Multiple common groups can be defined for each design variant. One design
variant can be associated with multiple logical features and have different
common groups defined in each context. Common groups can be defined as
feature specific and applied wherever the logical feature is used or
as context specific and only applied in that specific logical feature
structure.
Design variants are configuration features maintained at the product line level. Design variants organize the possible design conditions for parts used in the BOM for a product configuration. These design conditions are selected as marketing choices when creating the product configuration. Common groups essentially optimize part reuse and reduce the costs of maintenance and production. Many parts used in a BOM are not unique based on design conditions. Often times the same part is used for more than one design condition. For example, suppose the design variant Color has ten possible design conditions (red, yellow, blue, etc.). If the same part can be used regardless of the design condition chosen for Color, then the deign conditions for Color should be grouped into a common group. The common group removes the need to create ten parts to represent each design condition. Instead, the same part is selected based on the common group regardless of the design condition chosen in that common group.
Common groups can be added as design conditions for
parts in a GBOM and included in any inclusions rules defined for that
part. If a common group with one assigned subfeature is removed from
a part, the subfeature is added to the GBOM as a design condition and
to the inclusion rule for the part. If a common group with more than
one assigned subfeature is removed from a part, the subfeatures are added
to the GBOM as Or values and to the inclusion rule for the
part. You can edit the Or values in the complex inclusion
rule editor.
After copying by merge and replace or combining the
parts from two GBOMs, the common groups in the new merged logical feature
may need to be modified. If two common groups have the same name, one
of the common groups must be renamed. You cannot combine the parts from
two GBOMs if a common group in each GBOM has one or more subfeatures
in common.