BOM: Bill of Materials

Types of Bills of Materials

There are various types of bills of materials. But there are three primary sorts that need research. These consist of:

Manufacturing. A manufacturing bill of materials (MBOM) contains an exhaustive list of all the components and subassemblies necessary to produce a produced, shippable finished good. An MBOM also describes how distinct pieces of a product relate to one another and provides details about the parts that need to be processed before assembly. Enterprise resource planning (ERP), material requirements planning (MRP), and, in some situations, a manufacturing execution system all exchange the data in the manufacturing BOM with the other integrated business systems involved in ordering and creating the product.

Engineering. A bill of materials for engineering (EBOM) lists the assemblies and components that the engineering department has created. The engineering BOM is a mechanical or technical representation of a product that depicts the component structure from a functional standpoint. The design is often produced by engineers utilizing computer-aided design or electronic design automation techniques. Multiple EBOMs for a single product are typical as the design is altered.

Sales. Before the product is assembled during the sales stage, the specifics are described in a sales bill of materials (SBOM). In an SBOM, the sales order document contains distinct lists of the final products and the components needed to create them. Instead of being maintained as an inventory item, the final product is controlled as a sales item.

Key Takeaways

What, exactly, is a bill of materials (BOM)?

• • Bill of materials definition: A bill of materials (BOM) is a detailed list of all the raw materials, assemblies, subassemblies, parts, and components that are required to make a product.
  • The bill of materials also specifies the quantities of each component.
  • Essentially, it is a comprehensive inventory of every component needed to make a product.

Examples of BOM

A bill of materials is typically for a single product or assembly. Additional conditions may be imposed (especially if you work with configurations, multiple vendors, and options).

Part number and a list of part numbers with quantities are important details to include in the BOM. Keep in mind that item definition should include important information such as Unit of Measure, Description, and so on. 

How to make a BOM

Making a bill of materials is essential to the process of developing a product since it facilitates effective commercialization. Consider who will utilize the data and how you will handle the connected parts and documents before you build a BOM record. To produce an effective BOM, consider the nine key facts to include:

• BOM Level: Give each component or assembly a number to indicate where it belongs in the BOM hierarchy. Anyone may easily comprehend the BOM’s structure and all its components thanks to the BOM level.
• Part Number: Assign a distinct part number to each item in the BOM so that anyone working on the manufacturing process can quickly refer to and recognize parts.
• Part Name: Any employee in your shop should be able to recognize each part, material, or assembly simply by looking up its name in your business’s inventory.
• Description: Give each material or component in a BOM a thorough, educational description. The description makes it easier for you and others to recognize components and tell apart comparable components and materials.
• Phase: Keep track of the stage of each component’s lifespan. For instance, it is typical to use terms like “In Production” to describe the stage at which a part is producing, or new parts that have not yet received approval can be categorized as “Unreleased” or “In Design.”
• Procurement Type: This refers to the process used to obtain each part. Indicate, for instance, whether a component should be ordered off-the-shelf or made to the project’s specs.
• Quantity: Specify the number of each part used in each assembly for the BOM. 
• Unit of Measure: What unit of measurement is being utilized to quantify the part or material should be included in the BOM. Examples include “each,” “inches,” “millimeters,” and “ounces.” By doing this, it is certain that the shop floor will get deliveries of precise quantities.
• BOM Notes: In addition to the other components of the BOM, include any additional information or supporting documentation required to assemble the finished product.