EBOM vs MBOM
When it comes to your BOM, sometimes you have to get granular, and knowing the difference between the following two types will be crucial to a successful manufacturing process.
Engineering Bill of Materials, or EBOM
An engineering bill of materials is a list of all of the parts in the a product’s design of a product. It is specific to the design and will not necessarily list all of the components and materials needed to manufacture a product.
An engineering bill of materials is usually laid out by the design engineer in CAD software such as Solidworks or, in the case of an electrical assembly, with electronic design automation (EDA).
An engineering bill of materials (EBOM) should include a list of parts, components, and materials and detailed engineering information such as specifications, tolerances, and standards.
Why an EBOM is important
All manufactured products will start with from an engineering bill of materials (EBOM). Making sure that it is accurate will avoid delays in the manufacturing process.
Further, your manufacturing bill of materials, or MBOM, will be created from the EBOM, so it is important that it the latter is detailed and correct. Any revisions to the design of a product should then be listed in the revised EBOM and updated on the manufacturing bill of materials or MBOM.
Many engineers and software companies have talked about the ending of the divide between the two documents through better PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) software, but, so far there doesn’t seem to be a one-size-fits-all solution for every product or product developer: any BOM is specific to the needs that it addresses of its product, and multiple BOM’s may be necessary for one single product (for Engineering, Manufacturing, and Purchasing). There doesn’t seem to be a one-size fits all solution for every type of product or product developer.
As with everything in manufacturing, it’s a lot less expensive and time consuming to get the EBOM right the first time.
MBOM Manufacturing bill of materials
A Manufacturing Bill of Materials or MBOM is the recipe or road map for manufacturing any physical product. The MBOM should be organized to support the assembly. It should include any details and materials needed to build, assemble, and package your product.
This could include solvents, glues, decals, seals etc. that may not be listed in the EBOM. A well thought out MBOM may also include notes and assembly instructions.
A quality MBOM should be developed by the design engineer, product developer and manufacturing team. Having everyone involved in the process of developing and polishing this document will keep everyone on the same page.
If you haven’t already, check out our detailed article on how to create a BOM.
Jason Post
Director of Business Development