Despite PDM's relative slow start and some bad press along the way, industry analysts expect sales of Product Data Management software to keep chugging along right into the next century.
The reason? Efforts by vendors to improve the ease-of-use and extend the flexibility and interoperability of their PDM offerings appear to be paying off. The average implementation time to full deployment, for example, ranges from a mere 120 days to 18 months. That's down significantly from just a few years ago, according to PDM software vendors surveyed for this article.
Similarly, as PDM gains more of a foothold in industry, vendors now have experience in interfacing their software with more CAD applications in the field and other, varying sources of data (see chart at end of article). Moreover, many companies now even offer a full-functioning, open Application Programming Interface (API), so that users can more easily integrate to any software package they may desire.
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| Ease-of-use, greater experience, and rapid implementation times help spur sales of PDM software. The basic PDM market more than doubles when services are factored in. |
Relatively new to the field are Windows-based offerings by companies like Agile Software and SmartSolutions. Not designed to compete with the full-blown, enterprise-wide PDM solutions, these economical, out-of-the-box solutions boast quick implementation times. Designed to resemble the Windows-based environment most engineers work within, the templates available with these packages are usable as is, or they can be customized by the user.
The bottom line for companies contemplating PDM today? As the following success stories illustrate, they can more quickly achieve the benefits of PDM--including shortened product development cycles, fewer engineering changes for released parts, less paperwork, and fewer part counts to name a few. And that time savings--as every good engineer and accountant knows--is as good as money in the bank.
Product data management
User: Raytheon Aircraft Co.
Location: Wichita, KS
Product line: Aircraft parts and assemblies
PDM package: ENOVIATM
Operating platform: UNIX and Windows95
Number of seats installed:>1,200
Types of data sources tied in and specific applications:
Rosetta Preview for viewing; CATIA CAD information; host-based MRP system; bills of materials
Implementation time: 12 months
Goals and requirements: Reduce product development cycle by 40%
Specific benefits:
Raytheon has been able to reduce the product development overall cycle because parts and assemblies fit more accurately the first time. They have also experienced a 10:1 reduction in engineering changes for released parts, which also is a factor in reducing the overall development cycle.
Reasons for selecting ENOVIATM:
Functionality; Strength and breadth of services capabilities; Domain expertise in product development; Ability to implement on an enterprise scale.
User: Motor Coach Industries
Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Product line: Motorcoaches
PDM package: IMAN from Unigraphics Solutions
Operating platform: HP UNIX
Number of seats installed: 25
Types of data sources tied in and specific applications: Production, sales engineering, field services
Implementation time: 48 months, including technology selection and complete implementation
Goals and requirements:
To produce a state-of-the-art motorcoach to recover lost market share through leading edge use of people, process, and technology and to cut product development time in half
Specific benefits:
Reduced build hours by 47%; Slashed assembly stations from 68 to 16; Eliminated seven levels in the bill of materials; Trimmed suppliers from 53 to 48; Increased generic part count from less than 70 to more than 90%; Reduced parts count from 37,000 to 17,000; Reduced product cycle time from 60 to 34 months
Reasons for selecting IMAN:
MCI selected Unigraphics Solutions both for its technology strengths and implementation track record and its capability to deliver Virtual Product Development, leading-edge technology, and a quick response time.
User: Danfoss Drives
Location: Graasten, Denmark
Product line: Variable frequency converters to control motors, fans, and pumps
PDM package: Metaphase Enterprise PDM, will also use e!Vista, Metaphase's Java-based client interface in the near future
Types of data sources tied in and specific applications:
SAP (for managing ERP); CAD/CAM/CAE drawings; EPROM (erasable programmable read-only memory) files, labeling systems, manuals, and documentation
Goals and requirements:
To integrate up-to-date product data and product structure information into the ERP system; to reduce cycle and delivery time from weeks to two days. (Both goals were met.)
Specific benefits:
Two-day product configuration, manufacture, and delivery; Ability to access a Java-based Web catalog, configure products on-line, and submit the order directly into Danfoss's Enterprise Product Data (EPDM) system
Reasons for selecting Metaphase Enterprise 3.0:
Danfoss needed bottom-up control of product structure information such as CAD/CAM/CAE drawings; EPROM software files, manuals, and documentation; labeling systems; and other areas. This control had to integrate with the parts, planning, and logistical views provided by SAP in one seamless system. The answer was an advanced EPDM solution with a SAP interface. Metaphase was the only EPDM supplier that "saw the project from the perspective of our business processes."
User: Gencorp/Aerojet
Location: Sacramento, CA
Product line: Propulsion, electronics, and weapon systems
PDM package: Sherpa/IPD
Operating platform: UNIX
Number of seats installed: 200 plus at two sites
Implementation time: 3-6 months of conversion and new data load for specific program
Goals and requirements:
Already a Sherpa PDM user, Aerojet wanted to remove all dependency on customization and take advantage of technology improvements and increase user acceptance.
Specific benefits: Deliver critical data speedily; Gained the ability to work with varied platforms; Better teamwork
Reasons for selecting Sherpa/IPD:
Aerojet emphasizes that the ability to purchase an "out-of-the-box" solution from Sherpa was very attractive. "We're not a software company, we're an aerospace products company," a representative said. Aerojet looked at a variety of vendor PDM solutions, "many of the other offerings were simply PDM toolkits that would have required us to configure the software to our particular needs--a major undertaking," he stated. "With Sherpa's solution we were able to get to work on this new project almost immediately. And that means we'll be able to significantly reduce our time-to-market." "We also found that many solutions were operated like managed CAD systems. While these will probably be developed into more robust systems, we felt that Sherpa was the best, truly enterprise-level solution available today."
User: Harmon Industries
Location: Grain Valley, MO
Product line: Mechanical and electrical products for railroad, freight, and transit industries
PDM package: WGT's CMS 6.5 and CMS Workflow
Operating platform: SGI server with PC clients
Number of seats installed: 300
Types of data sources tied in and specific apps:
100k files from 15 different types of files, including AutoCAD, Word, SolidWorks, PAD, Tango, and Myriad
Implementation time: Varied, implemented in three phases, based on business requirements and site locations
Goals and requirements:
Improve document distribution, speed-up access to engineering drawings for manufacturing, and eliminate microfiche
Specific benefits:
Drawings instantly accessible at all 13 company locations, and greater flexibility at manufacturing locations
Reasons for selecting CMS 6.5 and CMS Workflow:
Out-of-box features and
functionality that best met requirements.
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