What, Why, When & Who will do PLM IMPLEMENTATION?

In previous post we discussed about the PLM architecture and different layers of modules and their connections as Multi-Tier architecture. Now it is time to know what this PLM Implementation is? Why we need it? When we need it? Who will decide and choose it? And where it will be implemented and finally who will implement PLM tool across an organization? Lot of questions,,,, and answer is here,

Firstly what is PLM Implementation?

Implementation is very simple term that execution of things/tasks. PLM Implementation is carrying out and establishment, setup, configuration of PLM software tool and its modules across an Organization's departments to address their needs to get more profit.

Many companies develop and markets PLM software solutions. These companies’ develops PLM solutions as per different engineering domains requirements across the globe to fit into organization business strategic plans. There are various PLM software tools available in market which will suitable for an organization different working domains, such as Automotive, Aerospace, Energy, Process, Machinery etc. PLM software will be built for these work and processes as per their domain standards.

One industry example: Automotive Industry uses more into APQP and Change Management Processes and for these PLM software modules addresses the best in practice APQP standard processes and related activities; all these processes developed in PLM software and kept as ready to use solutions. And PLM software companies markets & sales these solutions for Automotive Industry Organizations.

How organization will come to know there is need of a PLM Tool?

Earlier days there was not much digital work mode i.e. most of the design and planning work was doing by manually and in turns prone to more human errors. And also in any engineering work; there is recurrence of task is common.

Example1: document numbering: - Engineers were assigning doc number manually for all the parts and document in the design department mandatorily for identification purpose and there was no other way around; users manually had to write or fill the document number, it was really very much common error creating & repetition of work daily.

Example2: All engineers were working in different regions and locations and they didn’t have proper communication between them and there was always duplication of work and no transparency, its caused huge cost for an organization.

Few Visionary People in an organization had thought on these issues and thinking to automate to replace manual works daily to reduce human errors and to reduce time consumption and make them work with centralized data for better communication and transparent way of work to avoid duplication of work. These are few good examples to understand how PLM domain started evolving in all the way of Product Development Processes to get rapid ROI and profit oriented processes.

Now visionary management decided to address above said problems with strong system in place. They started making strategy and finding possible ways to trading off wastage of resources, time, miscommunication and they wanted to build their strong system in their Product Development Stage to give qualitative product output with Faster Design to Market Plan.

So what next, started finding suitable software to address all the above said requirements and with respect to Business and Technical Challenges what we discussed in earlier posts, then PLM software came into picture. Management started looking and approaching to different PLM vendors in the markets, discussed the problems and solution needs with PLM vendors. Finally compared various PLM software tools, their effective solutions to problems, services & supports, cost etc. At the end management finalized suitable PLM software to implement in their organization as strategic Business Tool.

In next post we will discuss How PLM Implementation starts and PLM software post-sales activities?

Bye for now,

Anil Kumar J R