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      Mechanical BOM Items

      How to manage Mechanical BOM items on your designs

      Mechanical BOM (MBOM) items are items on the BOM that have no placement data and are not placed by soldering.  These items are typically associated with "secondary assembly" and can include things like conformal coating, housings, and screws.

      Feature Highlights

      1. You can now can view and add MBOM items to a PCB
      2. When MBOM items are created, they can be used on your other PCBs
      3. MBOM items can contain multiple acceptable parts
      4. MBOM items can be viewed alongside the EBOM items to give a complete picture of the BOM

      How can I order projects with MBOM items?

      Secondary assembly and orders with mechanical items can be placed through MacroFab's RFQ process.  MBOM items cannot be included on orders placed on the platform at this time.

      How to Define your Mechanical BOM

      MBOM Item and Parts

      Unlike EBOM items which can be pulled from online catalogs, MBOM items are all manually created.  They do not contain pricing data, availability, designators, or package information.

      Like EBOM items, MBOM items contain a line item and a list of parts.

      Line Items

      • Contain information about what needs to be put on the assembly
      • Should contain the quantity needed for each assembly
      • Can be more generic than Manufacturer data (ex. 3V Coin Cell Battery, M4X5mm screw)

      Parts

      • Contain information about what parts can be used to satisfy a BOM item
      • Should direct a purchasing team on what to purchase
      • Should contain the quantity supplied in the part number specified (ex. a pack of 20 screws)
      • Must contain MPN, Manufacturer, and a description

      Adding and Managing Items and Parts

      Placeholder Items

      You can add a Mechanical Item and define a placeholder item until you figure out which part you want to use.

      Example: You want to add a coin cell battery.  You don't know what part you are going to use but you know it's going to be 3V.

      Adding Parts to Items

      When you decide which part you want to use to satisfy this item, you can add it later.

      Example: You find a battery online you want to approve for use for this line item.

      You will be given the choice to search through my existing mechanical parts or add a new part. 

      If you don't have a part already created you will need to add a new part.

      Reusing a Previously Defined Part

      If you want to add this part to another item or another assembly, it will appear when you search for parts and you do not have to re-enter the information again.

      Example: You are defining another assembly which uses the same battery you defined in a previous assembly.

      Adding Alternates

      You can add multiple parts to a given BOM item, so if you wanted to give the purchasing team the option of buying different parts to satisfy this item you could add another part.

      Example: I don't care if the Panasonic or Energizer battery is used so I add both

      Defining and Item with a Known Part

      If you already know what part is going to be used, you can add the item and define the part without adding a placeholder item.  Whatever part you choose will be used to define the BOM item.  You will specify how many items go on each assembly in the same step you define the part.

      Example:  You need a specific glassing bag and you already have a part in mind when you create the BOM item.

       

      Bulk Uploading Mechanical BOM Items

      Similar to the Electrical BOM (EBOM) you can bulk import BOM items and parts through the "Upload BOM" button on the "Bill of Materials" tab.

      You currently need to upload EBOM and MBOM items in separate files.  We will support a unified BOM upload in the future.

      After clicking Upload BOM you will be given the option to upload an Electrical BOM or Mechanical BOM.  Choose Mechanical BOM and then upload your MBOM file.

      Once you upload the BOM the parts will appear on the bottom of your BOM with the "Type" set to "Mechanical".

      Ordering PCBs with Mechanical BOM Items

      You are currently not allowed to place an order through the platform with Mechanical BOM items.  When you go to quote and order you will see the below warning which lets you place the order without mechanical items or prompts you to request a custom quote.

      You can also create an RFQ from the RFQ page where you can link the PCB you have already created or submit the RFQ first and then create the MBOM items later.  Here you can also specify which additional services you need.