We have been exploring BOM management from the perspective of a PLM configurator and specifically discussing guided production configuration and product variant management. We also had a number of discussions about integrated product definitions, including the exploration of product master data management and the relevance and importance of managing it within a PLM system. The component and core of a product definition is the BOM section that defines the product.
Why is the part design separated?
At a recent conference, I was asked what is a part? What are the benefits of managing parts that are different from their design?
To discuss this, let's consider who the main stakeholders (authors, consumers) of the part information are. Who are the authors and consumers of the design message?
Of course, the definition of a part is centered around the uniqueness of shape, fit, and function.
This segment is an important business entity with a wide range of stakeholders within a large enterprise. Part masters need to document attributes that are critical to multiple enterprise disciplines, including engineering definition, manufacturing planning, costing, service planning, color and appearance planning, procurement, production execution, after-sales maintenance, and more. The design information associated with a part documents its 3D geometric aspects and engineering-important attributes.
Managing parts as design-independent business entities provides stakeholders within and outside engineering with the lifecycle independence and associated flexibility they need to author and access part information and design information, and manage their maturity throughout the product lifecycle.
The separation of part and design information has become an established practice in many manufacturing companies. These are typically managed in separate systems, with design information in a PLM system (e.g., Teamcenter within an engineering function) and part information in an ERP or in-house custom applications that support other production and other departmental applications on the part BOM.
What are the advantages of managing parts in a PLM system?
The engineering department controls the official release of new product definitions and product improvements. Design information is at the heart of product innovation and evolution. Having a grasp of all the business characteristics of a product – i.e., part information – works closely with the product design and allows these aspects to be considered in a timely and appropriate manner in sync with the evolution of the core design definition. This increases the rate of product improvement and change across the enterprise – importantly in production, and sales and service afterward.
Direct access to the part's design definitions and 3D visuals enables a high-definition "visual" BOM. Part and design usage in a specific product configuration can be qualified using product configuration data, which can also be managed within the PLM system. When this simultaneous evolution of configuration, part, and design information is achieved through shared change processes and tools under a single system, engineering activities such as design and digital models can be carried out with greater efficiency and "on demand" in the context of physically buildable configurations.
The authoritative single** BOM with rich 3D visuals based on product configuration is invaluable to a variety of consumer disciplines across the enterprise, who can not only consume business attributes, but also interactively access precise 3D geometry.
How do I transition to a partial design release process?
Introducing an integrated product definition into an IT environment, where a part BOM system is already established and multiple external applications are integrated, can be a multi-stage challenge, but has potentially significant business benefits. The usual question is - how and how do I go from ** to modernization?
The first step in this phased approach might be to establish a coordinated part and design BOM authoring using common configuration and change tools and processes within the PLM system, while retaining and importing into the established BOM system so that existing integrations can continue to be leveraged.
This step immediately enhances connectivity between PLM and the enterprise and rapidly improves the information authoring experience while avoiding the risks associated with having to migrate integrations with various enterprise applications.