Parts Management

Parts are the core item type in Cascadia PLM, representing manufacturing components and assemblies. The Parts module provides comprehensive tools for creating, managing, and tracking parts throughout their lifecycle.

Parts List Overview

The Parts page displays all parts in the system with summary statistics and filtering options.

Summary Statistics

At the top of the page, you'll see four summary cards:

Statistic	Description
Total Parts	Count of all parts (shows make vs buy breakdown)
Draft	Parts currently in progress
In Review	Parts awaiting approval
Released	Parts in production

Filtering and Search

• Design Filter: Filter parts by design using the dropdown in the top right
• Search: Use the search box to find parts by item number or name
• Column Filters: Click the filter icon on any column header to filter by specific values
• Sorting: Click column headers to sort ascending/descending

Creating a Part

Creating a new part: selecting a design, creating a workspace, and filling in part details.

1. Navigate to Parts in the sidebar or click View Parts from the dashboard
2. Click the + Create Part button in the top right
3. Fill in the required fields:

Required Fields

Field	Description
Design	The design this part belongs to (required)
Item Number	Unique identifier (auto-generated, e.g., P-1001)
Revision	Version identifier (default: A)

Optional Fields

Field	Description
Name	Descriptive name for the part
Description	Detailed description of the part purpose
Make/Buy	Whether the part is manufactured in-house (Make) or purchased (Buy)
Material	Material specification (e.g., Aluminum 6061, Steel, Assembly)
Weight	Component weight with unit selector (kg, lb, g, oz)
Cost	Part cost with currency selector (USD, EUR, GBP, etc.)
Lead Time	Manufacturing or procurement lead time in days

4. Click Create Part to save

Part Detail View

Exploring part details: viewing BOM relationships, relationship graph, and version history.

Click on any part number to open the detail view. The detail page has three tabs: Details, Relationships, and History.

Header Information

The header shows:

• Part number with state badge (Draft, Released, etc.)
• Current revision with "Current" indicator
• Part name
• Branch selector (Main or ECO branch)
• Action buttons: New Revision, Check Out, Delete

Details Tab

The Details tab displays:

Overview Section

• Item Number and Revision
• Name and State
• Description

Manufacturing Details Section

• Make/Buy status
• Material specification
• Weight and Cost
• Lead Time

Files Section

• Drag and drop area for file attachments
• Maximum file size: 500 MB
• Click Select Files to browse

Bill of Materials (BOM)

The BOM functionality is accessed through the Relationships tab on a part detail page.

Viewing the BOM

The BOM table displays:

Column	Description
Find #	Sequence number (10, 20, 30...) for assembly order
Item Number	Part number link to child component
Rev	Revision of the component
Name	Component name
Type	Item type badge (Part, Document, etc.)
State	Component lifecycle state
Qty	Quantity required per assembly
Ref Designator	Reference designator for placement

Adding Components

1. Open the part detail view
2. Navigate to the Relationships tab
3. Expand the BOM section
4. Click + Add
5. Search for and select the child part
6. Enter the quantity and optional reference designator
7. Confirm the addition

Relationship Types

Parts can have multiple relationship types:

• BOM: Bill of Materials (parent-child assembly relationships)
• Custom relationship types can be added via + New Relationship Type

Relationship Graph

The Relationship Graph provides an interactive visualization of the BOM hierarchy.

Features

• Expand/Collapse: Click the arrow to expand the graph section
• Mode Selector: Choose "All relationships" or filter by type
• Depth Control: Set how many levels deep to display (1-5 levels)
• Zoom Controls: Use the +/- buttons or mouse wheel to zoom
• Pan: Click and drag to move around the canvas
• Navigate: Click any item number to navigate to that part

Graph Statistics

The graph displays statistics showing:

• Total items visible
• Total relationships
• Current depth level

Version History

The History tab shows the complete version history for a part.

Each history entry shows:

• Revision letter/number
• Change type badge (Modified, Created, etc.)
• ECO branch reference (e.g., "Merged ECO branch: eco/ECO-002")
• Date and user who made the change
• Previous revision reference

Click View to see the part as it existed at that revision.

Revision Control

Parts in Cascadia follow a controlled revision process:

Initial Creation

• New parts are created in Draft state
• Initial revision is typically "A" (configurable)
• Parts must belong to a design

Making Changes

• Released parts cannot be modified directly on the main branch
• To revise a part, create an ECO (Engineering Change Order)
• The ECO creates a branch where changes can be made
• When the ECO is released, changes merge to main and revision increments

Revision Sequence

• Standard sequence: A, B, C, D...
• Revisions are assigned automatically when ECOs are released
• Each revision maintains full audit history

Working with Branches

Main Branch

The main branch contains all released revisions. Parts on main are read-only and represent the current production state.

ECO Branches

When you need to modify a part:

1. Create an ECO that includes the part
2. Work on the part in the ECO's branch
3. Submit the ECO for approval
4. When released, changes merge to main

Branch Selector

Use the branch dropdown in the part header to:

• View the part on different branches
• Switch between main and ECO branches
• See which branch you're currently viewing

Checkout and Edit

Check Out

Click Check Out to lock the part for editing:

• Prevents others from making concurrent changes
• Required before making modifications on an ECO branch
• Shows who has the part checked out

Making Changes

After checkout:

1. Click Edit to modify fields
2. Make your changes
3. Save to commit changes to the branch
4. Release the ECO to push changes to main

Best Practices

Naming Conventions

• Use consistent part number prefixes (e.g., PC- for Power Cart)
• Include descriptive names that indicate function
• Document material and key specifications

BOM Management

• Assign find numbers in increments (10, 20, 30) to allow insertions
• Use reference designators for assemblies with multiple instances
• Keep BOM hierarchy depth manageable (typically 3-5 levels)

Lifecycle Management

• Keep draft parts in draft until ready for review
• Document changes in ECO descriptions
• Review where-used before making changes to understand impact

Next Steps

• Document Control - Managing technical documents
• Change Orders - Making controlled changes to parts
• Workflows and Lifecycles - Understanding state management