Product Lifecycle Management Technology Research Articles

Product Lifecycle Management Technology Applied in Missile Launching Systems Production and Installation

The article highlights the problems in the construction of the launch-site Vostochniy production and installation logistic. The stages of complex high-end product lifecycle described. The concepts and techniques of life cycle management and variants of their application offered as solution of this problems. Practical way to optimize logistics and lifecycle management processes using ILS Suite multi-agent software submitted. Side effect of this solution is creating of relevant integrated logistic support database, that could be used in the future projects. Results for tests and some perspectives for future investigation described.

Implementations of Model Based Definition and Product Lifecycle Management Technologies: a Case Study in Chinese Aeronautical Industry

The paper describes and analyzes the Model Based Definition (MBD) and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) technologies and their related Computer-Aided X applications in order to enable the implementation of an integrated design and manufacturing system in Chinese aeronautical industry. Using the full three-dimensional technology allows the MBD specification of geometry, features and attributes for mechanical parts. It also supports an integrated design method for specifying MBD models of these parts. Considering the manufacturing specifications based on MBD, the feature machining and Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM) control technologies are used for intelligent manufacturing of parts. Machining and quality inspection programs are automatically generated including the associated MBD process and quality models. Finally, the integrated design and manufacturing system based on MBD and PLM technologies is applied on the case study of an engine fan blade in order to assess the proposed method.

Organizing complex engineering operations throughout the lifecycle

Purpose – Strategic trends towards service operations have been widely reported in the recent literature, but organisational capabilities to support such service-centred strategies are less well understood. The purpose of this paper is to identify key organisational issues in managing complex engineering service operations throughout the lifecycle. Design/methodology/approach – Using instruments developed from the product lifecycle management technologies and the network configuration concept, key organisational issues for engineering service operations were identified through case studies focusing on complex engineering products and services systems across a variety of industrial sectors. Findings – The case studies demonstrated different organisational features and strategic priorities of engineering service operations along the whole lifecycle. A generic trend has been observed for engineering systems to move from being design, development and manufacturing focused to embracing support and end-of-life recycling matters. Originality/value – This paper provides an overall framework for integrating key organisational issues in engineering service operations. It contributes to the service literature by highlighting the need of developing appropriate organisational capabilities to support service-centred strategies with engineering cases. It also provides guidance for companies to manage their engineering network operations throughout the whole lifecycle of complex products and services systems.

How does PLM technology support knowledge transfer and translation in new product development? Transparency and boundary spanners in an international context

Information Technology is often viewed as imposing too much standardization and limiting flexibility in New Product Development (NPD). This paper aims at understanding how the use of Product Lifecycle Management Technology (PLM) contributes to knowledge sharing in an international NPD environment. The research is based on a longitudinal case study of a consumer goods industry group and involved development teams in Europe and local suppliers in China. Knowledge transfer and translation were observed through the reduction of communication glitches among members and increased NPD work with Chinese suppliers. The results of the case study indicate that (1), with an important codification effort, the use of PLM technology resulted in higher data and network transparency and enhanced knowledge transfer; (2) PLM served as a particularly useful tool for knowledge translation especially for boundary spanners in their work relationships. While PLM can be considered the main mechanism for knowledge transfer in this context, the case suggests that knowledge translation requires a boundary spanner intervention and that, with the use of PLM, they reinforce each other. Particularly noteworthy was a positive shift in the boundary spanners' roles from the project leader to the outsourcing engineer. In turn, this unintended consequence reinforced their credibility and the legitimacy of the use of the system with the Chinese suppliers.

