Skip to main content

How do I use the Bill of Materials (BoM) Quote interface in DesignSpark Mechanical?

This tutorial requires:

DesignSpark Mechanical V6.0

The Bill of Materials quote interface is a valuable time saving tool which will produce a useful list of the parts required for a design. Clearly it is vital that the Bill of Materials (BoM) is an accurate reflection of the design and there are a few things to bear in mind to ensure this is the case:

1. The BoM list will be based on what is in the Structure Tree for the design.

94b1b6f2827124e0544f53da8836037d118b6158.png

Each component in the Structure Tree should contain some physical structure which is revealed when the ⊳ is clicked. If nothing is revealed (in the bucket) when the ⊳ is clicked, this is known as an empty component and it will appear on the BoM even though it is not in the model. The main way empty components are created is if a part is Triple click selected then deleted out of the design frame. It will disappear from the design but remain as an Empty Component in the Structure Tree. If you are unsure, before creating a BoM, right click on the design file name at the top of the structure tree and click Delete Empty Components (see below):

b4401c411a6cccbca7855ae0c6af3ff10d3c9b22.png

Items may be added to the structure tree (and appear on the BoM) without necessarily appearing in the model. For example, you may want to add cable ties or heat shrink shrouding as consumable items for the installation. To add items in this way right click on the design file name at the top of the Structure Tree and then click New Component.

32c9ea796b1fcaa461114d79201cfb7b907899d4.png

The new item can then be named and will immediately appear in the BoM list but not in the model:89dd3e190e73e6b46d00302d02d6e612d6973c43.png

To add this component to your Bill of Materials, right-click on it and 'add to Bill of Materials'. You can enter/change any part data and description from the properties of the component.

15c997e51bd39b40836f3f8d4e938662953eb370.png

2. BoM Formats

The BoM function is held within the Design tab and gives access to a choice of formats, including full line detail and parts only information. Below are some additional BoM templates that can be downloaded. You can import them by clicking 'Bill of Materials' and then 'Templates'.

2a6d3673d0b7aeee76dc7f0856f14559f1ca4d84.png

Partsonly.scbomtemplateParts onlyBoM lists only part numbers and related quantities
indented.scbomtemplateIndentedIndented list of parts following structure tree hierarchy

You can also import your custom BoM templates and export the final BoM as a CSV file.

When you are ready to proceed you can order directly from RS Online using the 'BoM Quote' button within the Design tab.

3db0ca0aff057350902dde15ba330b619430d29a.png

RS DesignSpark is the go-to platform for students, makers, hobbyists and professional design engineers, providing design resources such as the award winning DesignSpark PCB and DesignSpark Mechanical CAD software. Join the community today at https://www.rs-online.com/designspark/register
DesignSpark Electrical Logolinkedin