IHS BOM manager boasts world’s largest database of electronic components

The electronics industry is becoming increasingly complex, defined by rapid technological innovation, more sophisticated counterfeiting, intensifying global competition and the proliferation of environmental legislation. That’s why it’s critical for users to have access to parts management tools that deliver the most comprehensive, detailed and up-to-date account of the broad spectrum of electronics components that are available.

IHS Technology (NYSE: IHS) today is pleased to announce its IHS BOM Manager tool now offers the world’s largest component database, containing more than 442 million parts. IHS BOM Manager is the centerpiece of the IHS suite of parts management tools, which includes CAPS Universe and XML Web Services. The parts database behind all of the IHS parts management tools includes industry-leading data, including:

• Rich technical content
• Alternate and replacement parts
• Distributor pricing and availability
• Environmental content & documents
• Manufacturer alert documents
• Export control content
• Historical content & documents
• Predictive life cycle data
• Customer support performance

“Electronics purchasing today is laden with risks—from obsolescence, to counterfeits, to regulations—any of which can derail a product or even an entire business line,” said Bob Braasch, senior director at IHS Technology. “To navigate this perilous terrain, users need a complete picture of the components business. Because of this, IHS has upgraded its BOM Manager product to include the world’s largest and most comprehensive component database, providing the best possible insurance against supply chain risk.”

The sum of the parts

The IHS parts database encompasses six major commodity types: electromechanical devices, fasteners, interconnects, passives, semiconductors and miscellaneous parts. The database also includes 45 part types and 406 device categories.

RoHS by any other name

IHS BOM Manager incorporates the industry’s richest resources on environmental compliance. The parts database includes information on whether or not a part conforms to the European Union’s Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive. The database further includes data on China RoHS and the 2011 RoHS Recast Directive. 

Also included are content and documents for parts complying with the European Regulation on Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH).

To further help monitor for environmental compliance, the parts database includes millions of parts with attributed full material disclosure (FMD) data and documents.

To support required Securities and Exchange Commission reporting on conflict materials, the parts database includes millions of parts with data on raw materials sourced from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Countering the counterfeits

IHS BOM Manager also features an integrated counterfeit solution that delivers alerts on counterfeit or substandard components that are circulating in the market. The system also provides information on authorized sources of supply. 

The best defense against counterfeit parts is to buy from an authorized distributor. That’s why the parts database includes data on multiple authorized sources, allowing users to easily comply with Section 818 of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2012, and the creation of a trusted suppliers list.

Objective research

Unlike some competitors, IHS is an independent, objective source of parts management data and tools, unaffiliated with any electronics distributor.

“When selecting a component to buy, users want to be able to choose the part that best fits their own needs—and not merely the needs of the seller,” Braasch said. “That’s why it’s critical to employ an unbiased parts management system that has the singular goal of providing the best possible result for the users, rather than promoting whatever part that a distributor needs to move.”