Bill of materials

A Bill of Materials (BOM) is a comprehensive list of the materials, parts, components, and sub-assemblies needed to manufacture or build a product. It typically includes the item name, part number, description, quantity, unit of measure, and sometimes additional information such as vendor names, lead times, and costs.

BOMs are used by engineers, designers, and manufacturers to ensure that all necessary components are accounted for and properly ordered, and to maintain accurate records of all the materials used in the production process. They are also useful for estimating costs, managing inventory, and tracking changes to the design or production process.

BOMs can be created manually using spreadsheets or other software tools, or automatically generated by computer-aided design (CAD) or product lifecycle management (PLM) software. They are commonly used in industries such as manufacturing, aerospace, automotive, and electronics.