Bill of Materials (BOM)
Design Processes
The complete list of every part, material and quantity needed to build a product.
In practice
A bill of materials is the structured inventory of a product: every component, sub-assembly, fastener, label and consumable, with part numbers, quantities, suppliers and cost. It is the document that connects design to purchasing, production and finance, and the one that reveals whether a product can be made for its target price before a single unit exists.
Questions
What is Bill of Materials (BOM)?
A BOM is a hierarchical list of all the items required to manufacture a product, with quantities, identifiers and typically cost and sourcing information.
Why do you use Bill of Materials (BOM)?
It is the truth of what the product is. Cost, lead time, sustainability and complexity all fall out of it.
How do you use/apply Bill of Materials (BOM)?
Build it from the CAD assembly, structure it to mirror how the product is assembled, add part numbers, suppliers and unit costs, and keep it versioned with the design.
When do you use Bill of Materials (BOM)?
From the first architecture, updated at every design release.
Who uses Bill of Materials (BOM)?
Design engineers, product managers, buyers and manufacturers.
