.2.4. Other characteristics.......................................................................................5
3.3. Design ..................................................................................................................5
3.3.1. Design approach............................................................................................5
3.3.2. Analysis tools..................................................................................................6
3.3.3. Trade studies and selection............................................................................6
3.4. Integration.............................................................................................................6
3.5. Qualification...........................................................................................................6
3.6. Cost.......................................................................................................................6
4. Subsystem 1 ...........................................................................................................7
4.1. Definitions..............................................................................................................7
4.2. Characteristics.......................................................................................................7
4.2.1. Performance...................................................................................................7
4.2.2. External interface characteristics....................................................................7
4.2.3. Physical characteristics..................................................................................7
4.2.4. Other characteristics.......................................................................................7
4.3. Design ..................................................................................................................7
4.3.1. Design approach............................................................................................7
4.3.2. Analysis tools..................................................................................................7

Updated 1/22/2013

MAE 479 Product Specification Document Template

4.3.3. Trade studies..................................................................................................7
4.4. Construction..........................................................................................................7
4.5. Qualification...........................................................................................................8
4.6. Cost.......................................................................................................................8
5. Subsystem 2 ...........................................................................................................8
6. Appendices.................................................................................................................9
A. Individual contribution..............................................................................................9
B. Glossary...................................................................................................................9
C. Others......................................................................................................................9

Note that the typical product specification (Type C) has been modified for conciseness of
system/sub-system/component description and inclusion of manufacturing processes and
materials used. Remove all italicized sections before submitting

Updated 1/22/2013

MAE 479 Product Specification Document Template

1. Scope
Same as/updated from SRD

1.1.

Identification

1.2.

System overview

1.3.

Document overview

2. Applicable documents
Same as/updated from SRD

2.1.

Government documents

2.2.

Non-government documents

3. System
3.1.

Definitions

Includes all definitions specific to your project. For example, chamber in a rocket engine might be
defined as the combination of combustion chamber and nozzle

3.2.

Characteristics

3.2.1. Performance
Include here a description of all system-level performance characteristics. Include subsections if
appropriate. Subsystem specific performance should be allocated to subsystems. System-level
performance parameters which are allocated to subsystems may be discussed in both, however.
For example, the wing area of an aircraft would be listed here and in the wing subsystem as well.
Similarly, the throat diameter/area of a rocket engine would be listed here and in the
chamber/nozzle subsystem section.
For Category II projects where some requirements may have been temporarily dropped in order
to be able to lead to a design which can be manufactured within the scope of the class, make
sure to list what has/has not been dropped. In the Design section, also make sure to include
how these requirements would be met.

Updated 1/22/2013

MAE 479 Product Specification Document Template

3.2.2. External interface characteristics
Discusses/presents the interfaces of the system with the external world, i.e. elements not
contained within the system

3.2.3. Physical characteristics

Includes physical characteristics such as assembly drawings at the system level: 3-views and
isometric views. Include a mass summary table. In this mass summary, include a comparison
between values calculated based on the current design (bottom-up estimate) and those from
requirements (e.g. top-down values, such as estimated at SRR & PDR). See table below for an
example:
Table 1. System mass distribution
Mass (kg)

CDR

PDR

SRR

Subsystem 1

100

110

90

Subsystem 2

120

160

150

Total

220

270

240

3.2.4. Other characteristics

Includes system quality factors (reliability, maintainability, availability), environmental
conditions, transportability, portability, etc.

3.3.

Design

This section documents the design process used to come up with the best design. It deals only
with the determination of parameters at the system-level only. If the detailed design phase of the
project did not involve any changes compared with that of the PDR, include only a short
summary below and refer to your preliminary design report.

3.3.1. Design approach

Discuss design methodology used by the project team for the system/subsystem discussed in
this section. Refer to analysis tools (next section) as appropriate.

Updated 1/22/2013

MAE 479 Product Specification Document Template

3.3.2. Analysis tools
Present analysis tool(s) used/developed by the project team for the system/subsystem discussed
in this section. Make sure you list:

The assumptions which the analysis is based on

The main theoretical foundations behind the tool. Use equations (with terms properly
defined) if appropriate.

Refer to preliminary design report and provide only a summary if it is discussed in PD Rep.

3.3.3. Trade studies and selection

Include trade studies conducted at the system level leading to the selection of the design.

3.4.

Integration

Describes the relationship between the design (characterized in Sect. above) and the final
manufactured product, i.e. how to build the system (build-to package):

Manufacturing/integration process

List of assemblies

Special tools required

Unlike the sections addressing subsystem construction, the description in this section is limited to
the system, i.e. assumes that the subsystems have been independently manufactured. Hence, it
is a discussion of the integration process.

3.5.

Qualification

Describes how the system will be tested, qualified, etc. in the next project phase. Outline the
main tests/analyses/etc. which will be performed. Those will be refined in the next phase of the
project. Again, here, address only system-level qualification activities.

3.6.

Cost

Describes the estimated costs for integrating and qualifying the system based on above results.
Present and compare these results with those estimated at PDR.

Updated 1/22/2013

MAE 479 Product Specification Document Template

4. Subsystem 1
This section and the following ones are similar in structure to Sect. 3, but each addresses a
particular subsystem and thus, has its scope restricted to the particular subsystem in question.
The subsystem description (Sect. x.1.1) starts at the subsystem level (Level 2) and proceed to
the component level (Level 3). Additional levels may be added if necessary to reach part level
(Level 4). A few differences between system and subsystem description are outlined below.

4.1.

Definitions

4.2.

Characteristics

4.2.1. Performance

4.2.2. External interface characteristics

4.2.3. Physical characteristics

This section includes Assembly drawings for Category I projects or Detail drawings for Category
II projects. Detailed mass table for the subsystem in included here as well.

4.2.4. Other characteristics

4.3.

Design

4.3.1. Design approach

4.3.2. Analysis tools

4.3.3. Trade studies

4.4.

Construction

For Category I projects, this section addresses the manufacturing of the subsystem, which might
be accomplished by the integration of components, rather than individual parts. As such, the

Updated 1/22/2013

MAE 479 Product Specification Document Template

manufacturing process description is closer, in general, to an integration process description. A
parts list should be included as discussed below.
For Category II projects, however, the description should include ALL elements which are part of
the subsystem, including nuts and bolts. For certain parts, it may be necessary to start with raw
material, e.g. an aluminum billet.
For both categories, the following should be included:

Manufacturing (construction/integration)

Parts lists with part number, materials, source, cost if available, etc.

Special tools required Include a complete description of the tool (what it IS, i.e.
drawings, and how/why it is used.

4.5.

Qualification

4.6.

Cost

Describes the estimated costs for developing and qualifying the subsystem. In the case where
the team is going to manufacture a component and test it as part of the project, in addition to the
estimated costs (i.e. based on your being an aerospace company), also include the actual costs
to be incurred by the team (which should be limited to hardware purchases).

5. Subsystem 2
etc.

Updated 1/22/2013

MAE 479 Product Specification Document Template

6. Appendices
A. Individual contribution
Each team member should summarize his/her contribution to the team project. This contribution
should address both the role played within the team (in terms of leadership role, task definition,
etc.) and the specific technical contributions.

B. Glossary

C. Others

Updated 1/22/2013