Specifications

This PDP-X Technical Memorandum #5, dated June 27, 1967, outlines the required format and content for "Specifications" documents pertaining to optional equipment. Its purpose is to standardize these specifications to facilitate the manufacture, checkout, and maintenance of such equipment. Design engineers are responsible for writing these specifications before a design is considered complete.

The document details the following key sections that must be included in a specification:

• Overall Description: A brief introduction covering operating philosophy, functional components, and programming considerations.
• General Specifications: Detailed performance and construction specifications, including system definition, options, mechanical packaging, environmental requirements, and general performance.
• Vendor-supplied Equipment: Purchase and general performance descriptions.
• Programming: Details on instructions, maintenance instructions, data formats, timing diagrams, operator controls, status bits, and programming examples.
• Installation Data: Procedures, crating specifications, and special requirements (e.g., air conditioning, subflooring).
• Interface Specifications: Definitions of all external connections, especially for I/O bus devices and controller-device interfaces.
• Master Drawing List: A comprehensive list of electrical and mechanical drawings, including functional block diagrams, flow charts, UML, power wiring, bus schedules, mechanical layouts, cable diagrams, block schematics, and interface descriptions.
• System Components: A list of basic components like modules, power controls, cables, and vendor-supplied items.
• Checkout Specifications: A list of all required tests for assembled systems, including voltage/timing margins, test durations, aggravation tests, necessary test equipment, diagnostic programs, system programs, and voltage margin tables.
• Acceptance Test Procedures: Guidelines for incoming vendor equipment tests, field service representative procedures before shipment, accessory checks, diagnostic/system program runs, margin spot checks, and shipping checks.
• Spare Parts: A list of all required spare parts (modules, components, mechanical parts, special tools).
• Preventative Maintenance Procedures: Protocols for reliable operation, categorized by frequency (daily, weekly, monthly, semi-annually), covering tasks like cleaning tape heads, changing filters, and electrical/mechanical adjustments.