A product configuration is a unique list of features, options,
and quantities for a model version that is ordered or selected by an internal
engineering department or by a customer. It is also the list of variant values
and options for a logical feature.
Design Engineers use
product configurations to generate sample product
configurations to validate a model version's structure and rules at any point
in a model version's lifecycle. Engineers can use a sample product
configuration to test and validate
compatibility rules and generate a
Precise Bill of Materials (PBOM). After successful test and validation, the
sample product configurations can be deleted.
When a configuration is successfully specified and validated, the system
creates a custom product configuration and it is promoted to the Active state.
Structures and rules are defined for the model version to validate these
product configurations and to generate a PBOM. The PBOM is a list of all parts
needed to manufacture a defined configuration. When you configure a model
version, you select the
features, options, and quantities for the model
version. You also name and describe the configuration so you and others can
easily identify it in the future. Any configuration you create is custom for
your company. Anyone else who is able to log into the
app
in your company can order and review these custom configurations. Your company
can use
Variant Management
to quickly determine whether a product configuration violates the rules defined
for the model version. If the product configuration violates a rule, the
app
tells you which rule is violated. If the product configuration conforms to all
rules, the configuration is valid and a PBOM can be created for it.
When a product configuration is promoted to the Active state, the system
verifies that the selected options are in sync with the current model version
definition. If the product configuration has structure
effectivity defined on it, the structure used to
handle the validation is retrieved based on the defined start effectivity date.