1. Part Numbering Systems
Part numbering is the DNA of new product development. Get it right and it quietly supports every downstream process; get it wrong and the cost compounds with every new part, release and programme. The first instalment of QR_'s PLM Essentials series sets out the options available and the factors to consider when selecting and implementing a part numbering system, with real-world lessons from an EV start-up built around modularity.
Inside this guide
Significant vs non-significant schemes. The core trade-off every scheme wrestles with — how much meaning you encode into the number itself, what you gain and lose in each direction, and where a middle path actually makes sense.
Designing for scale. Why the scheme that works at 500 parts often collapses at 50,000, and how to spot the structural weaknesses before they start to bite.
Case study: an EV start-up built around modularity. How QR_ translated a modular product architecture into a numbering scheme that engineers, manufacturing, and suppliers could all live with.
Common failure modes. Duplicates, bloated schemes, legacy lock-in, and the department-siloed numbering habits QR_ teams unwind time and time again — and how to avoid them from day one.
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