The Importance of BOM (bill of materials) in PCB Assembly

As an electronic contract manufacturing factory, every time we are consulted by customers, we will ask customers to provide a BOM list, and require the standardization and completeness of the BOM list. So, what role does a standardized BOM list play in SMT patch processing? Here is a brief introduction to how important a standardized BOM is in PCBA processing.

The full name of the BOM table is Bill Of Material. In layman's terms, it is a bill of materials for a product, which lists in detail the total number of electronic components or components required to make up this product. PCBA processing manufacturers need to issue production applications to the production department based on the latest BOM list given by customers, formulate production cycles and patch processing processes, compare the bill of materials and inventory, and then purchase missing materials; and the cost accounting of this order also needs to be completed based on the latest BOM list. In short, the BOM table is the basis of all SMT patch processing, but it is also the most important material.

So, what is a standardized BOM table? Several key elements need to include material code, material name, specification parameters, basic usage, component unit, mounting position, material brand, etc., so that operators in each process can clearly and intuitively find the correct components and know their specifications, usage and insertion position.

If the BOM provided by the customer lacks accurate material brand information and complete manufacturer code, and the suffix of the manufacturer code is missing, the PCBA processing may select the conventional series of materials according to the default code. In most cases, IC integrated circuits have different series, which are reflected by different suffixes, which may represent subtle differences in packaging methods, chip packaging, rated voltage and current, and application range. If the BOM is not standardized, the control board processed by the PCBA may have some functional failures, or failures in specific application environments, which is not only difficult to troubleshoot but also wastes labor costs. Therefore, it is recommended that electronic engineers or customers standardize the BOM to ensure that the brand, complete manufacturer code, product name, parameter description and packaging of each material are extremely important.

Every electronic device will constantly optimize solutions or expand functions during its entire product life cycle (which may be several months to several years), from research and development to production and manufacturing, and then to continuous improvement. Just like the current mobile phones, the system is updated almost every year, and the previous bugs are continuously improved through system upgrades. The version model of each upgrade is used to distinguish each version.

Similarly, BOM also needs to be marked with the accurate version number after each update and improvement. After the electronic device version is upgraded, it must be notified to the SMT patch factory in time and the change notification must be communicated. Version upgrade not only means the increase or decrease of materials, but also means the change of front-end design, including modifying the control board schematic, because if the existing circuit board increases or decreases components, it will directly affect the PCB routing. All supporting quotations, steel meshes, fixtures, etc. must be made again, and the old version needs to be marked as expired documents for archiving and immediate deactivation.

In order to better ensure the control process sequence of the version model, the release and launch of the product's BOM list should be transmitted by the R&D department, or signed and confirmed by the R&D engineer and the R&D department supervisor at each level to ensure the accuracy of the BOM list.

The relationship between BOM and product can only be that multiple BOMs correspond to one product, but not one BOM corresponds to multiple products. Even if there are two similar products with only one label content difference, there needs to be a BOM table named with their own standard names and saved separately.

In summary, BOM table plays a pivotal role in electronic manufacturing services. It is not only an important basis for production guidance, but also the basic material for key links such as material procurement and management, cost accounting and control, quality control and traceability, and ERP system integration. Therefore, when providing electronic manufacturing services, EMS manufacturers must attach great importance to the preparation and use of BOM tables to ensure their accuracy, completeness and timeliness.

Tecoo focuses on providing full-process services such as PCBA processing, SMT patch, DIP plug-in processing, industrial control motherboard production and electronic complete machine product assembly test inspection.

Adhering to the concept of "customer-centric, committed to creating value for customers", the main customers are all electronic industrial control companies, and the main managers have been engaged in the PCBA industry for more than 20 years. In the future, we will also take technological innovation as the main line and continuously update advanced production equipment to provide customers with high-quality and efficient professional services.