The Ideal BOM

As a follow up to the BOM in Excel article, what would constitute a perfect system for managing Bills of Material (BOM) in a PLM system?

Let’s divide the capabilities of this ideal system into three categories; mandatory, essential and nice-to-have.

For the sake of definition, a Part is an end item in a BOM structure, and an assembly is a collection of Parts arranged in a BOM structure. Also, this discussion is restricted to eBOM; other types of BOM’s is a much larger topic.

Mandatory

  • Manage Parts making up the BOM
  • Manage Part Attributes such as Date Created, Owner, Make/Buy etc.
  • Manage Documents or Files associated with the Part (CAD, Drawings, Specs etc.)
  • Manage BOM structures of Parts, with indent capability
  • Handle version and revision levels for all Parts
  • Handle version and revision levels for all Assemblies
  • Allow for search capability on Parts and Assemblies
  • Enable reuse of existing Parts in new Assemblies
  • Facilitate comparison of current BOM structures
  • Allow for “where used” enquiries or reports
  • BOM structure export to facilitate external system integration
  • Collapse / expand indented levels
  • One BOM for all – accessible by all users

Essential

  • Manage lifecycle of BOM (In design, Released, In Production, etc.)
  • Distinguish between various types of Parts in Assemblies (Designed, Bought, Complete, In Work, Customer etc.)
  • Allow for comparison between various versions and revisions of BOM
  • Enable BOM view based on release date and different release configuration
  • Duplicate BOM (Save As) allowing for alterations and edits during the process
  • BOM templates for generic products
  • Allow for BOM variants and configurations
  • Based on configuration rules, resolve to exact BOM
  • BOM costing (roll up)
  • Launch BOM selections into Digital Mockup session
  • Enable clash and interference analysis

Nice to Have

  • Pictorial BOM
  • Search in BOMs
  • Part Classification to facilitate reuse
  • BOM weight roll up
  • Link BOM to Requirements
  • Allow for BOM visualization
  • Specific views dependent on user or context

Obviously, each of these requirements is a complete topic in of itself. Also, additional requirements may exist.

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