Units
From Aligni Wiki
Contents |
Aligni Units
User-customizable "Units" are provided by Aligni in order to resolve ambiguity between what is used on a part list, what is ordered on a purchase order, and how certain parts are costed.
- Use-As Unit - This specifies how the part is used on a project. Typical part units would be: each, minutes (labor), liters (fluids), inches (wire).
- Buy Unit - This is used to specify any difference between a part usage quantity and purchase quantity. This is associated with a vendor part number. For example, 40-oz. tin, 5000-pc Reel (only if a single order quantity represents 5000 pieces).
When you enter units in Aligni, you need to provide conversion factors between any pair of units that are convertible. Unit conversions tell Aligni how to convert between buy units and use-as units, when appropriate. They also establish which units are available as buy units for a particular part.
Examples
The examples below were written using parts that would commonly be found on an engineering bill of materials. Digi-Key was used as the example vendor because orders placed through them always require the Digi-Key part number. Their catalog is online, so you can easily check our references.
Resistors (reel components)
Resistors are always used as single units (each), but are available to purchase in single units or 5000-pc tape & reel. In this case, Digi-Key lists the reels as a separate vendor part number, but the purchase quantity is still each (i.e. to purchase a full reel, you order 5000 pcs, not 1 reel). The min/mult is entered as 5000/5000 when quoting because Digi-Key offers a volume discount when buying in reels.
| Mfg P/N | Use-As Unit | Digi-Key P/N | Buy Unit | Min | Mult |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RT0603DRD074K7L | each | 311-4.7KDCT-ND | each | 1 | 1 |
| RT0603DRD074K7L | each | 311-4.7KDTR-ND | each | 5000 | 5000 |
Wire (length conversion)
Wire is used in inch quantities on part lists. It is typically ordered in much larger spools, however. In this case, the vendor part number will list a different unit than the part itself so that orders are entered with the vendor's units.
| Mfg P/N | Use-As Unit | Digi-Key P/N | Buy Unit | Min | Mult |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3055 BK001 | inch | A2064B-1000-ND | 1000-ft spool | 1 | 1 |
| 3055 BK005 | inch | A2064B-100-ND | 100-ft spool | 1 | 1 |
