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BOM & DOCUMENTATION
If you do not know what a BOM is, start here.
BOM stands for Bill of Materials. In hardware, it is the component record for your project: what parts you used, which exact versions they were, how many you needed, and how the build holds up as a real design instead of a vague claim.
PLAIN ENGLISH
What a BOM actually is
Think of a BOM as the technical ingredient list for the build. It is not just “stuff I bought.” It is part of the engineering record.
For a PCB: ICs, passives, connectors, regulators, sensors, crystals, and power parts.
For a robot or mechanism: motors, drivers, bearings, fasteners, controllers, and structural parts.
For a stronger portfolio: it proves the design was specific enough to actually build.
What belongs in a good BOM
COMMON MISTAKES
Uploading a finished board photo with no component record at all.
Listing only generic labels like “MOSFET” or “capacitor” without real part numbers.
Treating the BOM like a purchasing receipt instead of a technical design artifact.
Skipping the build log, so reviewers never see what changed between revisions.
Linking GitHub but not linking the schematic, CAD, or demo that explains the physical system.
STARTER CHECKLIST
State what the project was trying to do before listing parts.
Include the exact part number and manufacturer wherever you can.
Say what the important parts do in the design.
Mention substitutions, sourcing pain, or lifecycle issues if they affected the build.
Walk through what broke, what changed, and what the final result actually achieved.
THE BIG IDEA
A BOM is part of the proof, not a boring add-on.
On Syqnal, the strongest projects combine a clear story, evidence that can be inspected, and enough component detail to show the work was real. A BOM will not make a weak project strong by itself, but it can make a real project much easier to trust.