Best practice for handling cables and hoses (cut-to-length) in BOM without ERP?

Domechanic

We are currently using Onshape without an ERP system and manage our material data only in simple spreadsheets.

We frequently use cables and hoses that are cut to length. These should appear in the BOM as length-based items (e.g., meters / feet).

The key requirement is:
The same material (e.g., a specific hose type) should always have the same part number — regardless of the required length. The length should only affect the quantity in the BOM, not create a new part number.

Example:

• Hose Type A – 2.35 m
• Hose Type A – 0.80 m
  → Same part number, different quantity.

What would be the best practice in Onshape to represent this?

MichaelPascoe

How are you creating the hoses? In-context part studio routed along a path?

Domechanic

It depends on the application. In Context would be one possibility, but I'm still open to ideas.

As an example, we have a hose that is used in several projects and different documents.

MichaelPascoe

Hm, there are several ways to do it. Using the default routing curve with frame with cutlist is a good way, but this is a part studio only workflow for viewing the list of part lengths. A good way to do it though. Also I recommend Routing Curve+ since it has built in measuring and referencing. Cut list+ is another one I modified to let you auto name parts based on profile and length, so that is another way.

Alternatively, if you need your parts specifically in the assembly BOM, you could use the Assembly Imposters (App + Feature). This will let you have the routed parts visually, but then auto add the "real" parts that will show up in the bom.

There are probably a few more ways, but no native way to get lengths of hoses or pipes into the assembly so you will have to either use the part studio and cutlist, or use some custom apps and features. There is probably a slower manual way, but it would be slow and manual..

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