How can you resolve conflicts between BOM data and engineering changes?
Learn from the community’s knowledge. Experts are adding insights into this AI-powered collaborative article, and you could too.
This is a new type of article that we started with the help of AI, and experts are taking it forward by sharing their thoughts directly into each section.
If you’d like to contribute, request an invite by liking or reacting to this article. Learn more
— The LinkedIn Team
BOM data and engineering changes are essential components of manufacturing engineering, but they can also be sources of conflict and confusion. If you are working on a complex product with multiple revisions, suppliers, and stakeholders, you might encounter discrepancies, errors, or inconsistencies in your BOM data and engineering changes. How can you resolve these conflicts and ensure your product is manufactured according to the latest specifications? Here are some tips to help you improve your BOM collaboration and communication.
The first step to resolve any conflict is to identify the root cause and understand why it occurred. Poor version control, lack of communication, human errors, incomplete or unclear engineering change requests, and delays or discrepancies in supplier or customer feedback are all potential causes. Once you identify the root cause, you can take appropriate actions to prevent it from happening again or mitigate its impact.
-
Garima K.
Deloitte || IIFT
In Japanese OEMs usually ECNs(Engineering Change notices) are maintained to track the changes done in the drawing during the due course of the time and the changes in BOM was done by maintaining the partlist. Using the ECNs one could identify the series of changes that was done from design stage to Mass Production and by maintaining the part list one could easily identify the parts added/deleted
-
Hamed Navab
Mechanical / Project Engineer-Product and Manufacturing, SQA Leader, BIM & Sustainability Management Thinker
Given the common of this issue, there are several methods for avoiding such conflicts, particularly those established by automotive standards and instructions. One of the most effective approaches is Engineering Changes Notices (ECN) implementation within System IATF 16949, formerly known as ISO/TS 16949. In this procedure or instruction, each step of the Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) process must be transformed into a series of interconnected processes that take into account both predecessors and successors. This approach also necessitates diligent recording and approval throughout the process.
A common platform can be an effective tool for avoiding conflicts between BOM data and engineering changes. This platform allows you to store, share, and update your data in a centralized and secure location. It can help you track the latest versions and revisions of your BOM data and engineering changes, compare and contrast different versions, collaborate with stakeholders in real time, automate workflows, and integrate with other systems. Utilizing a common platform can also reduce errors, save time, and improve quality.
-
Majid Torabi Rahvar
Quality Engineer at Putzmeister Deutschland
Implement a common platform, such as a Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) system or an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, to centralize and synchronize BOM data and engineering changes. This ensures real-time data consistency, streamlines communication, and minimizes conflicts by providing a single source of truth for all stakeholders.
-
Selvan KRISHNASWAMY
Your notes, I have found useful. BOM, Bill of Material, Draft normally generated before design a product with targetted COCA (carry over carry across). When you go for detail designs, we face some challenges & we change the product, reflection in BOM, thro various systems and manage the simul engineering and cost target. It is painful when you manage the things without common system, lead time required to get various approvals from engineering management. Breaking then loop is cause, which forced to do due to urgency. Be systematic and simple with regional authority to applive their region products
In order to resolve conflicts between BOM data and engineering changes, it is important to establish clear roles and responsibilities for each stakeholder involved in the product development and manufacturing process. This includes defining who is responsible for creating, reviewing, approving, and implementing engineering changes; updating, verifying, and validating BOM data; communicating and reporting BOM data and engineering changes to other stakeholders; and resolving any issues or conflicts that arise from BOM data and engineering changes. By doing so, you can ensure accountability, transparency, and consistency.
-
Majid Torabi Rahvar
Quality Engineer at Putzmeister Deutschland
To resolve conflicts between BOM data and engineering changes, establish clear roles and responsibilities within your organization. Define who is responsible for maintaining BOM data and who has the authority to approve engineering changes. Ensure that these roles are well-communicated and understood, reducing the likelihood of conflicts and ensuring accountability for data accuracy and change management.
-
Mark Holden
Establishing clear roles and responsibilities is paramount when navigating conflicts between BOM data and engineering changes. Each stakeholder in the product development and manufacturing chain should have a defined role, whether it's creation, review, approval, or implementation of changes. This delineation ensures not only accountability but also streamlines updates, verification, and validation of BOM data. A clear communication structure for reporting changes and resolving issues further enhances transparency and consistency throughout the process. By implementing these strategies, potential conflicts can be preemptively addressed or quickly resolved.
Finally, you can resolve conflicts between BOM data and engineering changes by following best practices and standards for managing your data and changes. This includes utilizing a consistent naming convention and format, providing a clear and detailed description and justification for each engineering change, using a standard numbering system and classification for change requests or orders, creating a traceable and auditable history and record, as well as a regular review and validation process. By adhering to these practices and standards, accuracy, completeness, and compliance can be ensured.
-
Antal Ludman
Project Manager at SMP
If you have skilled staff per roll&resp, you need to manage them. If leakage, you need to replace/deputy/train them (prio/urgency ranked mgr task) Find best soln is a mix of Brain Storming, Experience, but motivation first from team. Than you can change the world.
-
Mark Holden
Following best practices and standards is essential in resolving discrepancies between BOM data and engineering changes. Implementing a uniform naming convention and format ensures clarity, while detailed descriptions for each engineering change offer transparency. Utilizing a standardized numbering and classification system for change requests simplifies tracking. Further, maintaining a traceable, auditable record guarantees accountability and aids in retrospective analyses. Incorporating regular review and validation processes reaffirms data integrity. By diligently adhering to these standards, one ensures not only accuracy but also comprehensive compliance throughout the project lifecycle.
-
Alireza Ghahri
Hydraulics and Pneumatics
in my experience, it is so important to pass the design phases completely to avoid a lot of changes on BOM. in fact, when we ignore the importance of the design phase and start to supply and manufacturing during the design phase, we have to publish an incomplete BOM and we have to change it repeatedly and many changes cause more inaccuracy in the BOM
-
Majid Torabi Rahvar
Quality Engineer at Putzmeister Deutschland
In addition to the mentioned steps, consider the following: Data Validation: Implement automated data validation checks to detect discrepancies. Change Notifications: Establish a system for notifying relevant stakeholders of engineering changes. Version History: Maintain a comprehensive version history of BOMs and changes. Audit Trails: Create audit trails to track who made changes and when. Cross-Training: Cross-train team members to ensure redundancy and knowledge sharing. Continuous Improvement: Regularly assess and refine your processes based on past conflicts and resolutions. By considering these additional factors, you can further enhance your ability to resolve conflicts between BOM data and engineering changes effectively.