I have some answers for three questions regarding EBoM and MBoM that I like to double check with you, please comment, change, suggest or enhance the answers.
Questions are in black and answer that needs to be check are in RED
CASE of USE - Import of EBoM to IFS
After to import EBoM (Engineering Bill of Materials) to IFS, I’d like to know if the following actions can be done
- Is it possible in IFS MBoM to select different authorized alternatives parts? Yes, you can add alternate parts to each part defined in a product structure, either at EBoM (Asset Design) or MBoM (Manufacturing product structure); also you have the concept of a structure alternate defines the state of a configuration structure and represents a slightly different way of making the same part. The differences might be based on the quantity of parent parts being built, the use of acceptable alternate materials, or some other non-standard condition that indicates a different structure.
- Can you group different subsets of the MBoM in order to assemble each one separately? Yes, you can group manually in sub-assemblies
- Can you define rules in order to create different MBoMs from EBoMs? Yes, you can using Back office configuration rules
Back office configuration rules allow you to define manufacturing rules governing the structure and routing elements to include in a manufacturing order for an instance of a configured part. Rules attached to manufacturing structures and routings tell the system how to interpret valid configuration specifications for the parent part. For example, rules establish how to select the proper structure components based on values for the product's configuration characteristics and options.
Evaluation of a specific configuration results in the specific structure and routing information necessary to manufacture the part. Multi-level configuration structures (see About Configuration Structures) , where the configured parent includes other configured sub-assemblies or purchased components, are also considered in back office rules. Configurations for these components are created either by inheriting characteristic values from the parent or by deriving them from rules. Dynamic Order Processing (DOP) can be used to manage and execute the bill of orders resulting from a multi-level configuration structure.
Configuration back office rules can be attached to different elements of the part's structure and routing, allowing selection and/or manipulation of the following hierarchical outline:
Structure
Configuration Structure Alternate
Configuration Structure Components
Component Work Guideline
Routing
Routing Structure Alternate
Routing Operations
Operation Work Guidelines
Routing Operation Tools
Back office rules assume a starting point of a valid configuration specification, such as a valid sales configuration entered via IFS/Front Office. These values and others calculated or otherwise derived during the configuration explosion can be used within the back office rules.
Configuration Conditions and Actions
The application is structured into two different types of rules: Conditions and Actions.
A condition allows you to define logical expressions to determine selection criteria based on specific configuration values or ranges of values. For example, conditions could be used to select or exclude certain components based on configuration values. The expressions are expressed as Boolean logic in the form of an equation, similar to a programmatic IF/THEN statement. If the condition evaluates to True, then the item associated with the rule is selected. For example, you could define a part RED PAINT in the structure with the condition COLOR = RED where COLOR is a configuration characteristic and RED is a discrete option value for the part. If the configuration specifies RED, then RED PAINT is included in the structure. You can also combine several conditions using AND/OR operators and parentheses if desired to make more complex statements like, COLOR = RED AND LENGTH > 20. You can also compare the value of an optional characteristic against Null. An absence of conditions means the item is automatically selected.
An action allows you to define commands to manipulate data during the back office rule evaluation, either by modifying data for the record being evaluated, inserting additional records, or defining characteristics to use in subsequent processing steps. For example, you can set the quantity per assembly for a component based on values in the configuration or by using a configuration formula.
Actions are performed whenever their associated record is included, i.e., if the conditions evaluate to True. The following action types can be defined as part of back office rules:
- Can you define different alternative parts inside MBoM when the EBoM hasn’t got any? Yes you can do, also you can track it through Engineering Change Orders (ECO)