5 great tactics to help you troubleshoot common BOM challenges

A Bill of Materials (BOM) plays an important role because it helps designers to transform ideas into tangible electronics. Without a BOM, it would be virtually impossible to keep track of every supplier and prices of all the necessary electrical components and materials.

How well prepared are you in dealing with any setbacks that may arise when creating or updating your BOM? It’s unwise to consider Microsoft Excel as your best safety. Compared to BOM software, Microsoft Excel is quite basic.

Below, are 6 simple yet effective mitigation solutions to common BOM challenges as suggested by seasoned electronic components designers.

1.      Appoint a BOM manager at the start of every project

When using a shared BOM for a group project, each team member can easily edit information on the list of materials. Sometimes, people make changes then forget to clearly label them or explain the rationale behind their decisions. These mistakes disrupt progress because they bring about confusion. For instance, if a team member adjusted the prices of various components in the BOM without informing the group, the accountant will develop inaccurate budgets.

As a leader, you should delegate the duties of BOM management to one team member. This ensures that any updates are done in an orderly manner. This makes it easier to track any changes made during the course of the project.

2.      Document all materials

Some electrical engineers focus so much on the main electrical components and materials that they leave out minor details. It leads to them incurring additional expenses later on in the project due to poor planning. This happens often whenever a team leader neglects to include consumables in the BOM. Wise electrical engineers visualize the end product vividly before commencing any project. This helps them to break down each process and item required to accomplish the team’s vision.

3.      Audit your list of materials frequently

Price changes, availability of components and rebranding are the main variables that influence the accuracy of a BOM. Smart electrical engineers analyze their list of materials after every three months in order to make necessary updates. This exercise enables them to quote correct figures when sending invoices to their clients.

In addition, auditing the list of materials helps you to keep track of unused electronic components or materials. You can get the best industry-standard BOM components at SMARTPARTS Solutions.

4.      Use clarity to distinguish similar components

In some projects, you may need to use similar components to design a product. This can lead to engineers using wrong components when assembling a prototype. One can also end up stocking up the wrong components due to confusing between two similar items.

Always ensure that your project’s BOM manager describes each component accurately. You can use color codes to help team members easily distinguish similar components.

5.      Use clear Reference Designators

A reference designator guides component designers on how and where to fit a specific component on the PCB. Your team will save on time because reference designators help them to assemble components within a short duration.

Conclusion

The tips shared above will enable your team to develop accurate project budgets, spend less time tracking changes, and, assembling prototype designs. Before you commence on your next design project, update your components library at SMARTPARTS Solutions.