Limiting Duplicate Items In Search Results

[DN71]

Hi.

 

I have my site running fairly well. I am still having one issue I need to correct.

 

I have many manufacturer's models that use the identical part number (the part number is in my database as products). My navigation works like this (as listed on site):

 

Manufacturer

---> Model Number

--->Part Number

 

So, there could be 40 model numbers that all share a common product number. The problem I am having is if a customer knows their actual part number and just searches for it the search results return a ton of duplicate items because of the fact that so many models use the same part number. So if I search for part number XYZ, the search results can return it many times because part XYZ is used in 20 different model numbers.

 

Is there a way to tell the search tool to not return duplicate items if the part numbers are the same via the query?

 

I know I could just go back and change the way my layout is just populate the database with only one part number and in the description reference what models the part works in, but my database contains a ton of models and parts and this would take for ever to change. Plus I want the customer to be able to navigate models to find parts.

 

Any ideas? Thanks in advance.