A 2D drawing sheet is a medium using which engineers communicate. The 2D sheet needs to carry a lot of information about the part. Apart from part dimensions it also contains other information. These pieces of information can be material, process, tolerances, etc. You need to understand the importance of a 2D sheet. In any manufacturing industry, a 2D sheet is the starting point.
Out of all the information a 2D drawing sheet, also consist of information about the materials. The bill of material is a tabulation of the materials in use. For any given part this tabulation indicates its material.
“Why did the Bill of Materials get a tattoo of an exploded view? Because it wanted to show off its assembly skills.”
In this article, we will learn the about the steps to add a bill of material (BOM) to a sheet. The steps are as follows:
- Open the drawing sheet of the assembly/part.
- Now go to Annotations.
- Then Choose the table drop-down.
- As soon as the drop-down opens choose the “Bill of materials”.
- When you click on the bill of material option make sure you have selected any view.
- After clicking the option you will see that in the property manager new window opens.
- Click on Ok to generate the Bill of materials.
Note: If you have assigned materials to each part it would have automatically appeared.
To add a Bill of Materials (BOM) to a SolidWorks drawing, follow these steps:
- Open the SolidWorks drawing where you want to add the BOM.
- Click on the “Tables” dropdown menu in the toolbar at the top of the screen.
- Select “Bill of Materials” from the menu.
- In the Bill of Materials PropertyManager that appears, select the options you want for your BOM. You can choose the BOM type (such as “Indented” or “Parts Only”), which columns to include, and various other settings.
- Click on the location where you want to place the BOM in the drawing.
- The BOM will appear in the drawing, and you can customize its appearance by editing the table format and individual cells as desired.
- Once the BOM is placed, you can update it to reflect any changes to the model by right-clicking on the BOM and selecting “Update”.
That’s it! Your SolidWorks drawing now has a Bill of Materials that can be updated and customized as needed.
Indented vs. Parts Only: Which Type of BOM is Right for Your Project?
When creating a Bill of Materials (BOM) in SolidWorks, one of the first decisions you need to make is what type of BOM to use. The two main types of BOMs in SolidWorks are Indented and Parts Only. Both types have their advantages and disadvantages, so it’s important to choose the right type for your project.
Indented BOMs are the default BOM type in SolidWorks. They are a hierarchical representation of the components in an assembly, showing how the components are related to each other. Indented BOMs are useful for complex assemblies, where there are many levels of subassemblies and components. They make it easy to see the structure of the assembly and how the components fit together. In an indented BOM, each component is listed with its quantity and a reference to its parent assembly. Subassemblies are listed with their own components, and so on.
Parts Only BOMs, on the other hand, are a flattened list of all the components in an assembly, without any hierarchical structure. Parts Only BOMs are useful for assemblies with simple structures or where the relationship between the components is less important. They are also useful for creating cut lists, where the goal is to optimize the use of material by minimizing waste. In a Parts Only BOM, each component is listed with its quantity, part number, and description.
So which type of BOM is right for your project? It depends on the complexity of your assembly and the information you want to convey. If you have a complex assembly with many subassemblies and components, an Indented BOM is likely the best choice. On the other hand, if you have a simple assembly with few components or you want to optimize material usage, a Parts Only BOM may be a better choice. You can always create both types of BOMs and choose which one to use based on your specific needs.
In summary, the choice between Indented and Parts Only BOMs in SolidWorks depends on the complexity of your assembly and the information you want to convey. Both types of BOMs have their advantages and disadvantages, so it’s important to choose the one that best fits your project.
Creating a Professional-Looking BOM in SolidWorks
When creating a Bill of Materials (BOM) in SolidWorks, it’s important to create a professional-looking document that is easy to read and understand. A well-designed BOM can make a big difference in the clarity and organization of your engineering or manufacturing documentation. Here are some tips for creating a professional-looking BOM in SolidWorks:
- Choose the right BOM type: As mentioned earlier, there are two main types of BOMs in SolidWorks: Indented and Parts Only. Choose the one that best fits your project and is most appropriate for your audience.
- Select the appropriate columns: Depending on the type of BOM you choose, you’ll need to select the appropriate columns to include. Some columns you may want to consider including are the component name, quantity, part number, description, and material.
- Customize the formatting: You can customize the formatting of your BOM in SolidWorks to make it look more professional. You can adjust the font size, color, and style, as well as the column widths and row heights.
- Add header and footer information: Include important information in the header and footer of your BOM, such as the title of the document, your company name and logo, and the date. This information will help identify the document and give it a professional look.
- Group similar components: If you have many components that are similar, group them together in the BOM to make it easier to read. For example, if you have multiple screws of the same size, list them as a group rather than listing each one separately.
- Use callouts: Use callouts to point out important features of your assembly or to highlight specific components in the BOM. This can help draw attention to key information and make the BOM easier to read.
By following these tips, you can create a professional-looking BOM in SolidWorks that is easy to read and understand. Remember to customize the formatting, select the appropriate columns, and include header and footer information to make your BOM stand out. With a well-designed BOM, you can improve the clarity and organization of your engineering or manufacturing documentation, and ensure that your team has the information they need to build your assembly correctly.