Process of innovation in product lifecycle management business strategy

This article proposes a scenario of Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), as a innovative business strategy based on the analysis of business drivers, industry requirements, limit of current solution, and recent state-of-the-art review in the domain related to PLM. Potential industrial impact of the developed PLM technology solutions is analyzed. It is hoped that the proposed PLM technology solutions will form the frontier basis for further research, development, and application of PLM systems to quickly adapt to the dynamic changing market for industry companies to pursue the most advanced competitiveness. This article presents a process oriented framework to support effective PLM implementation with a set of lifecycle oriented business process reference models which links the necessary fundamental concepts, enterprise knowledge and software solutions to effectively deploy PLM

Process of innovation in product lifecycle management business strategy

This article proposes a scenario of Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), as a innovative business strategy based on the analysis of business drivers, industry requirements, limit of current solution, and recent state-of-the-art review in the domain related to PLM. Potential industrial impact of the developed PLM technology solutions is analyzed. It is hoped that the proposed PLM technology solutions will form the frontier basis for further research, development, and application of PLM systems to quickly adapt to the dynamic changing market for industry companies to pursue the most advanced competitiveness. This article presents a process oriented framework to support effective PLM implementation with a set of lifecycle oriented business process reference models which links the necessary fundamental concepts, enterprise knowledge and software solutions to effectively deploy PLM

Implementation of product lifecycle management tools using enterprise integration engineering and action-research

This paper describes how enterprise integration engineering (EIE) and action-research (A-R) can be used to support the implementation of product lifecycle management (PLM) tools. The EIE concept is used to align the corporate strategies with the use of PLM technologies in order to impact the key performance indicators (KPIs) in the enterprise. An EIE reference framework is proposed to define strategies, evaluate performance measures, design/re-design processes and establish the enabling tools and technologies to support the enterprise strategies, while A-R is proposed to guide the PLM tools implementation at various stages of the product development process. An industrial application is described to demonstrate the benefits of applying EIE, A-R and PLM in an enterprise.

Investing in an innovation environment

PurposeOngoing growth in the mainstream Product Life Cycle Management (PLM) market during 2008 suggests that industrial companies continue to recognise the importance of PLM Technology as an enabler of ongoing innovation, and productivity.Design/methodology/approachThis briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context.FindingsWhile it has perhaps taken longer than anticipated, and will undoubtedly not be helped by the present economic climate, the mid‐market is increasingly being recognised as the fastest growing segment in the PLM space. In particular, and as highlighted by two case examples, the Product Data Management technologies (which are a subset of this space) have matured, and their applicability to organizations of all sizes has increased significantly.Originality/valueResearch and experience now indicates that many PDM systems have evolved to better meet the needs of not just large enterprises, but also small‐ to medium‐sized enterprises of all types.

The Future of Automotive Design & amp; Development: 3D for All

For over 20 years, automotive manufacturers have been harnessing the power of 3D to help create, optimize and produce great vehicles. Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) capabilities such as concurrent development, seamless integration, simultaneous engineering, single source database, and real-time visibility have long been capable within the automotive development process. However, the reality is that these tools have existed for a select few within a corporation, and have never been pervasive to every person involved in a product’s development process. Today, there are certain market drivers requiring more from PLM technology. This includes the fact that companies must drive innovation to survive in today’s increasingly competitive and global auto industry. The next generation of 3D PLM tools, referred to as PLM 2.0 can bring real-time, global collaboration to life with features such as a single PLM platform for Intellectual Property (IP) management (one database and one server), and the open Server-Oriented Architecture (SOA) development platform. With only a web connection, product authoring and collaboration are enabled for real time, concurrent work, across multiple remote locations all in a 3D lifelike environment. This presentation will point out how by expanding 3D PLM beyond engineering and manufacturing to include everyone who has a role in the life of a vehicle from business users to end consumers, vehicles will be developed in a shorter time frame, and better-suited to the public desires, with improvements made along the whole product development process.

Implementation of collaborative design processes into PLM systems

Design coordination means project structuring in relation with local objectives identification, resources assignment, task scheduling and performance criteria definition. In small and medium enterprises (SMEs), the design process is generally described at a macro-level which does not fully correspond to the complexity of the real process. A business approach for coordinating design process through the implementation of product life-cycle management (PLM) systems is proposed for improving design coordination in SMEs. Firstly, this business approach is based on a method for analysing informal collaborative practices and modelling detailed design processes. Secondly, these processes are implemented by using PLM technologies. Multi-level workflows are implemented to control progress of design schedule from project management level to document life-cycle management level. Subprocess generation and synchronisation tasks are used to synchronise them from one level to another and 'flexibility nodes' identify choices between different task sequences. An experiment validates the feasibility of this business approach.

