How PLM acts as a Business Strategic Tool ?

As we discussed in last post about PLM core areas and PLM tool covers all the important departments in which a Product is going to be produced in an Organization. Hence it is proved that PLM tool is a platform to integrate people and different software tools in different departments with varied technology base.

So from beginning there is a statement repeatedly stating in most of the posts that PLM tool is Business Strategic tool which helps the organization to reach its vision and Rapid ROI. How PLM tool will help to achieve it?

Answer is very simple that,

·         PLM establishes a “single source of truth” in an organization across its Product information and there will be a collaborative working environment between other departments (Project Team, Concept Group, Design Group, CAD group, Analysis Group, Testing Group, Suppliers,  Prototype Group, Manufacturing Division, Inventory, Assembly, Sales and marketing department etc) hence effective communication and sharing of knowledge with transparent data flow which helps management to take quicker decisions on faster Design to Market strategy.

·         Engineers are assigned with well-planned and defined work break down structure so that exact work engagements without confusion.

·         Tracking of activities and quick identification of hurdles in between work to come out quick delivery.

·         As data is more transparent and exposure to concerned Engineers which will develops innovation in thinking in product development.

·         Secured project based authorization and hence safe IP.

·         Quicker communication to suppliers and later tracked change management

·         Saving more time by effective attribute and query based search options.

·         Complicated BOM generation processes and management integration with manufacturing and suppliers group.

·         No repetitive and duplication of data and work hence more into time and cost savings and quicker qualitative output w it  less errors as there is planned WBS and centralized data flow

By concluding all the above points there will be much more savings in time and money hence it will directly impact the Organization’s Business growth by Rapid Return on Investment.

Above few points are with respect to Product Development processes in an organization and managing with a PLM tool tells how a PLM tool acts as a Business Strategic Tool with rapid ROI.

In next post we will discuss, How to Implement PLM tool in an Organization? and What is the process of Implementaiton of PLM?

Bye for now

Anil Kumar J R

Core PLM Areas and Functionalities

PLM Software tool will do lot of things and it can do much more things by streamlining Product Development Process, Enhancing User Efficiency and Productivity, establishing Reliable and Robust Environment in different areas of a Product journey through different departments of an Organization to achieve Business Strategic Plans,

Following are Core PLM Areas which will cover various stages of Product Development,

1.      Program and Portfolio Management (Project, Plan & People Management)

a.      Managing Projects effectively in turn save more Time and Money

b.      Splitting Projects into sub projects – WBS

c.       Resource Planning and Assignment – Track Tasks and status

d.      Overall Project Plan – Set Goals, Mile Stones

e.      Detailed Reporting and Benchmarks

f.        Quick Decisions

2.      "Intellectual Property" cycle Management (CAD, Digital Data, documents, Analysis)

a.      Various Types digital Data Generation

b.      Structured way of managing data

c.       Managing complicated Bill of Materials

d.      Secured and Role based user assignment for a Projects

e.      Single Source of IP

f.        Make Easy Search of right information at right time

g.      Well defined workflow and Review processes

h.      Document Change Management

i.        Quick defined and decisions for Release Processes

j.        Working with Multi-CAD environments

k.       Integrated to other Editor Software

l.        Replicated Environments

m.    Collaboration between Multi Site working Environments

n.      Scope for Innovation in NPD

o.      Digital Analysis Data Management – FEM, DMU, Stress- Bending etc.

3.      Suppliers Integration (SCM)

a.      Suppliers Quotation Management
b. Customer relationship management

2. Customer service management
3. Demand & Order management
4. Manufacturing flow management
5. Supplier relationship management
6. Product Development & Commercialization
7. Returns management

4.      Production (Digital Manufacturing)

a.      Testing and Prototyping

b.      Digital Coding and Tooling

c.       Mass Production Management

d.      Plant Maintenance

e.      Material Management

f.        Design to Production Management

g.      Production Level Change

h.      Assembly Line management

5.      Sales & After Market (Service)

a.      Inventory Management

b.      Sales to Order

c.       Engineering to Order

d.      Finance and Marketing

e.      Customer Requirements Management

f.        Service Management

The above said poitns are covering main functionalities of PLM core areas which covers Product  stages from Concept of Planning phase to Design Phase to Production Phase to After Market Phase in turn covers full Lifecycle of a Product.

So it is clear that PLM is a platform for  integrating People, Processes, and Technologies accross various departments through out a Product Lifecycle.

Next Post we will discuss how PLM tool acts as a Strategic Tool in an Organization and PLM benefits.

Bye for Now

Anil Kumar  J R

What is PLM Tool?

PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) is  a Business strategic software tool for all Engineering Domains which helps to reach “Organization Vision” by integrating People, Processes and Technology by trading off Wastage of resources, time consumption, miscommunication and hence directs to more ROI.

PLM software Tools Tracks and Control whole Technical Specifications and other related data associated with a “Product/Goods” which is to be produced in an Organization from concept level to development to production to service and disposal stages with "Single Source of Truth" data.

In beginning people might have get confusion or wage feeling that there are many technical jargon's in PLM domain. And in one word we can call PLM is a in and out, end to end Data Management software for a Product in an Organization, especially in engineering domains.

Next post we will discuss deep into topics of PLM and its functionalities, How to Implement the PLM solution, benefits, difficulties in PLM Implementation, different PLM players in Markets, PLM with Organization Management, Which one is Best PLM solution & Why?, other PLM related topics with live and running case studies etc.

Bye for now

Anil Kumar J R

Passionate to PLM