You can configure a project's BOM page to designate the BOM property that represents the manufacturer's part number. Doing so enables an online part supplier query facilitated by FindChips, a search engine that collects data from various sources in the electronic component marketplace. Use component sourcing information from FindChips to check the inventory and pricing early in the design process.
You can display the search results in a configurable viewer that includes manufacturer names, distributor names, part descriptions, specifications, available inventory, and cost. You can also order and purchase components from the FindChips interface.
By default, the FindChips link appears in the Manufacturer Part Number column for components with associated part number information. If components have two or more manufacturer part number attributes, then the FindChips link appears in the first column that matches these predefined names:
Manufacturer PN | Mfr. PN | Mfgr. Part Number |
ManufacturerPN | Mfg. Part Number | Mfgr. Number |
Mfr. Part Number | Mfg. Number | Mfgr. PN |
Mfr. Number | Mfg. PN | MPN |
If there are no matching manufacturer part number column names, then the FindChips link does not appear in the table. However, you can configure the BOM page to show the FindChips link in a specific column.
Prerequisites
A project is open in the Connect application.
BOM data associated with a project includes manufacturer part number information but you want to configure the BOM page so that the FindChips link appears in another column.
Procedure
On the project's BOM page, click Settings and choose Configure Columns from the popup menu.
In the Configure Columns dialog box, ensure the Enable FindChips search option is checked, and then select a table column name where the "FindChips" link displays for an object with a manufacturer part number attribute.
Click Done.
Results
When you hover over the table row for a selected part, the "FindChips" link displays adjacent to the attribute in the chosen column in the BOM page.
