{"id":6656,"date":"2023-05-18T16:14:38","date_gmt":"2023-05-18T16:14:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/durolabs.co\/?p=6656"},"modified":"2024-11-06T12:21:44","modified_gmt":"2024-11-06T12:21:44","slug":"bill-of-materials-example","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/durolabs.co\/blog\/bill-of-materials-example\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Make a Bill of Materials with a BOM Example"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

A bill of materials (BOM) is essential for organizing the parts, components, and assemblies that go into building a product. To construct an effective BOM, it\u2019s crucial to include specific fields that ensure accurate sourcing, efficient assembly, and seamless communication across teams.\u00a0<\/p>

This article will guide you through the fundamental fields necessary for a functional BOM, plus optional fields that can further improve efficiency and accuracy. We will explore what makes a comprehensive BOM and provide a clear example to illustrate each element.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

5 Required Fields in a Bill of Materials<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

The five required fields to construct a complete bill of materials are critical for accurately representing the parts of your product. By including the following fields in your BOM, your procurement team will have the information they need to order the correct parts.<\/p>

The fields required are\u00a0part name, customer\u00a0part number, quantity, manufacturer, and manufacturer\u00a0part number. The following sections will explore each field\u2019s significance in the BOM construction process.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

1- Part name<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

The part name field briefly describes the part to be used in the assembly. It is vital because it identifies each piece as unique and helps keep track of the details throughout the\u00a0production process. The\u00a0part name\u00a0should be precise and concise, making identifying the part in the procurement and production processes easy.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

2- Customer part number (CPN)<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

The second required field in a BOM is the customer\u00a0part number\u00a0(CPN). This field provides a unique identification number for each part, as assigned by the customer.\u00a0The CPN is necessary for the manufacturer to know which part must be used in the\u00a0production process\u00a0and avoid confusion. Further, using the CPN ensures that the manufacturer follows the customer\u2019s specific requirements in the\u00a0production process.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

3 - Quantity<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Quantity refers to the amount of each component or part needed to manufacture a product.\u00a0This field is paramount as it helps to ensure that the right amount of each component is purchased and used in production. Incorrect quantities can lead to production delays, product defects, and customer dissatisfaction.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

4 - Manufacturer\n<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

The manufacturer field in a BOM refers to the company that produces the component or part listed in the BOM. It\u2019s important in this field to ensure the proper component is sourced and meets the necessary quality standards.\u00a0It also helps to establish a delineation between the manufacturer and the company producing the\u00a0final product, which is helpful for troubleshooting, quality control, and establishing future sourcing needs.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

5 - Manufacturer part number (MPN)<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

The last required field in a bill of materials is the Manufacturer Part Number (MPN). This field provides a unique identification number assigned by the manufacturer to each part.\u00a0 You should include the MPN so your team can accurately identify and procure the specific part from the correct manufacturer. It helps avoid confusion and ensures the correct part with the desired specifications is used in production.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

7 Optional Fields to Strengthen a Bill of Materials<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Now that we\u2019ve re-examined the five required fields, we can take a look at the seven optional fields that can further enhance the accuracy and efficacy of a BOM. The addition of these fields benefits the procurement team and sets the production team up for success. While not mandatory, incorporating these optional fields helps facilitate communication among team members and ensures accurate documentation of the product\u2019s components.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

1. Distributor name<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Most off-the-shelf parts are sold through distributors and sometimes several competing distributors at once. This field lists the name of your preferred distributor from whom to procure the associated part.\u00a0Listing the manufacturer as the distributor is common if the part is custom. We encourage you to consolidate your list of <\/span>unique<\/span> distributors to a minimum for your\u00a0engineering bill of materials\u00a0(EBOM) and simplify ordering parts.<\/span><\/p>

Not all parts can be purchased directly from the original manufacturer. Most manufacturers prefer you purchase through their distribution channels, even at modest volumes. This may include several different distributors to choose from when creating a BOM. Please select your preferred distributor and their respective distributor\u00a0part number\u00a0(DPN), discussed below for these fields.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

2. Distributor part number (DPN)<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Much like a company assigns a company\u00a0part number\u00a0to a part to uniquely identify it in their master parts library, a distributor may assign their\u00a0part number\u00a0to identify it in their part catalog uniquely. Including this field saves the procurement team time in searching for places to purchase the part and requesting approval.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

3. Manufacturer standard lead time<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

In our bill of materials\u00a0pricing guide<\/a>, we cautioned why you should not list part pricing and\u00a0lead times\u00a0in your engineering BOM. The one exception is to include the manufacturer\u2019s standard\u00a0lead time.\u00a0<\/p>

This field represents the worst-case amount of time the manufacturer promises to deliver you parts when distributors don\u2019t have sufficient stock. Therefore, this field is valuable for planning purposes once you get to higher volume mass production, as you may be purchasing more parts than any distributor typically carries in stock. It also gives you a pressing deadline for when to place parts orders to meet your production schedule.<\/p>

This value is to be taken as a worst-case scenario, not an actual\u00a0lead time\u00a0(i.e., it\u2019s variable). We remain adamant about not including pricing when developing an effective BOM.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

4. Datasheet URL<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

A manufacturer\u2019s datasheet includes all the detailed specifications for a specific part well beyond what\u2019s stored in the BOM. The procurement team will find the datasheet valuable for validating if an alternate part<\/a> is parametrically identical to the original and can be approved as a viable alternative. We find it valuable for an engineer or QA staff to assist with testing and debugging a product. It\u2019s convenient to link datasheets to all parts in the engineering BOM, as it\u2019s in one location and easy to search.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

5. Reference designator<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

This is a unique label for each instance of a part in a specific engineering BOM assembly. This is a required field for any\u00a0printed circuit board\u00a0assembly BOM. This \u201cRef Des\u201d field can also be used for mechanical parts to support assembly documentation, but it isn\u2019t common nor required.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

6. Alternates allowed<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

This is rarely seen, but it is highly recommended to incorporate it into your engineering team workflow. It\u2019s a boolean field ({True, False} or {Yes, No}) to inform the procurement team if they can substitute an alternate part for the one listed in the source details.<\/p>

The power of this field comes to play when you enlist a contract manufacturer (CM) to procure your parts. The CM has a much richer Rolodex than your sources for alternate parts with potentially better pricing and\u00a0lead times. You need to help them help you by empowering them to do their job and find alternatives to reduce production costs and\u00a0lead times.\u00a0<\/p>

Without this field in your\u00a0BOM, you will undoubtedly get emails or phone calls from your CM asking questions and wanting approval to replace individual parts.<\/p>

What it means:<\/p>