I'm curious how you all go about keeping project parts lists/boms organized? I have about twenty different partially completed pedals and boards and I'm thinking now would be a good time to decide on one system and stick with it. I know both Mouser and Digikey have built in BOM managers but if possible I wouldn't be opposed to a third party app or hell.. even just a decent method using Excel spreadsheets. Right now I just have a physical folder with printed PDF's of everything I need to finish and then I just go through and highlight the parts I already have with one color and what is needed with another. It gets messy quick.
I use an excel sheet, with a different tabs for resistors, caps, diodes, etc
On the vertical, I list every part possible value, on the horizontal I list every pedal. I use a formula to delete that pedal's need for a specific part value. I have a column also that has how many of a part I have laying around, so it keeps a crude, but functional inventory system
Here is a picture of the excel spreadsheet I have going. This tracks it pedal by pedal. When I have more than one (or like with these 1590G's, 10 of them), it takes some manual math to make sure that I have everything compiled up, but it still keeps things organized. After I order a part, I highlight it to know I'll have it in stock. I've been using this for a while, but it seems to work pretty good for me.
I also like when I get parts for a project, bag up all the pieces when I get them, make a little kit of it. That helps make the build process that much easier when everything is already counted out and organized. It also helps to verify that I have all the parts I need for a specific project.
(http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h155/dan_schumaker/1590g_zpsy8brrklc.jpg)
I have a big collection of parts, no computerized inventory, and when I run out of a certain part it goes on The List of stuff that needs to be ordered :)
Quote from: alanp on June 20, 2016, 05:57:13 PM
I have a big collection of parts, no computerized inventory, and when I run out of a certain part it goes on The List of stuff that needs to be ordered :)
That. Plus a factor based on budget and experience. E.g. I always order 10 or more resistors of one value, but more, if it is an often used one (e.g. 10k, 4k7,...). Pots, I order 3, but not on 1kC tapers etc.
>I have a big collection of parts,...
+1 more, except that I tend to swear when I run out of stuff.
I tried to have an inventory system, but this made it feel more like a job than a hobby.
I also tend to buy most stuff in bulk and can usually make do.
I don't keep inventory but I do use spreadsheets when ordering so that I have a copy of what I need that can match up to what I ordered that can then match up with what I receive. Mammoth electronics made me learn real quick to keep good records due to constantly leaving things out of shipments. Also keeps things tidy when you can't single source everything you need.
I'm big on ordering from Mouser and buying in bulk. I get resistors 200 at a time and film/elec caps 50-100 at a time. I like to have parts on hand and not have to wait 4 days for 3-4 parts. I'm just a hobby builder but like to do spontaneous building and have parts on hand. I buy pots 4 at a time so If I need 1 A100k then I buy 4... etc.
Now that I think of it, I use the "buy 4" for may of my iteams like enclosures and knobs.
Cody
+1 for the ordering more than you need and building up inventory. When I first started building up inventory, I made an Excel file listing every single pedal I could conceivably want to build, whether it was fabbed or vero, and totalled up all of the components. I didn't order all of them (OK, maybe I did, I don't remember), but it gave me a really good idea of what sizes of components were really common, and what were outliers, and ordered in proportion to that. Like Cody says, it sucks to wait for a couple of parts, and if you know that every build has a half dozen 10k resistors (for example), clearly it makes sense to order more of those. Conversely, unless you plan to build a pile of SHOs, you don't need a dozen 5 kC pots.
Long story short - a couple of BOMs in you get a pretty good idea of what you should safely have on hand at all times.
Yet another bulk buyer... like Cody said, its nice to be able to spontaneously build something.
You never know, you know? ;D
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Funny, I was just working on my spreadsheet. I wrote Brian awhile back asking if he thought it was worth posting on here for people to view.
My Excel workbook has a separate sheet for the parts list of each Madbean board I have, a full table of those parts lists, and a pivot table that pulls data from the full table list. I made it to consolidate the values of all components so I could buy everything in bulk and save $ on parts and shipping.
Nonetheless, kinda looks like I may still part that list up by groupings of pedals. Shiz is expensive. Looks like $4-500ish if I were to buy twenty boards worth of parts. :(
If anyone wants the spreadsheet, just let me know! I was really hoping to make it a community thing, so people could add to it and yada-yada.
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