Now this could cure a few headaches. Sunstone Circuits, a company based in Oregon has developed LiveBOM, an interactive bill of materials functionality, within PCB123 design software.
It's a pretty neat solution to a real problem which provides designers with real-time pricing, availability and technical part information from component distributor, Digi-Key. Within the product suite, LiveBOM also tracks the rolled up per-board pricing and quantity for each design based on the part number--either Digi-Key's or another manufacturer's--provided by the designer.
"Part of being the easiest PCB solutions provider to do business with is giving our customers the tools to meet their developmental budgets," said Sunstone's CEO Terry Heilman. "Partnering with Digi-Key to launch LiveBOM gives customers a more efficient and accurate way to make component purchasing decisions, which is the most expensive part of the prototype manufacturing process."
"By making Digi-Key parts information directly available to Sunstone's PCB123 designers, we're serving our shared customer base by influencing smart design decisions and increasing productivity and manufacturability," said Digi-Key President Mark Larson.
"We know that PCB designers typically design with a parts catalog--either hard copy or electronic--open as they work," Larson continued. "A design tool that treats parts as integrally as it treats traces and vias increases design efficiency and is a major benefit to customers."
It should prove attractive. Design engineers are under pressure to come up with the best possible design solution in the shortest possible time. Designing in the wrong part or an end of life part can now be avoided. It is a point taken up by Sunstone's Heilman.
"With the current state of the industry, it is imperative that we collaborate to maximize productivity and ensure our viability and longevity," he said. "Our partnership with Digi-Key is yet another example of the relationships we are building to enhance the Sunstone ECOsystem Design Environment and give PCB123 users the best experience possible."
PCB123 is a free-distribution, industrial-grade PCB design tool. Its functionality combines schematic creation, synchronized layout, 3D-board preview features and now includes LiveBOM, Bill-of-Materials-driven board design. A free download is available here.
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