METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PRODUCT CONFIGURATION MANAGEMENT IN A COMPUTER BASED MANUFACTURING SYSTEM

The invention creates a number of End Item Configuration lists, each End Item Configuration list including a listing of those custom components and variations of standard components which are utilized for a selected configuration of a complex product. A basic bill of materials is also created including a listing of those standard components utilized for all configurations of the complex product. Thereafter, a relationship is established between a particular End Item Configuration list and a customer contract for the manufacture of a selected configuration of a complex product. Based upon the established relationship, a selected one of the End Item Configuration lists is retrieved and combined with a basic bill of materials to create a complete bill of material utilizing both the End Item Configuration list and the basic bill of materials, which may then be utilized in the manufacture of a particular configuration of a complex product. A unique End Item Configuration identifier is established for each configuration of the complex product and is then utilized to maintain an engineering change history associated with each unique End Item Configuration independent of engineering change histories associated with other configurations for the complex product. In this manner, the configuration data utilized to create a bill of material explosion may be stored in a nonredundant manner independently of the configuration which utilizes that data. In this manner, the End Item Configuration list feature may be added to existing bill of material systems without requiring a redesign of such systems.