So what can go wrong with a simple part number request....that slows your component engineer tasked with handling them to a crawl?
Let's take a look:
1. Manufacturer's part number is incorrect, missing characters or isn't formatted correctly.
2. Various required parts of the form are not filled out.
3. Manufacturer's name isn't on the approved vendor list. So now the request will need to be returned till purchasing is sent a form to request the manufacturer be approved and placed on the approved vendor list. Then a part number request form can be filled out.
4. Manufacturer listed on the form and on the attached datasheet doesn't exist anymore.
5. Manufacturer on the form does not sell this part in the United States.
6. The lead time for the part listed is unacceptable to the requester.
7. The part listed is made to order only.
8. Part cost is found and when told to the requester....the reply back is a cancel because the part is too expensive.
9. Part is only single source only....from the manufacturer or only one distributor.
10. Part is not available through distribution channels.
11. Manufacturer listed is not considered a quality manufacturer despite it being on the approved vendor list.
12. The part cannot fit the MRP/ERP/PLM descriptor format. No matter how it is described...it conflicts with other similar parts in these part management software.
13. Part requested is a duplicate of a part already in the MRP/ERP/PLM.
14. Manufacturer's part number listed doesn't match the current part numbers of that manufacturer.
15. Manufacturer's part number is not listed on the datasheet and there is no included part number breakdown sheet either.
16. Datasheet included is not current.
17. Datasheet included is unreadable.
18. Datasheet is incomplete....does not include all the key specifications or drawings.
19. Datasheet does not have the manufacturer's part number circled on it....and there are several listed.
20. There is no datasheet supplied with the part number request.
21. The datasheet supplied lists the part number, but the specifications on the datasheet don't match the part.
22. The picture and drawings on the datasheet don't match the manufacturer's part number.
23. Specifications noted on the part number request form don't match what's on the datasheet.
24. There are no in-house test results included in the datasheet packet.
25. There is no company drawing included with the part number request....key for custom parts.
26. The materials used in the making of the part mentioned on the part number request form do not match the materials mentioned on the datasheet.
27. The requester is asking for a change to the description in an existing part number and has included a new datasheet or one from a different manufacturer. This cannot be done until there is a new part number assigned.
28. There is no pcb layout drawing package with the part number request form.
29. There are no application notes included in the data packet with this request.
30. The manufacturer listed is actually the name of a catalog company.
31. The datasheet included with the request is the catalog company's datasheet and not the actual manufacturer's datasheet.
And I am sure there are many more, but these where the ones I ran into all the time working with engineering teams on new product developments, design changes, and legacy system designs.
