Aras, a leader in product lifecycle management (PLM) and digital thread solutions, announced that SMC Germany, a leading manufacturer of pneumatic and electrical automation technology, has selected Aras Innovator®. The low-code flexibility of Aras Innovator enabled efficient integration with SMC Germany’s existing application landscape.
SMC Germany is strengthening its global collaboration with the implementation of Aras Innovator. The company established an independent solution based on the same Aras Innovator platform already in use by SMC locations in Japan and the United States. This alignment is expected to support closer integration between development and production sites worldwide.
The project was delivered in cooperation with Aras, its sister company XPLM Solution GmbH, and Bertrandt Systems & Consulting GmbH. XPLM managed the data migration and developed the CAD connector for SolidWorks, ensuring business continuity and system compatibility. Bertrandt supported the introduction of PLM processes at SMC Germany and implemented them in Aras Innovator.
“Aras offers a high degree of flexibility and easily customizable configuration options – a decisive factor for the success of the implementation,” explains Stefan Jaenicke, IT project manager at SMC Germany. “For example, we were able to develop our own connectors for our ERP system and adapt the system precisely to our specific requirements. This flexibility was particularly important because, as one of three SMC development centers worldwide, we work very closely with German industry.”
“We’re proud to support SMC Germany in achieving its corporate goals,” explains Andreas Grave, Director Regional Sales Central Europe at Aras. “This implementation demonstrates how Aras Innovator meets even complex requirements and enables tailored solutions.”
The project was implemented in multiple phases. Following an initial evaluation using the Aras community edition, SMC Germany transitioned to an Aras subscription in mid-2024 to take full advantage of the platform’s capabilities. The initial focus was on migrating core PLM functionalities to ensure a seamless switchover. Additional phases, including the automation of bill of materials (BOM) processing, are now underway. A key upcoming milestone is the expansion of the in-house-developed ERP connector, which already enables high-level product data processing.
