The CPQ Blog

Configuring Your Product: Mastering Constraints in Tacton Works

Written by Magnus Fasth | Jul 24, 2023 6:00:00 AM

Ready to make your products truly configurable with Tacton Works? You've landed in the perfect place! In this part of our Tacton Works tour, we're going to dig into the fascinating world of constraints - those magical guidelines that help in shaping the perfect product configuration.

If you're intrigued by how rules and logic can facilitate your product customization journey, then hop aboard!

Constraints in Tacton Works play an essential role in product configuration. As we continue our exploration from where we left off (setting up part structures), we'll now delve into how constraints can make these structures dynamic and adaptable to specific needs.

Understanding Constraints

In Tacton Works, constraints are rules or conditions that guide the configuration process. They act as the brain of your product configuration, guiding the system towards valid combinations based on a set of predefined rules.

Using the bicycle example from our previous post, a constraint might be that the bicycle frame and the wheels must be compatible. If a user selects a specific frame, the configurator would then only offer wheel choices that are compatible with that frame.

Setting Up Constraints

Setting up constraints in Tacton Works involves writing rules in the Tacton modeling language, TCstudio. This language is specifically designed for defining constraints and relations between parts in the product structure.

Constraints can be simple or complex, depending on the needs of your product configuration. For instance, a simple constraint could be that a specific type of bicycle frame is only compatible with certain wheel types. A more complex constraint could involve multiple parts and their various properties.

A key point to note is that constraints should be set based on logical relationships between parts in your product structure. As a rule of thumb, they should guide the configuration process without restricting it unnecessarily.

The Power of Constraints

The beauty of constraints in Tacton Works lies in their flexibility and the level of customization they offer. By applying constraints, you can tailor your product configuration to suit a wide range of customer requirements, making it highly customer-centric and adaptable.

Wrapping Up

As we conclude today's deep dive into Tacton Works, remember that constraints are the brain behind your part structure body, guiding and shaping the product configurations according to the customer's needs.

In our next post, we'll explore the customer's journey through the configuration process, and how you can optimize this experience using Tacton Works' interface. Until then, keep experimenting with those constraints!