Basic logic
A product configurator has three main abilities:
define characteristics and create association between them and a product and/or product components. The characteristics can be used during rule evaluation.
specify a constraint for the product characteristics and/or between characteristics to limit the options available for the customization. The complexity of these constraints depends on the tool. In some cases the constraint is expressed in form of rule.
generate the bill of material on the fly by a rule. The rule can be script, a proprietary formula or anything that express a condition. The rule is evaluated and when the condition is valid the component is included. This could be done at any level, so also the child components can have it own rule and so on. The list of components can be mixed between fixed components (always present) and dynamically added components. The rule is able not only to include/exclude a component but also can transfer properties to the component for example quantity or dimensions. According with these properties the rule of the child will customize it own BOM.
The result, according with these abilities, is the possibility to customize a product choosing from only available options (by means of constraints) and give back a just in time generated bill of material.
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