Blog | PDM & PLM in the manufacturing industry
Product Data Management (PDM) and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM). Two terms that have long been no news within the manufacturing industry. "So what are typical PDM functionalities? What about PLM? Isn't there a big overlap in functionalities?" Once it is clear which solution suits a company's needs, the important next step is to choose the right application.
While Product Data Management companies have long deployed solid Autodesk Vault and Fusion 360 Manage for Product Lifecycle Management, Autodesk has recently expanded its PDM/PLM product portfolio with a new product; Upchain. A cloud-based PDM system with PLM functionalities. We get the question, "What does this mean for us?" from our customers with some regularity. Reason for us to write a blog and provide clarification on the complex world of PDM and PLM systems.
In this article, we compare the current functionalities within the product portfolio for PDM/PLM, but do not forget that it is likely that applications will be expanded in the future. Therefore, today we introduce part 1 of our PDM/PLM blog series and will closely monitor developments in the application landscape. When significant changes take place, you can expect the continuation of this blog series on our website.
PDM vs. PLM
Let's first consider the differences between a PDM and PLM system. In the abbreviations, only the middle letter is different. This immediately brings us to the most profound difference between the two. In a PDM system, you manage (product) data and in a PLM system, you manage the (product) life cycle.
PDM in manufacturing
Product Data Management in the manufacturing industry is usually associated with CAD structures. This information is often confidential and of great value for the continuity of a company. At the same time, you want to be able to collaborate and reuse as much of this information as possible. The combination of these factors calls for a tool that ensures that this information is created, modified and shared in a controlled way. This is where a PDM system comes in.
The main purpose of such a package is thus to monitor product data. It is responsible for releases, revision management and guarantees that all engineers have access to the correct versions and specifications. Essential for a solid PDM system is a seamless integration with a CAD package.
PLM in manufacturing
Managing a product lifecycle, that may sound a bit too vague. Let's make it concrete: managing a product life cycle is mainly about managing processes.
In all product life cycles, there are processes in which information is created. For instance, the design of a product comes about because, at an early stage, requirements of a product are defined by sales. In the design phase of a product, tests may be carried out on a prototype, the results of which you want to manage. When the created product is commissioned and customer complaints come in, you probably want to be able to follow this up in the form of a Change Management Process.
Within all these examples, it is not just engineers who are involved, but there needs to be wider collaboration in the organisation. A PLM system helps delegate tasks and responsibilities and checks for completeness of information so that no steps are skipped within these processes. Without PLM systems, this information is often processed in a variety of Excel templates and stored in shared folder structures and e-mails.
By implementing a PLM system, a shared environment is created within which all such "cross-departmental" processes can be included. As a result, it is possible at any time to retrieve what the state of affairs was in a given product lifecycle. Some of the domains typically accommodated in PLM are;
- New Product Introduction
- Change Management
- Quality Management
Overlap between PLM and PDM systems
PLM systems often contain PDM functionalities and vice versa. There are also a lot of processes that take place in both systems. For instance, we just talked about a PLM system guiding the change process, while earlier we mentioned that a PDM system is responsible for assigning and releasing revisions for our CAD structures. In such a case, it is important that PDM and PLM can work together. PLM must ensure that the right process steps are followed, the right stakeholders are involved and a proper impact analysis is made. Based on this analysis, a decision is then made on whether to actually implement the change. The actual modification of CAD documents is then controlled by the PDM system, in conjunction with a CAD package.
PDM applications from Autodesk
Now that it is clear which system will fulfil the business needs, we still have a choice of a specific application to make. In the Autodesk PDM landscape, the choice is between Vault and Upchain. Vault is a dedicated PDM system and Upchain is described as a PDM/PLM system.
To choose between PDM applications, there are two criteria of choice;
- Cloud vs On-Premise
- Inventor vs Multi-CAD
Autodesk Vault & Upchain: cloud vs on-premise
Vault is an On-premise PDM system, which requires setting up its own server. On this server, all CAD structures are then managed. All Engineers can install a "client" on their workstation for this purpose, which integrates seamlessly with Inventor. As mentioned, CAD data is often confidential information. Having your own server means you have control over the security of this information. Of course, having your own server does require maintenance.
Upchain, unlike Vault, is a cloud application. Here, configuring an online environment is enough to get started. Unlike a Vault implementation, it will require fewer traditional updates.
Inventor vs. Multi-CAD
Vault has been a solid outcome for many years when it comes to Product Data Management. With its fully optimised CAD integration with Inventor, it feels like one environment to a user. The engineer does not have to switch between different applications during his work.
Upchain has a "connector" available for several CAD packages. With this, we could refer to Upchain as a Multi-CAD PDM system. However, it should be noted that multi-CAD means that different CAD connections are available. Thus, an Inventor composition cannot simply be opened and modified in Solidworks from Upchain either. If there are different Engineering departments with different CAD packages working within one organisation with the ambition to connect to the same PDM system, then Upchain may be the way to go. So using each other's parts and assemblies as associative data is not possible within this.
Another solution, not yet mentioned, in such a situation would be to work with multiple PDM systems in the organisation, so that you can use the most optimal CAD integrations with the different CAD packages.
This is ultimately what makes a PDM system solid and user-friendly.
PLM applications from Autodesk
As mentioned earlier, Upchain contains both PDM and PLM functionality. This makes Upchain, together with Fusion 360 Manage, the Autodesk PLM landscape. Fusion 360 Manage is a dedicated PLM system. To choose a PLM application, we look at the desired level of functionality.
PLM functionality
Within the PLM landscape, we can choose between Fusion 360 Manage and Upchain. Here, we take into account the desired PLM functionalities. Fusion 360 Manage is a very comprehensive and highly configurable system, where you can seamlessly tailor the processes to the organisation's requirements. This allows you to start small and grow into a mature PLM system with lots of functionality.
Upchain is best described as a cloud PDM system with PLM functionality. The configurability and maturity of functionality is a lot lower than with Fusion 360 Manage. When the choice is made to deploy Upchain as a PDM system, it can be valuable to make use of the PLM functionality. When the choice has been made to use Vault as a PDM system, then it is illogical to implement Upchain just for the PLM functionality.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the basis for an application choice starts from whether we are dealing with a PDM or a PLM challenge.
When we have decided that we need a PDM solution, we choose Vault if we like to have our data in-house. If we want to move to the cloud or have multi-CAD ambitions, we choose Upchain. If we do not have multi-CAD ambitions and work with Inventor, it would be a missed opportunity if we do not use the solid CAD integration that Vault offers.
Within the PLM landscape, we have a choice between Fusion 360 Manage and Upchain, but we have to conclude that Upchain is a PDM system with PLM functionality, rather than a PDM/PLM system. When Upchain is not the PDM system, it is illogical to choose Upchain as a PLM system.
More information
Want to know more about what Cadac can do for you in the field of PDM and PLM? Don't hesitate to contact us.
