🚀 go-pugleaf

Paul, one of the questions to consider is where the original content for the manuals originates, and whether there could be a benefit in automating the flow of the data through to FrameMaker and out to the final destination (PDF or whatever), thereby "managing" the whole production cycle. There are Adobe case studies here:
 <http://www.adobe.com/solutions/technicalcommunication/>

 <http://www.adobe.com/products/framemaker/customerstories.html>

There are many third party applications built around FrameMaker that are used in a wide variety of technical industries or with various types of workflows. You might also browse through the Tools Search at <http://www.leximation.com> /toolsearch

One example of such an automated process is highlighted in this case study:

 <http://www.datazone.com/english/pdfs/cs_scania.pdf>

[disclaimer: my company is a reseller of Datazone's Miramo product]