Setting up a Configurable Model using Variant Configuration

Objective

After completing this lesson, you will be able to set up a Configurable Model with Variant Configuration.

Set up a Configurable BOM

When and Why to Use a Configurable BOM

Up to now, you have only produced forklifts in one configuration in your company. Now, you think about manufacturing your forklifts in different variants.

Applicable Process Steps

Product Configuration Modeler: Create characteristics for class (to be used for Variant Configuration)
Product Configuration Modeler: Create class (to be used for variant configuration)
Master Data Specialist: Assign class to product.
Product Configuration Modeler: Create variant table and maintain content.
Product Configuration Modeler: Create a configuration profile and assign a grouping.
Product Configuration Modeler: Create constraint net.
Product Configuration Modeler: Create and assign high-level dependencies.
Production Engineer: Create a super BOM and add stock and class node items.
Production Engineer: Add low-level dependencies to the super BOM.
Production Engineer: Simulate configurable BOM
Product Configuration Modeler: Add low-level dependencies.
Production Engineer: Simulate configurable BOM

Benefits

This process helps you to:

Reduce costs and optimize usability with sophisticated Variant Configuration.
Increase sales force efficiency by higher tool support within order configuration to allow the sales force to focus on selling.
Increase modeling efficiency for new configured product modeling by effective simulation of new product variants and options
Reduce time to market for new products by advanced Variant Configuration modeling and effective simulation of new product variants and options.
Establish efficient collaboration between requirements management and modeler.

Note

This process flow is covered in scope Item: 22T- Setting up a configurable BOM using Variant Configuration.

How to Define a Configurable BOM

Introduction: Setting up a Configurable BOM

Up to now, you've worked with configurable BOMs and materials that have already been created by your engineering colleagues. Now, you think about completing this configuration task by yourself and defining Object Dependencies.

Task 1: Create a Header Material, a Routing and Assign Object Dependencies

The first step is to create a configurable material, done by Product Master Specialist Marie.

Next Product Configuration Modeler Andrea creates a Routing and connects existing Object Dependencies.

Task 2: Create a Characteristic, a Class and Assign It to the Configurable Material

After Product Configuration Modeler Andrea and Product Master Specialist Marie have checked the Object Dependencies of the Routing, Andrea now has the task of creating a Characteristic and a Class.

Task 3.1: Create VC Objects with the Product Modeling Environment PART 1

After the first master data has been created in the previous tasks, this section deals with defining good Variant Configuration objects for the header material. These are Variant tables, Constraints, a Configuration Profile or Object Dependencies.

Task 3.2: Create VC Objects with the Product Modeling Environment PART 2

In the previous part Product Configuration Modeler Andrea has entered the first data in the product modeling environment. Now, she wants to continue their work inside product modeling environment.

Task 4: Create a Configurable BOM

After the necessary Object Dependencies have been created by the Product Configuration Modeler Andrea and assigned to the configurable Material, Production Engineer Anna now has the task of creating the Super BOM. The proper Routing has already been created together with the material in the first step.

Task 5: Perform a Super BOM Simulation

After the master data has been created in the form of a configurable Material a Super BOM and Routing, also Object Dependencies have been defined. Now, a Sales Order could be created and the valuation could be carried out.

However, before a Sales Order is created and a Characteristic value assignment is carried out, Andrea should test whether a Characteristic value assignment leads to the correct components in the Plan and Production order. Therefore, a BOM explosion should be tested depending on a valuation.

Task 6: Maintain a Dependency and Simulate the Configurable BOM

After the super BOM has been created and tested successfully by Andrea in the previous task, an adjustment in the form of a Procedure is now to be made again. A high-level dependency is generated and then simulated again directly.

Now, you should have an impression of "How to set up a configurable BOM".

Summary

After completing this lesson, you are able to:

name the benefits of using a configurable material and material BOM with Variant Configuration
name the necessary process steps of defining a configurable model
define and understand object dependencies
set up a super BOM
work with simulation tools

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