Case Studies
Oshkosh — HIMARS
Oshkosh — LVSR
Oshkosh — FHTV
Harris — 52 Mod
Army — Red River Army Depot
Army — NextGen EMS
Army — EMS-2
Mobilized Systems, Inc.
Case Study — Oshkosh, LVSR
In 2004, Oshkosh Truck Corporation (OTC) had a big opportunity: develop a new Marine Corps/Seabees logistics vehicle for competitive testing against other companies' prototype vehicles.
But, this would be no ordinary truck. The Logistics Vehicle System Replacement (LVSR) would include extreme capabilities that existed on various other OTC vehicles, but they had never been combined on one platform, including all-wheel steering, self-loading and unloading of palletized and nonpalletized cargo, and adjustable hydraulic suspension.
Because of the competitive nature of this project, OTC kept its design and development under wraps until the final designs were presented. Late in 2004, their design was included in the group selected for testing.
Building a prototype vehicle from basic designs is difficult enough. But building one in a short time frame that would outperform competitors' entries was a stern test of OTC's engineering and new product development abilities. To resolve the technical documentation portion of this pressured process, OTC turned to O'Neil & Associates, as they have for nearly 40 years.
O'Neil & Associates' Oshkosh-based, OTC-dedicated team of writers, illustrators, and parts provisioners developed a plan to create an easy-to-use, comprehensive Operations and Maintenance Manual that could accompany the LVSR to testing. The only problem: there was no truck, no one had ever seen or built one, and the bills of material and drawings were still under development!
Starting with little more than frame rails on the shop floor, the O'Neil team worked side by side with the engineers and assemblers writing maintenance and operation tasks as the truck was being built. Key to this effort was the close relationship and information-sharing process the O'Neil team developed with the engineers, assemblers, and project managers. Maintaining that daily contact ensured that whenever a part or assembly was added, deleted, changed, or relocated, an O'Neil writer would be there to document the change and get the appropriate information into the manual.
When the writing was complete, the manual was sent for the most nerve-wracking part of the process: Government review. In the past, this review has been known to generate major revisions. Not this time: Government reviewers requested only two minor changes, an almost unheard-of level of quality!
OTC was thrilled with the results of OTC/O'Neil teamwork. "This is huge kudos for us as a team," an OTC project manager said. "We all know how hard it is to write a manual without the proper hardware configuration, and even though this was a draft manual review, it gives the Government a warm and comfy feeling about the final manual they will receive."
Others concurred. "Another job well done! Our groups are working very well together on all projects," an OTC manager said. "O'Neil & Associates has not only improved our documentation processes, but the rapport between our groups has never been better! I'm sure this manual will be well received by the Government and play an important role in the final determining factor when it comes time to award this contract."
And in this case, that is the bottom line. Technical documentation is part of the complete package the Armed Forces receive when they take delivery of an Oshkosh Truck. For nearly 40 years, O'Neil & Associates has been making sure that documentation is every bit as functional as the engine, brakes, or headlights.