Original Date: 07/25/2005
Revision Date: 09/12/2006

Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems’ engineers choose parts from either a Preferred Provider Supplier List or a Standard Parts List and execute a bill of material analysis tool to identify any material defects.

Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems (NGES) has developed an automated Standard Parts List (SPL) for part selection to build the bill of material (BOM) for its projects. Recognizing the risk associated with ordering parts from numerous suppliers, NGES instituted a Preferred Provider Supplier List (PPSL).

Procuring parts from new suppliers has the potential for risk. New suppliers have not been verified, and testing may be necessary to ensure that parts are not defective. Choosing parts from either the PPSL or SPL involves minimal risk and offers the best selection. Both of these lists have suppliers in the NGES database; however, suppliers on the PPSL have been verified to be stable suppliers. With a current SPL inventory of approximately 500,000 parts, NGES can choose parts from a larger subscription database with an inventory in the millions.

For parts that are not in the PPSL or SPL, a New Part Request (NPR) form is generated (Figure 2-2) and is electronically forwarded to the cognizant person for actions that include necessary qualifications, ordering, and adding parts to the inventory. Part selection is required to build the BOM and is simple to operate. Engineers use the NGES Intranet to select a project , choosing parts from that project to build the BOM. The BOM is then sent from inventory where it is picked from one of the 13,000 part bins. The parts from these bins are used to kit up the project. Kitting involves building up the assemblies and subassemblies, identifying both part and producibility problems prior to drawing releases. If a part is found to be defective or too risky to use, engineering managers can remove either the part or the supplier from the SPL.

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