Alternate Internal Part Numbers (Alternate IPNs) include capabilities in the following areas of FactoryLogix:

• Defect creation (Production)

• Capture materials activity (NPI)

• Sub-Assembly activity (NPI)

• BOM processing (NPI)

Defect creation

When you create a new defect in the Production client application, the Add Defect dialog gives you the option to collect the defect three ways: By Reference, By Part Number, or By Assembly. When you select By Reference or By Part Number, an additional Alternate Part Number drop-down displays.

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Capture Materials activity

The Capture Materials activity in NPI allows you to capture inventory whose part number is a permitted alternate part number for the part number identified in the BOM. How the permitted alternate part numbers are identified varies depending on the Alternate IPN Strategy global setting value:

• If the global setting is set to Maintain a Global Alternate IPN for Each Part Number, the permitted part numbers for a BOM line item include:
  
  

  • The revision of the part number identified in the BOM Line Item

  • Any other revisions of the part number identified in the BOM Line Item as allowed by the Revision Mode

  • The alternate part numbers listed in the global Part Library for the revisions of the part number identified in the BOM Line Item
    
    

• If the global setting is set to Maintain a BOM Level Alternate IPN for Each Part Number, the permitted part numbers for a BOM line item include:
  
  

  • The revision of the part number identified in the BOM Line Item

  • Any other revisions of the part number identified in the BOM Line Item as allowed by the Revision Mode

  • The alternate part numbers listed for the BOM Line Item
    
    

Sub-Assembly activity

The Sub-Assembly activity in NPI is similar in function to the Capture Materials activity; it allows the capture of inventory whose part number is a permitted alternate part number for the part number identified in the BOM. As with the Capture Materials activity, the location of the permitted alternate parts list is determined by the Alternate IPN Strategy global setting value.

BOM Processing

Additional functionality for alternate part numbers was added to the following BOM processing capabilities.  

Import a BOM from a file

When loading a BOM from a file using the NPI client application, an operator is required to map columns in the BOM file to FactoryLogix field values (Map Row to Column Headers). The list of field values includes:

• IPN & Description

• Manufacturer Part Number & Manufacturer PN Description

• Customer Part Number & Customer PN Description

• Vendor Part Number & Vendor PN Description

• Alternate IPN

• Alternate IPN Description

Import a BOM from V7

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The Import from V7 function includes a BOM import as part of this import of a process from a Fusion/v7 installation. When you import an alternate part number with the Import from V7 feature, the part description is included.

Import a BOM as part of process import from FLX

The Import from FLX feature in NPI includes a BOM import as part of the process import from another FactoryLogix installation. When you import alternate part numbers with the Import from FLX feature, the part descriptions are included.

BOM synchronization with the Part Library

A global option was added to the list of BOM Management settings under the Option Type: BOM Publishing – Synchronization. The Alternate Part Number (Alt.IPN) Synchronization setting determines how imported alternate part information is used to update the global Part Library during BOM publishing. As with the IPN, CPN, MPN, and VPN Synchronization settings, this setting has the following values:

• Never Override

• Always Override

• Update Missing Information Only (Default value)

• Prompt User (Side-By-Side Comparison)
  
  

CAD-BOM Data Source

The results from the CAD-BOM data source includes alternate part numbers and the description for each alternate part number currently reported.

BOM Viewer operator interface gadget

Two columns are available when you use the BOM Viewer Operator Interface gadget.

• Alternate Part Number - When selected, displays any alternate part numbers for the BOM line item is displayed.

• Alternate Part Number with Description - When selected, displays any alternate part numbers along with their corresponding part description (displayed in parentheses) for BOM line items.

If a BOM Line Item has more than one alternate part number, the values are concatenated, each separated by a comma.

BOM Block operator interface gadget

A new column is available when you use the BOM Block Operator Interface gadget.

• Alternate Part Number with Description - When selected, displays any alternate part numbers along with their corresponding part description (displayed in parentheses) for the BOM Line Item is displayed.

If a BOM Line Item has more than one alternate part number, the values are concatenated, each separated by a comma.

BOM Block (Visual Aid Tools tab)

Two columns now available when you use the Visual Aid Tools tab in the NPI process Definition window to add a BOM Block:

• Alternate Parts - Displays a BOM block column with alternate part numbers for BOM line items. 

• Alternate Parts With Description - Displays a BOM block column with alternate part numbers and their corresponding descriptions in parentheses for BOM line items

If a BOM line item has more than one alternate part number, the values are concatenated, each separated by a comma.