Creating a BOM for Electronic Components With OrCAD X

June 11, 2024

Cadence PCB Solutions

Key Takeaways

A well-defined BOM is crucial for the accurate design and manufacture of electronic devices.
Live BOM, integrated with Cadence OrCAD X, provides real-time market data and risk assessments for over 1.6 billion parts, ensuring up-to-date and customizable BOMs directly from PCB designs.
Live BOM supports advanced version tracking, allowing multiple authorized users to edit the BOM while keeping a comprehensive record of each change.

OrCAD X Live BOM showing components part details and supply chain details.] — OrCAD X Live BOM shows details on component parts and the supply chain.

A detailed bill of materials (BOM) for electronic components is crucial for the design and manufacturing of electronic devices. The BOM should be precise and comprehensive, eliminating any possibility of misinterpretation, as it outlines all the specifications and requirements that a customer expects the manufacturer to follow.

To manage these modifications effectively, especially when multiple individuals are authorized to edit the BOM, a robust version tracking system is essential. This ensures comprehensive oversight of each alteration and its origin. The BOM is utilized across various departments within many organizations, including electronic design, mechanical engineering, procurement, and manufacturing.

Important Properties of a BOM for Electronic Components

Property	Description
Component Quantity	Total number of identical components needed per PCB.
Reference	Silkscreen code or symbol on the PCB surface to identify component placement.
Description	Details characteristics such as resistance, capacitance, inductance, voltage values, tolerance, and packaging.
Part Number (PN)	Unique identification code assigned by the manufacturer, either numerical or alphanumeric.
Manufacturer	The company that produces the component.
Reference Designator(s)	Labels like "R1, R2, R3" used to specify components on the PCB.
Manufacturer’s Part Number (MPN)	Useful for linking components to their datasheets.
Distributor	Specifies the distributor to assist in tracking cost and lead time variations.
Distributor Part Number	Needed especially in regions like the US to facilitate order placement and sourcing.
Package Type	The physical configuration of the component, such as "SMD 0402".
Mounting Type	Indicates whether a component is surface-mounted (SMD) or through-hole (PTH).
Placement Layer	Specifies the PCB layer that each component belongs to, important for multilayer boards. Generally, components are placed on the top and bottom of the board, although depending on requirements, embedded components can also be implemented.
Alternative Part	Lists suitable replacements for components that may be unavailable.

Solutions for BOMs With Electronic Components

ECAD software should facilitate the extraction of supply chain data to generate a standardized BOM from design data. This customization is vital, as no two designs are the same, and discussing your needs with your BOM vendor ensures the BOM fits your business model.

The BOM should support supply chain and financial management by tracking material lead times and assessing the cost benefits of pre-purchasing components for scheduled production. Modern cloud services enable PCB designers to store, share, and seamlessly integrate the BOM across various systems such as product lifecycle management (PLM), enterprise resource planning (ERP), or inventory managements system (IMS), enhancing traceability and quality control by verifying original manufacturers and sourcing channels.

The BOM's detail-oriented approach ensures that it is clear and concise, aiding multiple departments, including electronic design, mechanical, procurement, and manufacturing. A robust version tracking system is necessary to manage edits by multiple authorized users, ensuring full control over each change and maintaining the BOM's accuracy and integrity.

Live BOM and OrCAD X Provides a Complete Solution

Live BOM, integrated into Cadence OrCAD X, features Sourceability’s market intelligence tool, Datalynq. It offers a dynamic solution that directly addresses the evolving needs of BOM management for electronic components.

With Live BOM integrated directly within OrCAD X Capture, users can access real-time data and risk assessments for over 1.6 billion parts. Below is how Live BOM directly addresses the needs for data management of electronic components:

Benefit Summary	Description
Real-time Data Utilization	By drawing on real-time data from Datalynq’s extensive market intelligence, Live BOM allows users to generate a standardized yet customizable BOM directly from their design, ensuring that the BOM is always up-to-date.
Version Tracking and Data Integrity	Live BOM excels in version tracking and data integrity, allowing multiple authorized users to make changes while maintaining a comprehensive record of each alteration and its origin, which is essential for departments like design and manufacturing.
Supply Chain and Financial Management	It provides detailed oversight by tracking material lead times and enabling strategic pre-purchasing of components to capitalize on cost benefits.
Cloud Integration	Its integration with cloud services facilitates seamless storage, sharing, and synchronization of the BOM across various systems like PLM, ERP, or IMS, enhancing traceability and quality control.
Design Synchronization	Engineers can view their BOM alongside their schematics either in a tabbed view or on a separate monitor, making it easier to manage and update designs in response to market changes.
Dynamic Component Syncing	The tool updates and syncs components based on the manufacturer part number listed in the design’s properties, ensuring that each component is matched with accurate and current market data, maintaining design integrity and market compliance.

Want to see the power of Live BOM in action? Sign up for a free trial of OrCAD X. See firsthand how the integrated Live BOM tool transforms your product development cycle.

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