Managing the Entire BOM

CHALLENGE: Partial BOM Record Visibility Hampers Design Teams

Too often, BOMs managed across multiple systems by engineering and manufacturing teams lead to disconnected NPDI processes resulting in product launch delays, quality issues, manufacturing mistakes, and costly scrap and rework. Many companies manage BOMs in documents (e.g., Microsoft Word, document-centric QMS systems) or spreadsheets, limiting the ability to effectively collaborate across distributed teams and making it more difficult to associate all required documents, drawings, specifications, changes, and quality actions across the entire multilevel assembly.

Some companies use product data management (PDM) or CAD-centric PLM systems geared towards early design and work-in-process (WIP) management processes within engineering workgroups. These systems tend to work well with either mechanical (MCAD) or electrical (EDA) assemblies, but they are not as adept at bringing both electrical and mechanical designs together—let alone software and the complete set of documents, specifications, and drawings required to assemble the final product. PDM and CAD-centric PLM solutions usually provide full functionality only to contributors working with the CAD tool associated with a given PDM or PLM solution, making it difficult to deliver visibility of the entire design to teams outside of engineering.

SOLUTION: Provide Access to the Complete Product Record

As a product realization system, Arena is better suited than point solutions or work team CAD-level systems to aggregate the complete BOM with the entire assembly and all associated components, files, drawings, and specifications required to build the shippable product. This includes the ability to create, import, change, share, compare, and approve new product designs and changes to existing products throughout the entire product lifecycle. Arena is also CAD-agnostic, meaning your engineering teams can use the PDM or CAD design systems of choice. Arena works equally well with a wide range of internal and external electrical, mechanical, and software design tools, enabling disparate teams to aggregate and share their designs.