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IntroductionDesigning Configurator model Bills of Material is critical to the success of a Configure-to-OrderOracle implementation.

You need to consider:

Model type.

Model contentrequired and optional items. Model structure. Rules. Your manufacturing process.

This section will discuss:

Model types. Model content. Model structure.

Oracle Configurator model Bills of MaterialConfigurator models in Oracle can be thought of as intelligent Bills of Material. Configurator

models include:

A Bill of Material containing required and optional items. Rules for selecting correct and compatible combinations of items. A User Interface.

Oracle has two types of Configurator model Bills of Material:

Assemble-to-Order (ATO). Pick-to-Order (PTO).

Use an ATO model whenever you need to generate a work order that will progress through your

manufacturing line. Use a PTO model whenever you need to generate a pick list that can befulfilled from inventory.

What goes into a Configurator model BOM

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Configurator models should contain allthe items that might ever be used in any combination.

This will usually include both required and optional items.

In the illustration below, all possible electronics housings, process connections, manuals, safety

tags, etc. have been included in an ATO model Bill of Material (BOM).

Figure 1: Oracle Configurator model BOMs include both required and optional items

Obviously, specific configurations do not require all items. The Configurator is used to select the

optional items used in individual configurations.

This is done by interacting with a custom User I nterfacethat in turn drives rules. The rules

select items from the ATO or PTO model BOM. A sample User Interface is shown below.

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Figure 2: A sample Oracle Configurator User Interface

Oracle Configurator Option classesThe Configurator does not place any limitations on model structure. You may create as manylevels in your BOM as necessary to define your product. You may include both required and

optional items at any level.

In addition, you have complete freedom to define lower-level Phantom and Subassembly item

types just as you would in a non-configurable BOM.

In some cases, it may be desirable to collect a set of similar components into an Option Class.

An Option Class behaves exactly like a Phantom BOMexcept that you may include optional

items.

For example, you might create an Option Class to contain a group of manuals that are written in

different languages and another to contain safety tags for different countries. You might then

have a Country selection in your User Interface that would drive a rule to select the correctoptional manual and safety tag.

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Figure 3: An ATO model BOM with Option Classes

Summary1. Models in Oracle can be thought of as intelligent Bills of Material.2. There are two types of models in Oracle: ATOand PTO.3. Include every item that might be needed in every possible configuration in your model.4. Use the User I nterf aceand rulesto select the optional items needed for a specificconfiguration.5. Structure models with as much complexity as you need to describe your product.6. Use Option Classesto contain similar optional items if needed.7. Option Classes may also contain required items!