Spare Part Compatibility Matrix Overview

The Spare Part Compatibility Matrix is the collection of compatibility relationships between Items (spare parts) and Hardware Versions. TIGA stores each relationship as a Spare Part Compatibility record, specifying whether a spare part is Compatible, Incompatible, or Unknown for a specific hardware version.

The matrix is necessary because spare-part compatibility can vary by hardware version, even within the same product family. For example, an “Air Control Assembly” may be Compatible with “Mantis V4.0.0” but Unknown for “Mantis V4.1.0”. An Unknown status means compatibility has not been verified, so the Support team cannot rely on the part until the Engineering team reviews and updates its status.

As hardware and spare parts evolve, TIGA provides ways to keep Spare Part Compatibility information up to date. Records can be carried forward when creating a new Hardware Version or Item version, or copied to existing Hardware Versions when the same compatibility information applies. A weekly report is also sent to the Engineering Manager, highlighting Hardware Versions without compatibility records and records with an Unknown status.

With this information available in TIGA, the Support team can verify a spare part’s compatibility with the customer’s specific hardware version before using or shipping a replacement part. The Engineering team is also responsible for defining and updating compatibility information.

Components of the Spare Part Compatibility Matrix

The Spare Part Compatibility Matrix is based on three tables:

  • Spare Part Compatibility – Records the compatibility relationship between an Item and a specific Hardware Version, along with the Compatibility Status. For example, “Breach Sensor Assembly” has been verified to work with both “Space Mantis V1.1.0” and “Space Mantis V1.2.0”.

  • Hardware Versions – Indicates the specific versions of a hardware product. Each version belongs to a Product Family and is identified by its Major Version, Minor, and Bugfix numbers, such as “Mantis V4.1.2”.

  • Items – Represents the spare parts that can be evaluated for use with hardware, such as a temperature sensor or power board.

These tables form the compatibility relationships that the Support team uses to verify spare parts and that the Engineering team maintains as products change.

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