CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive

13 May 2009

CIMdata News

“ECAD-MCAD Collaboration Solutions”A New White Paper from CIMdata

CIMdata, the leading global Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) consulting and research firm released a new White Paper entitled “ECAD-MCAD Collaboration Solutions.” This paper describes product offerings from PTC and Mentor Graphics that help companies develop electro-mechanical designs regardless of industry sector. This paper provides an overall description of collaboration between the ECAD and MCAD disciplines and presents issues and benefits as well as CIMdata’s assessment of the ECAD-MCAD collaboration solutions of PTC and Mentor Graphics.

PTC and Mentor Graphics have developed their own sets of ECAD-MCAD collaboration solutions that can also work together. These are the first two companies to develop solutions that adopt the new ECAD-MCAD data exchange format introduced by ProSTEP. They support the engineering design process for products that combine both electrical and mechanical content. They help engineers design products in the context of both disciplines, allowing them to make more thorough and informed product design decisions. These ECAD-MCAD collaboration solutions also support active collaboration throughout the design process, allowing more design innovation and facilitating engineering change processes. This is very important since the electrical and mechanical design processes in most companies are carried out by different teams who typically work in isolation from each other and who use different methods to produce their portions of the product design. Communication among the members of these teams is critical to producing high-quality products that meet the requirements of customers.

According to John MacKrell, Senior CIMdata Consultant, “The bottom line is that the benefits of implementing an ECAD-MCAD collaboration strategy today can bring both positive and broad-reaching benefits that can be not only financial, but improve product design quality.”

Electro-mechanical design is a critically important part of the product design process in many companies. However, the integration of electrical and mechanical design into a collaborative design environment is not a simple task. Mr. MacKrell states “What PTC and Mentor Graphics have done in this area is very positive and sets out a direction for continued development. Furthermore, the current solution can provide real benefits today.” Benefits that accrue from ECAD-MCAD collaboration include faster engineering change resolution, more functionally valid designs, and increased product design innovation. When ECAD-MCAD collaboration plays a central role in the product development process, a number of positive impacts accrue.

PTC’s and Mentor’s ECAD-MCAD collaboration solutions are leaders in integrating mechanical and electrical design for businesses across many industries, but the long-term challenge is to support simulation of the complete system’s interactions including those among software, electrical, and mechanical components of a product. While the current suite of products provides a fundamental base for ECAD-MCAD collaboration, PTC and Mentor Graphics have indicated that they will continue to expand the capabilities. This and more is presented in the White Paper. Copies of the “ECAD-MCAD Collaboration Solutions” CIMdata review are available here at no cost.

About CIMdata

CIMdata, a leading independent worldwide firm, provides strategic consulting to maximize an enterprise’s ability to design and deliver innovative products and services through the application of Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions. Since its founding more than 25 years ago, CIMdata has delivered world-class knowledge, expertise, and best-practice methods on PLM solutions. These solutions incorporate both business processes and a wide-ranging set of PLM enabling technologies.

CIMdata works with both industrial organizations and suppliers of technologies and services seeking competitive advantage in the global economy. CIMdata helps industrial organizations establish effective PLM strategies, assists in the identification of requirements and selection of PLM technologies, helps organizations optimize their operational structure and processes to implement solutions, and assists in the deployment of these solutions. For PLM solution suppliers, CIMdata helps define business and market strategies, delivers worldwide market information and analyses, provides education and support for internal sales and marketing teams, as well as overall support at all stages of business and product programs to make them optimally effective in their markets.

In addition to consulting, CIMdata conducts research, provides PLM-focused subscription services, and produces several commercial publications. The company also provides industry education through PLM certificate programs, seminars, and conferences worldwide. CIMdata serves clients around the world from offices in North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific.

To learn more about CIMdata’s services, visit our website at www.CIMdata.com or contact CIMdata at: 3909 Research Park Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48108, USA. Tel: +1 (734) 668-9922. Fax: +1 (734) 668-1957; or at Siriusdreef 17-27, 2132 WT Hoofddorp, The Netherlands. Tel: +31 (0)23 568-9385. Fax: +31 (0)23 568-9111.

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