Product documentation in manufacturing, including assembly instructions, is structured and authored using DITA XML to create clear, well-organized, and easily maintainable content. DITA’s modular approach ensures that product documentation is structured in a way that facilitates reusability across various documents while maintaining consistency and accuracy.

Topic-Based Authoring

Product documentation in DITA is created as individual topics, each focusing on a specific aspect of the product or assembly process. These topics include elements such as <title> to provide a clear title for the content, <section> for organizing the content, and <step> elements to break down procedures into manageable steps. This topic-based approach allows for easy authoring and content maintenance.

Reusability and Modularity

One of the key advantages of DITA is its reusability and modularity. Commonly used instructions or components can be authored once and reused in multiple documents. For instance, if a specific assembly procedure is common to several products, it can be created as a standalone DITA topic and referenced in various assembly manuals. This ensures consistency across documentation and reduces the effort required to update shared content.

Example:

Here’s an example of how an assembly instruction for a manufacturing process is structured in DITA:

<topic id="assembly_instruction">
  <title>Product Assembly Instructions</title>
  <section>
    <title>Preparation</title>
    <step>Inspect all parts for damage.</step>
    <step>Gather the necessary tools and equipment.</step>
  </section>
  <section>
    <title>Assembly</title>
    <step>Attach part A to part B as shown.</step>
    <step>Secure all bolts and nuts tightly.</step>
  </section>
  <section>
    <title>Final Inspection</title>
    <step>Inspect the assembly for quality and completeness.</step>
    <step>Perform a functionality test.</step>
  </section>

By structuring assembly instructions in this manner, manufacturing organizations can efficiently create, manage, and update product documentation, ensuring clarity and consistency in the assembly processes.