A network perspective on the visualization and analysis of bill of materials

Abstract

A bill of materials (BoM), or product structure, is a diagram that lists all the components and parts required to produce one unit of a finished product, or end part. It is often represented as a tree structure with hierarchical relationships among different components and materials. In this article, we introduce two procedures to convert single and multiple BoM into networks. These procedures allow us to leverage the potentialities of networks analysis, providing new perspectives in terms of representation and extractable informative content, and thus gaining insights into the criticalities of parts and components. We conclude interpreting some network measures and their outcomes in terms of practical implications in industrial management, for example, product functional design and, above all, variety reduction programs.