Variant Configuration

What is Variant Configuration?

It is a tool which helps to simplify the

complex manufacturing of final product
with more varieties and Variation of the
input material.

e.g. Automobile manufacturing

Furniture manufacturing

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 Variant Configuration..contd
Variant configuration helps

¾To ensure right choice is delivered

¾Easy for the sales person to select

¾Communication is fast and clear

¾Ensures production of right item

 Variant Configuration-super
BOM
Super BOM:-

containing all the components for producing

all variants of the product.

Advantage:-
¾No need to create a separate BOM
¾One configurable material to cover variants.
 Variant Configuration-super
Routing
Super Routing:-

containing all the operations for producing

all variants of the product.

Advantage:-
¾No need to create a separate Routing

¾One configurable material to cover variants.

 Configurable Material - BOM

configurable material BOM contains all the

components that are required to manufacture
the material.
The BOM contains components that are
only used in specific variants (variant parts),
as well as components that are used in all
variants (non-variable parts)
Configurable Material - Routing

A routing (or task list) for a configurable

material contains all the operations,
operation sequences, and production
resources/tools (PRTs) that are required to
manufacture all variants of a configurable
material
 Variant Configuration-Class
To define the features of a configurable
material, use characteristics. To
enable to use characteristics to configure a
material, assign the material to a class of
class type 300. The customer can choose
from among different options for each
characteristic (values).
 Classification & Characteristic
Various characteristics of the material can be
Defined and these characteristics are attached
To the class. Class is attached to the
Material master.
e.g Variant class – class type 300
Batch class -- class type 022
 Item selection from super BOM
•Enter the variant part as a BOM item
and assign object dependency to it.
•Classify the variant part in a class and
enter the class as a class item in the BOM.
•Use the classification data of a material
as a selection condition.
 Object Dependency
Selection of item, Restricting the selection &
changing the quantity of an item in the
BOM are done through Object dependencies
select condition, Precondition and
Procedure respectively
 Select Condition
Super BOM contains all the required and
Variable items. From the variable items
required items will be selected which are
Matching the characteristic value.
 Select Condition e.g.
Items in the super BOM are :
1. 70hp engine
2. 85hp engine
3. 95hp engine

Characteristic: Power
Char.Values: 70hp,85hp & 95hp
select Condition : power = ’70’

Result:- item 70hp engine will be selected.

 Pre Condition e.g.
Items in super BOM related to emission are :
1. DPCpump
2. DPAMpump
3. HYDpump

Characteristic1: Engine_Power
Characteristic2: Emission_level
Char.2 Values : euro1,euro2 & euro3
Constrains:-
70hp can go with euro1 only;
85hp can go with all euro1,euro2 and euro3;
95hp can go with euro3 only.
 Procedure e.g.
If there is a change in quantity depends on any
Characteristic value, then Procedure is used.

i.e Depends on number of wheel character, item

‘Fastner’ required quantity per engine may be
8 times the number of wheel.

If no of wheel is 4 then fastner qty should be 32

Per product.
 Creating Sales Order
When creating a sales order & enter the
configurable material as an order item.

see the configuration editor, where assign

values to the characteristics of the material.
when entering characteristic values,
dependencies for the characteristics and
values are processed.
 Class item in super BOM

Another way to simplify the BOM creation

Process is through class item in the BOM
 Creation of class
Characteristics are created and attached with
Class of class type 300(variant class).

Class will be assigned to the material master

With characteristic values

Enter this class as a class item (K) in the BOM

Link between class,item & BOM
Link is established as class attached to the
material master and the same class is entered
As class item (K) in the BOM.
 Item selection via class item
When the particular class is assigned to the
Material master and the same class is
Entered as a class item in the BOM, while
Creating the sales order
 Control on class and
characteristics
Classes can be created through Engineering Change
Management so that the better control can be
Imparted to it.
Changes to the characteristic & its effective from
dates can be triggered through Engineering change
Management.
Variant Configuration - Pricing
You can make the price of a variant
dependent on the characteristic values
assigned (Pricing). You can use
variant conditions to define surcharges
and discounts for a variant
 Variant – Pricing steps
Create condition record

create a procedure where you enter the

reference from the characteristic

Assign the procedures to either the

characteristic values

configure the material in the sales order

The net price for the material is displayed

 Pricing steps - process
If a value that triggers a variant condition is
selected when configuring a material in a
sales order, the price of the material
displayed under Net value is automatically
increased or reduced.

In addition, the Conditions pushbutton is

displayed. On pressing this pushbutton,
One can see which conditions have
influenced the price.
Making variant make to stock
For variants that are required frequently,
you can create material variants, which
can be produced without a sales order
and kept in stock. When you receive a
sales order, you can check whether the
variant required is in stock, so that you can
deliver immediately.
 Variant matching in the SO
If material variants already exist for a
configurable material, the configurable
material can be replaced in the sales order
by a material variant.
Material variants that only partly match the
configuration of the material in the
sales order are ignored
Note:-The configuration of the material must
match the material variant Exactly
 Simulating configuration
configuration simulation to check
configuration model.

In the configuration simulation, one can test

whether it has created the objects
correctly and whether dependencies
work.
 Simulating costing
Use the configuration simulation functionality
to determine the costs for manufacturing a
specific variant of the configurable material.
Please note that this configuration is only a
simulation – the costing data for a variant is
not saved.

use the function to simulate the costing for

different characteristic values
 Material Accounting
Relevant items are selected from the
Super BOM through object dependency.

The selected items form the BOM specific to

SO.

Items are copied to Plnd.order,prod.order

And issued against the production order.
 Example of VC
Finished Material : Bolerojeep

Raw Material :- Many items

 Characters
(structure options)
Engine Power

Emission Level

Seating Capacity

Body Material Thickness & colour

Number of wheels
Character value & constraints
Engine Power –
70hp, 85hp, 95hp

Emission Level –
Euro1, Euro2, and Euro3

Matching
70hp can go with Euro1 only
80hp can go with all
95hp can go with Euro3 only
 Character value
Seating Capacity –
6 ,7 and 8

Body Material Thickness & colour --

0.5mmwhite;0.6mmwhite;0.7mmwhite
0.5mmred;0.6mmred;0.7mmred
0.5mmblack;0.6mmblack;0.7mmblack

No.of Wheels – 4 or 5
This is to select the qty of fastner
Sales Order Creation
Assigning characteristic values
Selecting characteristic values
Selecting characteristic value for constrain
Selecting characteristic value for constrain-85hp
characteristic values for 85hp Engine Power
Complete characteristic values
View the Sales Order
MRP result Planned order with selected items
Planned order detail
View of Super BOM
View of Super BOM…contd
View of Super BOM…contd
 Planning for standard variant

Planning of fast moving product as a

standard item and Matching at the time
of creating the sales order automatically.
 Planning for standard variant
example

95Hp,Euro3,6seater,0.6mmred colored
Product is fast moving and it needs to be
Planned and produced in advance.
When the order is received, at the time
Of configuring, it will pickup this
Preconfigured item in the sales order.
 Planning for standard variant
example

Item code Beuro36seat0.6red for

85Hp,Euro3,6seater,0.6mmred colored
product

Item code beuro37seat0.6redfor

95Hp,Euro3,7seater,0.6mmred colored
product
Example-preconfigured..
Configuring in the SO
Automatic replacement in SO
Item available in SO
MRP and Result
Planned order view
 Component Accounting
From Planned orders components are
Copied to production order and issued.

All the items are accounted for consumption

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