Creating an accurate bill of materials (BOM) is an essential step in maintenance management. This step ensures the efficient execution of maintenance processes. It is valuable for technicians, stockroom personnel, and managers when performing their respective maintenance duties. Knowing how to create and use BOM will result in a maintenance program that optimizes all resources.
What is a Bill of Materials (BOM) in Maintenance?
Generally, a bill of materials or BOM is a document that contains a list of items needed to make a product or accomplish a task. In manufacturing, a BOM contains the list of raw materials and packaging items used to make the end products.
In maintenance, a bill of materials is a detailed list of parts needed to repair or maintain a machine, equipment, or other assets. Maintenance managers use BOMs as a reference when planning maintenance programs or strategies. Technicians refer to BOMs for faster and more accurate execution of machine repair or inspection. Stockroom personnel or clerks use BOMs to maintain stocking levels and organize the materials and tools necessary for maintenance.
Benefits of Using Maintenance BOMs
The following are some of the common benefits of using a bill of materials in maintenance:
- Efficiency – A BOM facilitates faster maintenance, minimizes errors in identifying parts or tools needed for specific machines, and reduces the preparation time for repair or inspection.
- Performance – A BOM helps provide organized and focused maintenance, allowing technicians to perform their duties better because they have everything they need and are not wasting time.
- Reduced Downtime – A bill of materials reduces machine downtime by allowing the early preparation of tools and materials and minimizing trips to the maintenance stockroom.
- Reduced Waste – Because a BOM identifies the exact number or quantity of materials needed, technicians use the appropriate amount, preventing waste or excess materials or tools. Waste is further reduced by purchasing only when necessary and at quantities dictated by the assets’ BOMs.
What to Include in a Bill of Materials?
In the maintenance bill of materials, the following information must be included:
- Asset name and details
- Tools or equipment required
- Tools or equipment location
- Part or component name
- Part or component number
- Description of the part or component
- Quantity requirements for the part or component
- Unit price of the part or component
- Brand or vendor name and number of the part or component
Creating a Maintenance Bill of Materials
When creating a bill of materials for maintenance, here are the essential things to consider:
Update BOM Regularly
Because BOMs must be used as a standard for all your maintenance purposes, updating them is critical. Recent maintenance work, for example, can cause changes in the machine that needs to be included in the next bill of materials. Outdated information can be harmful to the technician and the machine.
Ensure the accuracy and relevance of a BOM by keeping records of all maintenance work done on every machine. Conduct a regular review of BOMs with the actual maintenance repair performed by your technicians.
Create a User-friendly Bill of Materials
A BOM should be easy to read, understand, and use. It may be a formal document, but it should still be readable for managers, technicians, and personnel with different educational backgrounds or levels of understanding. Technicians, in particular, need a concise bill of materials that they can follow and use instantly.
Write BOMs in readable fonts and font sizes. Include all necessary identification names and marks of the machine parts or components. Save any maintenance instructions and reminders for the standard operating procedures (SOPs) and work orders.
BOMs are Interrelated
Assets’ BOMs can share the same parts, tools, equipment, etc. You can organize BOMs based on asset locations. Thus, you’ll have a system where similar locations share common parts or components, for efficient storage and dispatch. Furthermore, you can organize BOMs based on the frequency of use, allowing you to group assets and asset parts according to priority or criticality.
Review BOMs and maintenance work orders to understand the interconnection of the different assets and their parts. This way, you can organize and devise a more streamlined process for executing maintenance schedules and work orders.
Manage Bill of Materials with CMMS
A bill of materials is an essential document that makes managing maintenance work more efficient and accurate. And by digitizing BOMs, you can take that efficiency and accuracy to the next level. This is possible with a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS).
With a digital, cloud-based CMMS like Redlist, your bill of materials is accessible, secure, and easy to update. No more paper copies that are prone to errors, damage, or loss. Redlist can connect BOMs to every work order and show detailed and up-to-date information on each material, tool, or machine. Want to see how Redlist improves your BOM creation and use? Schedule a free demo today!