Technology Solutions for Collaborative Product Lifecycle Management – Status Review and Future Trend

In the modern global economy, companies are facing ever-increasing challenges for short time-to-market to enter into the market early, for reduced time-to-volume to occupy the market quickly, and for decreased time-to-profit to get return from market shortly. Product lifecycle management (PLM) is recognized as one of the key leading technologies to facilitate companies to overcome these challenges, which will offer companies a new way to rapidly plan, organize, manage, measure, and deliver new products or services much faster, better, and cheaper in an integrated way. Following this trend, this study proposes a full scenario of technology solutions for PLM based on the complete analysis of business drivers, industry requirements, limit of current solution, and recent state-of-the-art review in the domain related to PLM. Potential industrial impact of the developed PLM technology solutions is analyzed. It is hoped that the proposed PLM technology solutions will form the frontier basis for further research, development, and application of PLM systems to quickly adapt to the dynamic changing market for industry companies to pursue the most advanced competitiveness.

Information in Order

This article discusses various aspects of product lifecycle management (PLM). Medical device makers constantly seek innovative technologies; some use product lifecycle management systems to smooth the road to food and drug administration approval. Engineers at superDimension manage hundreds of design changes flying around the company by using the manufacturer’s product lifecycle management technology. Keeping close track of the overwhelming number of documents that a regulatory agency might ask to see is one of them. The Air Force will soon use the technology for a different purpose-to give personnel wireless access to maintenance records and technical manuals where they service aircraft. In order to organize the flow and head off chaos, superDimension implemented its PLM software from the very beginning. The manufacturer uses SmarTeam from the vendor of the same name. The company is now owned by IBM. The company engineered its PLM technology to suit its needs.

Application of product data management technologies for enterprise integration

Product Data Management (PDM) systems and their offspring, Collaborative Product Development and Product Lifecycle Management technologies, aim to bring engineering enterprises together, allowing seamless interoperability between different departments and throughout the extended enterprises. However, there are a number of shortcomings in the current crop of commercially available systems, such as the lack of design knowledge sharing, links with Enterprise Resource Planning systems, knowledge management tools and a generic standard for PDM system implementation. This paper presents a proposed software solution to some of the above problems. In particular, the paper describes methodologies being developed that are aimed at overcoming the lack of analysable product information at the conceptual stage of product design and manufacturing evaluation, along with the integration of such a concept design tool within a distributed environment. A leading PDM system is used to manage all the information and knowledge that is made available to internet/intranet users in a controlled manner. The international standard for exchange of product data model (STEP) is implemented to enable the integration of the design environment with manufacturing and enterprise resource management systems. In addition, the paper also introduces three other recent/ongoing projects, being carried out at Cranfield University, in the application of PDM, knowledge management and STEP standard for integrated manufacturing businesses.

Keeping in Touch

This article reviews product life cycle management (PLM) software. The PLM technology used in product creation can be reactivated farther down a product’s life. Some companies couple PLM—which allows engineers and manufacturers to exchange design files and communicate about product development—with a mix of other technologies to forecast a product’s life and to come up with more environmentally friendly products. Because mechanical and manufacturing engineers, designers, marketers, and many others are involved in creating a product, a PLM system helps these people exchange plans and ideas via the Internet, whatever their location, to brainstorm design and manufacturing. PLM technology, often thought of as a tool that is useful in the first stages of product design and manufacture, is now being used to project a product’s life, to follow a product even after it is sold, and to ensure an environmentally sound product in the first place. This article reviews product life cycle management (PLM) software. The PLM technology used in product creation can be reactivated farther down a product’s life. Some companies couple PLM—which allows engineers and manufacturers to exchange design files and communicate about product development—with a mix of other technologies to forecast a product’s life and to come up with more environmentally friendly products. Because mechanical and manufacturing engineers, designers, marketers, and many others are involved in creating a product, a PLM system helps these people exchange plans and ideas via the Internet, whatever their location, to brainstorm design and manufacturing. PLM technology, often thought of as a tool that is useful in the first stages of product design and manufacture, is now being used to project a product’s life, to follow a product even after it is sold, and to ensure an environmentally sound product in the first place.