Managing your product development andmanufacturing processesrequires you to understand your people, parts, and processes. Keeping careful track ofindividual partsand assemblies is an important aspect of product development and manufacturing and can very much factor into the success of your products.
Apart numbering systemhelps you track and name each part and assembly in your library by assigning an immutableunique identifier. This can help you organize new parts, trackexisting parts, and stay on top of yourprocurementneeds. In this article, we’ll highlight some of the benefits of having an effectivepart numbering systemand give you some actionable best practices for establishing one within your organization.
What are part numbering systems?
Hardware organizations use apart numbering systemto help track, organize, and label all the parts and assemblies used across the productlifecycle. The system helps reduce part duplication as well as categorize parts so that you can work more efficiently and minimize miscommunication across teams.
It’s important to keep yourpart numberingas simple as possible. If thepart number schemeis overly rigid, complex, or ambiguous, it can be tough to implement, potentially slowing down processes and causing production mistakes. Yourpart numbering systemshould be based in yourproduct lifecycle managementsoftware (PLM), so that you can prevent conflicts with external part numbers, as well as more easily navigate differentbills of materials(BOMs).
If yourpart number systemis based in computer-aided design (CAD) software or an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, it can be difficult to track and manage data across these disparate systems. APLM, on the other hand, centralizes data from all these sources to provide a complete view of all your product content.
Risks of using disparate part number schemes
Utilizing multiplepart-numbering schemesis fraught with risk. The main risk is miscommunication between suppliers, internal departments, and even customers. When two different parties refer to the same part with different identifiers, it can easily lead to delays or mistakes in production.
Instead, you want to have aunique identifierfor each unique set of parametrics of a part that is used across all systems and understood by all stakeholders. You can have multiple unique elements assigned to a part, like the manufacturer part number (MPN) or supplier PN. These additional identifiers can further reduce duplication and present multiple dimensions of uniqueness, but the primary identifier should be theindividual partnumber generated in yourPLM platform.
Benefits of an effective part numbering system
An effectivepart numbering systemcan significantly benefit your organization. Below, we’ll discuss a few main reasons why investing time and effort into constructing a solidpart number systemis worth it.
Helps to avoid duplication within your part library
Duplicates in yourPLMpart library can lead to confusion and issues in procuring the correct parts. With apart number systemin place, each item has aunique identifierthat will, if implemented correctly, remove duplicate items in yourPLMpart library
Prevents mistakes in data entry
Manualdata entrypresents a risk of errors or inconsistencies being introduced into any software system.Data entryerrorscan significantly impact your business through the creation of mistakes that propagate into production. With an automatedpart number systemin place, you can reduce the likelihood of errors by ensuring part numbers are entered into the system correctly and that all associatedmetadatais linked to the correctunique part number.
Serves as a common ID to connect disparate software systems
Businesses often use manydifferent software systemsto run their operations. Nearly every aspect of business has a different platform, which can lead to confusion within your processes. When you have a common ID for each of your parts, they remain consistent no matter which platform someone is using, from yourERP systemto your financial software. Part numbers created in yourPLMcan easily betransferred to your ERPor manufacturing execution system (MES) via an integration to maintain this consistency.
Saves time and money in ordering the precise parts
If you’ve ever placed an order for the wrong part before, you understand the frustration of having too many of thewrongparts and not enough of therightparts. This type of mistake willcost you moneyand waste time. You can be more precise when ordering parts if you haveunique part numbers, so you can ensure you have enough of what you need when you need it.
7 best practices for part numbering systems
Now that you know whypart numbering systemsare so important for yourPLM system, let’s dive into some of the best practices you should use when creating yourpart numbering system.
It’s also important to note that different suppliers will use differentpart number schemes, so you need the right tools to integrate your systems.
1) Employ a semi-intelligent customer part number (CPN) scheme
Using the right scheme in yourpart number systemis the first best practice to keep in mind. While in the past, there was an emphasis on having an intelligentpart numbering scheme, now we know that a “non-intelligent” system can work just as well in many situations.
A semi-intelligentpart numbering schemeserves as an optimal middle ground for most companies as it provides a hybrid between thenon-intelligentand intelligent options. A semi-intelligent part number typically includes aprefixand asuffix. Theprefixis often a category-based series of digits and thesuffixis a counter that is incremented for each new instance of the category. Overall, a semi-intelligent scheme will allow you to get the benefits of a parts numbering system without added complexity.
2) Use numeric item identifiers
When you pick identifiers for your parts, you want to make sure that they arenumeric(numbers) and not alphabetic (letters). Letters can be hard to recognize in certain fonts or can even be confused with numbers, like the letter O and the number 0. Numbers are easier to identify, which reduces the number of data errors and makes it simpler for your teams to use and share with suppliers and vendors.
3) Keep part number length consistent
You also want to make sure that the part numbers you create are of a consistent length. Usually, somewhere between six and eight digits is a good length. When your part numbers are the same length across all categories and systems, you can reduce the chance of error and create consistency across the board. However, you don’t want the numbers to be so short that you end up exceeding the quantity of part numbers that you’ve allocated.
4) Ensure item identifier numbers are unique and permanent
Each item identifier you use should be unique. There should be no duplicates or copies of part numbers, no matter how many systems you use. You also want to make sure that the part number is permanent, so it won’t constantly change or update over the course of the productlifecycle, which can lead to communication anddata entryerrors.
You can avoid part number duplicates with the help of aPLM systemlike Duro, which can validate eachnew part numberand check the system for duplicates.
5) Avoid using special characters and leading zeros
When you create apart number system, you want to avoid “leading zeros,” which refers to a zero — or string of zeros — at the front of the part number. Some software tools will strip off leading zeros from anumericvalue, thereby corrupting the intended part number. You will also want to ensure that any breaks in the number are made usingdashesor ahyphen, not a space or a letter.
6) Utilize category-based part numbering
Utilizingpart categorieswithin yourpart numbering schemewill allow you to easily find parts and filter through your component library. The category portion of the part number, as mentioned above, is typically contained within a three- to four-digitprefixof the part number. With a category-basedpart numbering scheme, companies can stay more organized as well assave time and reduce part duplication.
7) Base your part numbering system in PLM and not CAD
Some companies make the mistake of basing theirpart numbering systemin a computer-aided design tool (CAD) rather than theirPLM system. This cancause problemsbecause aCADtool doesn’t have access to other parts and assembles not generated within thatCADpackage. It can’t assign numbers as needed because it doesn’t “know” about them. In addition, this workflow opens up the risk that twoCADtools generate the same number for different parts.
When you use a holisticPLMlike Duro, you know that when you enter new BOMs, parts, and assemblies into the system, anew part numberis assigned to each item and is tracked consistently. APLMacts as a centralized repository that all data sources can connect to, so part numbers are easily shared between your other integrated systems. This allows your company to build data cohesion and ensure proper communication.
Create your part numbering system effortlessly with Duro
Apart numbering systemhelps you regain control and improve your product development andmanufacturing processes. With a propersystemin place, you can communicate effectively between all internal and external stakeholders. Without one, you can waste time and money correcting mistakes that are likely to occur in production.
Hardware organizations don’t need to create their ownpart number systems. They can use aPLMlike Duro that comes with an integratedpart numbering system.Duro PLMautomatically generates and assigns part numbers when BOM components are created in thePLMor integratedCADtools.Once assigned, part numbers are immutable and cannot be reused (thus avoiding the potential for part number duplication) by another component, even if the original component is deleted.
To learn more,check out Duroand see how we can improve your business processes through a cloud-nativePLMwith an integratedpart number system.
