Jeff is the VP for Windchill Digital Thread. His team leads Navigate, Visualization, Windchill UI and Digital Product Traceability. Prior to joining PTC, Jeff spent 16 years implementing and using PLM, CAD and CAE at Industrial, High Tech & Consumer Products companies including leading the first Windchill PDMLink implementation in 2002. He was active in the PTC/USER community serving as Chair for the Windchill Solutions committee and on the Board of Directors for PTC/USER helping to bring voice of customer input together and create a community where people could network for tools and processes. Jeff attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Lehigh University.
The demand for complex and customized products is staggering and shows no signs of slowing down. That is why it is critical to understand and implement the best strategies and tools when it comes to product structures and product structure modeling. From visualizations, managing configuration variations, and avoiding conflicts between design and manufacturing, product structure modeling serves as the backbone of product development, providing a systematic approach to organizing components and information throughout the product lifecycle. When it comes to engineering, IT, or manufacturing, optimized product structures enable users to confidently refine complex models, and ultimately boost product outcomes.
What is product structure?
Product structure is the systematic arrangement of a product's components and sub-components—as they relate to one another and the final product. This includes the physical and logical parts and assemblies that make up the product, as well as the documentation and information that support it throughout its lifecycle.
Why is product structure important?
Product structure provides a clear framework for understanding how a product is put together. This structure is not just a reference for the manufacturing process but also essential for the entire product lifecycle, including design, development, production, maintenance, and disposal. It allows businesses to manage changes effectively, improve product quality, and reduce time to market.
Consider a car as a product, which can be highly complex and feature many variations. One minor change to an assembly in the transmission, say swapping one part out for one constructed of a different material, can have far-reaching effects. Maybe the assembly can’t physically fit together, or it no longer functions properly. The product structure holds all the information to mitigate these types of errors and guides engineers to make the best, most cost-effective choices with relative ease.
What are the benefits of product structure?
When product structures are managed correctly, they bring several advantages to businesses, especially those operating in complex industries (such as manufacturing, engineering, and IT).
Improved data accessibility
By centralizing all product-related data (e.g., CAD models, specifications, documentation), stakeholders across the organization can easily access and manage information from a single source of truth.
Increased cross-team collaboration
A well-defined product structure improves communication across different teams by providing a clear and consistent view of the product components and their relationships. Teams are enabled to collaborate more effectively, as they can better understand their role in relation to the entire product.
Better quality and compliance
Product structures provide traceability for every part or component, which makes tracking issues and performing root cause analysis easier. It also ensures that all components meet the necessary regulatory requirements by maintaining accessible documentation for audits and certifications.
Improved management of complex products
Complex products require managing large volumes of parts and variants; a good product structure makes this much easier. Organizing and tracking the different versions and components ensures that all elements are correctly aligned and updated throughout the product lifecycle.
Faster time-to-market
Well-structured product data reduces ambiguity and accelerates decision-making processes, which speeds up design iterations and production readiness. Teams can work concurrently on different parts of the product without risk of complications, reducing delays and minimizing bottlenecks in the development process.
What are the components of product structure?
Product structure is organized into a hierarchy, or tree-like format, with the final product at the top and then broken down into the main components: assemblies, sub-assemblies, and items. Items refer to any part of the product, while assemblies are groups of items that function together. Sub-assemblies are a level down and include parts that are put together to build assemblies.
Each component should have associated attributes, such as part number, description, material, weight, cost, and design specifications. The product structure also includes detailed documentation explaining how these components fit together. Variant management benefits greatly from product structure, where each configuration can specify optional components or variations.
What is the difference between a product structure and a bill of materials (BOM)?
While both product structure and a bill of materials (BOM) provide details about the components of a product, they serve different purposes. A BOM catalogs the materials, parts, and assemblies needed to construct a product, usually for manufacturing purposes. It is derived from the product structure but focuses on the parts and quantities needed for a specific function, like service or manufacturing.
Product structure
Product structure goes beyond the scope of a BOM’s listing of components by including the relationship between parts and the logic behind their assembly and function. It encompasses the physical and logical parts and assemblies that make up the product and the documentation and information needed to support it throughout its lifecycle. Product structure is essential for understanding the relationships and dependencies between different product parts, providing a comprehensive view of how it is assembled and functions. Unlike the BOM, product structure is used throughout the product lifecycle, including design, development, maintenance, and disposal.
Consider a car as a product. The product structure would include the following levels:
- Car (Final Product)
- Engine (Assembly)
- Cylinder (Part)
- Piston (Part)
- Crankshaft (Part)
- Body (Assembly)
- Doors (Sub-Assembly)
- Door Handle (Part)
- Window (Part)
- Roof (Part)
- Interior (Assembly)
- Seats (Assembly)
- Seat Cushion (Part)
- Seat Frame (Part)
- Dashboard (Part)
- Engine (Assembly)
In this example, the product structure provides a comprehensive view of how the car is put together, showing the relationships between the various assemblies, sub-assemblies, and parts.
Bill of materials
A BOM includes the quantities of each component required and may also specify the source or supplier of each part. The BOM is essential for procurement, inventory management, and production planning as it ensures that all necessary parts are available for production.
Using the same car example, the BOM would include:
-
Car (Final Product)
- Engine (1 unit)
- Cylinder (4 units)
- Piston (4 units)
- Crankshaft (1 unit)
- Body (1 unit)
- Doors (4 units)
- Door Handle (4 units)
- Window (4 units)
- Roof (1 unit)
- Interior (1 unit)
- Seats (5 units)
- Seat Cushion (5 units)
- Seat Frame (5 units)
- Dashboard (1 unit)
- Engine (1 unit)
What is product structure modeling?
Product structure modeling is the process of creating a digital model of a product’s structure. Prior to modeling, a product structure is fairly abstract, whereas a product structure model places all the critical product data through visual context. This model helps visualize and manage the relationships and dependencies between different parts of a product. It is used extensively in designing and developing new products, allowing for simulations and tests in a virtual environment before any physical product is built.
What is product structure management?
Product structure management involves the strategies and tools used to manage and optimize the product structure throughout its lifecycle. It ensures that all product information is current and accurate, facilitating updates and changes efficiently. Disorganized product data is a conduit for confusion among teams, and managing variations or engineering changes is nearly impossible—not to mention parts and components traceability. Additionally, proper product structure, management enables more sophisticated technologies, such as automation tools and digital twins. At the very least, it serves as a reference for all teams to ensure they are aligned on the latest version of a product. But in truth, product structure management is vital for maintaining the integrity and quality of the product over time.
Final thoughts
Understanding and implementing effective product structure practices are vital for any business involved in product development, especially in complex fields like engineering, IT, and manufacturing. With a solid grasp of product structure, businesses can make the most of their configurations through better collaboration and quickly bringing high-quality products to market. Companies can exceed customer expectations by focusing on product structure modeling and management—a winning distinction in today's competitive market.
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