How Do I Create a Standard BOM in SolidWorks?

Creating a Standard BOM in SolidWorks

SolidWorks is a powerful 3D modeling software widely used in various industries for designing and engineering purposes. One of the essential features of SolidWorks is the Bill of Materials (BOM), which provides a comprehensive list of all the components used in a design.

In this tutorial, we will learn how to create a standard BOM in SolidWorks and explore some helpful tips along the way.

Step 1: Inserting a BOM

To start creating a standard BOM, open your SolidWorks assembly file. Go to the top menu and select “Insert” > “Tables” > “Bill of Materials.”

A dialog box will appear with various options for configuring your BOM.

Step 2: Configuring the BOM Options

In the BOM PropertyManager, you can customize the appearance and content of your BOM. Here are some important options to consider:

Type: Choose between “Top-level only” or “Indented” to define how your BOM will display its components.
Balloon appearance: Enable or disable ballooning for easier component identification.
Show quantities: Decide whether you want to display component quantities in the BOM.
Show virtual parts: Choose whether virtual components should be included in the list.

Once you have configured these options, click “OK” to insert the BOM into your assembly.

Step 3: Customizing Column Headers

By default, SolidWorks generates column headers based on specific properties such as Item Number, Part Number, Quantity, and Description. However, you can easily customize these headers to match your specific requirements.

To do this, right-click on the BOM and select “Properties.” In the “Column Header” section, modify the text as needed.

Step 4: Formatting the BOM

To make your BOM visually appealing and easy to read, you can apply formatting options such as bold text, underlined text, and color changes. Here’s how you can achieve this:

Bold Text: Wrap the desired text within the tags. For example: Component Name.
Underlined Text: Use the tag to underline specific text.
For example: Part Number.
Color Changes: Apply CSS styles to change the color of specific elements within your BOM. For example: Red Text. You can replace “red” with any valid color name or hexadecimal code.

Experiment with these formatting options to enhance the visual appeal of your BOM and make it easier for others to understand.

Step 5: Updating the BOM

As you make changes to your assembly, such as adding or removing components, it’s important to keep your BOM up-to-date. SolidWorks provides an automatic update feature that keeps the BOM synchronized with any modifications in real-time.

If you need to manually update your BOM, simply right-click on it and select “Update.”

Conclusion

Creating a standard BOM in SolidWorks is a crucial step in managing and documenting your assembly designs. By following the steps outlined in this tutorial, you can easily generate a BOM that suits your specific needs.

Remember to customize column headers, apply formatting options, and keep the BOM updated as you make changes to your assembly. With these tips in mind, you’ll be able to create professional-looking BOMs that enhance your design documentation.