God knows, auto manufacturers, especially those in the United States, are always looking for ways to wring costs out of their development processes. UGS PLM Software, which caters to large automotive OEMs and their supply chains, is launching a data-sharing program it claims can help.
UGS Synergy, which UGS PLM Software is offering in conjunction with Hewlett-Packard Co., promises auto OEMs and suppliers at all levels of the supply chain a single, optimized process for exchanging vehicle design and manufacturing information.
The program leverages UGS’ JT Open data format, which UGS PLM Software claims is emerging as a standard for 3D visual collaboration in the automotive industry. Customers will be able to purchase the UGS Synergy program components as a single appliance, a package that includes an HP Proliant server and the UGS PLM Software applications set up for a quick an easy implementation, company officials say. The UGS Synergy bundle also includes the Exchange Manager, powered by PROSTEP, which allows suppliers to pull the specific design context from their OEM customer’s managed environment and map it into their own local UGS Teamcenter PDM solution, where it can be served up to the entire development team.
Through the use of standard data-transfer mechanism, automotive industry suppliers could benefit from savings in the range of $500 million to $800 million annually, according to a November 2006 report from Cyon Research Corp.
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