Introduction to Data Management of Configurable Products
This article was originally published in Valokynä, a quarterly publication for Finnish CAE & PLM professionals.
Today, we will explore how configurable products can support manufacturing.
Let's continue the blog-post series about explaining the basics of Configurable Products.
In case you have not yet read, these are the earlier posts related to the series:
- How to build a product, that You could sell and deliver easily to multiple customers?
- How to model the product in engineering effectively?
- How to create sales model with VariSuite CPQ – Configure Price Quote?
In our previous blog-post, we talked about creating the sales model for configurable products.
Today, we will explore how configurable products can support manufacturing.
When engineers create a technical product model, they often need to modify it for manufacturing purposes. This can involve re-structuring the product model or generating documents based on order parameters. Configurable products can make this process easier and more efficient.
With simple products, sales parameters may be enough to fulfill all technical parameters. However, for more complex products, parameter values may need to be added or rules created to convert sales parameters to technical parameters. This is where VariSuite production configurator comes in.
VariSuite can configure the technical product configuration as order-based items and structures, known as the Engineering Bill of Material (EBOM). VariSuite makes it easier to generate a Manufacturing Bill of Material (MBOM) or any other structure based on the EBOM structure.
Using VariSuite's Derived Structures method, multiple other structures can be generated, such as plant-based product structures, delivery structures, spare part structures, routings, and installation task structures. These structures can consist of new items and structures based on rules.
VariSuite can also generate documents, such as drawings or other technical documents, based on production configuration and order-based data. This allows for easy sharing of new product data with production, subcontractors, and partners with flexible access rights.
By using VariSuite to configure and generate manufacturing data, companies can streamline their manufacturing processes and reduce errors. With accurate and detailed product data, manufacturers can shorten lead times, improve product quality, and lower production costs.
In conclusion, configurable products can greatly benefit manufacturing processes by providing accurate and detailed product data. By using VariSuite to generate manufacturing data, companies can optimize their manufacturing processes and achieve greater efficiency.
