CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive
26 March 2008
Implementation Investments
Novare Surgical Systems Selects Arena PLM to Aid in Delivery of the World’s First Full-Range-of-Motion Handheld Surgical Instruments
Arena Solutions announced that Novare Surgical Systems (http://www.novaresurgical.com), the company behind an entirely new category of high-dexterity instruments for minimally invasive surgery, has selected Arena PLM to improve control of its product development process. Arena PLM will allow Novare to more easily comply with medical industry standards and regulations, boost productivity, and enhance collaboration with suppliers. The company has adopted Arena PLM to improve time to market for its RealHand® High Dexterity (HD) products, the world’s first full-range-of-motion handheld laparoscopic instruments that are making it possible for physicians to perform advanced laparoscopic procedures such as colectomies, hysterectomies, and gastric bypass.
“We’ve got to go digital. We can’t throw any paper away for compliance reasons, and we’re running out of space. A typical review of our device history means 50 pounds of paper. Distributing documents to our vendors involves more than 400 drawings. If I miss just one it’s a problem—there’s just too much risk for human error when the process gets that large,” said Donna Nelson, document control specialist at Novare Surgical Systems. “We’re very excited about Arena PLM. Because it’s web-based, we get high-quality PLM for much less money than a standalone system that would require investment in additional servers and IT support. With Arena PLM as a central repository for all of our data, our suppliers will be able to find what they need—when they need it. Change orders that take up to a month now can be approved in a week or less. Ultimately, Arena PLM will greatly improve our time to market.”
Novare chose Arena PLM for its functionality, high return on investment, and on-demand delivery model. Novare will use Arena PLM to electronically control engineering changes, track and store the vast quantities of data that enable the company to comply with an increasing number of medical standards and regulations, and share files for 24/7 access from anywhere in the world. The anytime, anywhere access is particularly significant for the company, which frequently saw approval cycles slowed by the heavy travel schedules of several key employees. Now those employees can use the Internet to log into Arena PLM from anywhere, gain instant access to a single and accurate version of the product record, and keep the product development process moving efficiently.
“A typical change order may have many different documents, associated drawings and bills of materials. Each supplier needs different pieces of the information, and up until now, providing that information has been a manual process. With Arena PLM, I won’t be at risk of sending the wrong documents to the wrong people. Instead the suppliers will have access to the latest revisions, and we’ll also eliminate the security risks associated with mailing and emailing our key product data,” said Nelson. “This is a high-stakes product. Particularly in medical, people’s lives are depending on us getting it right. Arena PLM will make that easier.”
As all of the data is hosted by Arena and protected by its financial-grade security, Novare Surgical gains peace of mind knowing its data is safer being hosted and distributed through Arena than through the mail and email they were using, which is neither highly secure, nor controllable.
“Novare Surgical Systems is an incredibly pioneering and entrepreneurial company that is advancing the way surgery is done through its innovations. We’re proud they’ve chosen Arena PLM as one of their critical business applications,” said Craig Livingston, chief executive officer of Arena Solutions. “Implementing Arena PLM gives Novare Surgical the ability to do even more with its current resources. As the company’s core product information management system, Arena PLM will help Novare accomplish its strategic goals, like decreasing time to market, reducing product costs and ensuring compliance—all while allowing it to continue focusing on pushing the envelope with highly innovative products.”
Become a member of the CIMdata PLM Community to receive your daily PLM news and much more.
Tell us what you think of the CIMdata Newsletter. Send your feedback.
CIMdata is committed to your privacy. Your personal information will never be sold or shared outside of CIMdata without your express permission.