What is a Bill of Materials?

Manufacturers today face immense pressure to bring products to market faster, reduce development costs, and adapt quickly to increasingly complex product requirements. The Bill of Materials (BOM) has long been a cornerstone of manufacturing, serving as a comprehensive list of items required to build or manufacture a product, such as parts, materials, tools, coolants, documents, and more. It is also a critical primary reference point for multiple departments. BOMs are essential in manufacturing and production planning because they specify the quantity, description, and sometimes the suppliers of each component required to build a product.