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 PDF On October 24, 2011, Siemens PLM Software (Siemens PLM) announced a partnership with Local Motors, an American car company employing a distinctive, collaborative approach of crowd sourcing to vehicle design. While Local Motors calls their design methodology co-creation, it is known more broadly as community-based design. The approach leverages a global, open, design community that contributes to the definition and design of an automobile. On November 11, Siemens PLM followed with a second announcement that they will offer all contributors to the Local Motors’ automotive product designs a new, exclusive streamlined version of Solid Edge software for a monthly subscription fee of $19.95 beginning January 1, 2012. Siemens PLM indicated that Local Motors would establish a limited number of these subscriptions using a trial version before the start date./p> In discussions with CIMdata, Siemens PLM noted their in-depth talks with the leaders at Local Motors, where they jointly defined the list

 PDF Autodesk used the occasion of Autodesk University 2011 in Las Vegas on 29 November to introduce Autodesk 360, its Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solution suite that has been foreshadowed by the “Everything Changes” campaign of 2011. Previous to Autodesk 360, Autodesk provided workgroup-level data management capabilities for its CAD products through its Vault offering. While Autodesk Vault is part of their new PLM solution suite, Autodesk 360 expands on those capabilities in significant ways. In the past, Autodesk has eschewed PLM, claiming that it is much too difficult to implement and derive benefit from current offerings. This was heavily reinforced by CEO Carl Bass’ now famous anti-PLM rap, well known on YouTube. Reminded of this at the Autodesk 360 announcement Mr. Bass explained “We didn’t do PLM until we could do it right.” So, what has changed since then to influence Autodesk to enter the PLM fray? According to Mr. Bass

With the press of a button, a myriad of computerized technology activates beneath the inlaid wood and leather lined dashboard. The driver has just set in motion the results of thousands of hours of sophisticated engineering to execute a semi-automated parallel park. Programmed sensors; power steering; traction control and power, anti-lock brakes; computerized suspension; and voice instructions that indicate when to brake and when to shift; all smoothly interplay to deliver customer satisfaction—and park the car. Each system has been designed and manufactured by automotive specialists through the mechatronics interplay of mechanical, electric, and software control components. The world’s automotive industry continues to experience intense business and technology pressures to deliver these technology improvements within an environment of tightening budgets and resources. The explosive growth in electronic, computerized systems in the typical automobile is undeniable and experts predict its growth will continue unabated. This mounting sophistication is countered by increasingly focused

 PDF At the recent Oracle OpenWorld 2011 conference in San Francisco, CA, customer presentations offered solid evidence of progress in the application of Oracle’s product lifecycle management (PLM) product suite in both emerging and traditional industries. Oracle also reported substantial enhancements to their PLM offerings, actual and planned, within the context of a framing vision that Oracle calls the “Product Value Chain,” which they say offers value beyond Product Lifecycle Management. This vision is consistent with Oracle’s concentration and success outside the traditional core of PLM—mechanical CAD work-in-process data management, and the traditional industries of automotive and aerospace. Investing in their PLM offering as an enterprise integration platform, with peripheral value point solutions especially tuned to the needs within emerging industries, continues to be a successful competitive strategy for Oracle. That said, John Kelley, VP Product Strategy for PLM, insists that Oracle has now gotten it right with new releases of

 PDF On November 8 through 10, Dassault Systèmes held the Dassault Systèmes Customer Conference (DSCC 2011) at Caesars Palace, on the Strip in Las Vegas, NV. The glamour and glitz outside were more than matched by the high wattage firepower on the main stage. Most of the top Dassault Systèmes executives were front and center, cheering on their leading customers like Johnson & Johnson, Bell Helicopter, and Benetton. The wide range of industries represented by these customers is indicative of the shift at the company over the last several years to broaden their traditional strengths in “planes, trains, and automobiles,” to successfully compete in apparel, consumer packaged goods, and even services applications of PLM. As usual, Bernard Charlès revved up the crowd with a passionate speech about his company, and how they plan to move forward over the coming decades. According to Mr. Charlès, customer adoption of their Version 6 platform is

 PDF On November 9, 2011, Siemens PLM Software announced their acquisition of Vistagy, Inc., known mainly as a leading provider of composites design and manufacturing solutions. Vistagy has been a long-time partner of Siemens PLM Software, providing solutions to enhance the ability of their NX offering, to help customers more effectively design and manufacture composite structures. Vistagy also offers engineering services, and has expanded their product line in recent years to include other specialty applications. Most notably used in aerospace applications, composites use is spreading across many industries, and thus, composite design solutions are growing in importance. Automotive manufacturers are replacing steel and aluminum components with composites to reduce weight; in some cases simultaneously increasing strength and rigidity. In the broad consumer market, many tennis players rely on composite rackets to approximate the strokes and power of their favorite tennis players. But it is in aerospace that composites have made some things

 PDF Autodesk Analyst Day 2011 Autodesk held their 2011 Analyst Day at the Artists for Humanity (AFH) facility in South Boston on October 20. Nearly thirty analysts were invited to hear a company update by Autodesk executives. The setting was appropriate, as the AFH, the first LEED Platinum Certified building in Boston, was designed using Autodesk solutions. Leading off the day was Autodesk’s CEO Carl Bass, who spoke about “Autodesk Today and Tomorrow.” Some of his talk echoed their Investor Day presentation in June. Mr. Bass presented a chart depicting Autodesk’s customers by company size. Enterprise customers are at the tip of a very steep spike, but they are Autodesk’s fastest growing segment, now making up 30 percent of revenues. Even with their financial success and increasing work with large customers, Bass said that for years Autodesk has struggled to be known as more than the “AutoCAD company.” But Mr. Bass claims that he

Back in the 70s when I was much more of a baseball fan, the Cincinnati Reds were the Big Red Machine. Powerful. Efficient. Talented. Complete. Why would I use this as a title for a blog post? Because in our role as strategic consultants to end user companies (60-70% of CIMdata’s revenues in most years), we often help them to define their PLM strategies, develop requirements, and select and implement PLM-enabling solutions. In this role, we have front row seats to solution benchmarks, where the leading PLM solution suppliers are asked to show how their solutions can meet a set of customer-defined scenarios. And this is why I chose the Hall of Fame catcher for my title. All of these companies should be like the Big Red Machine. Efficient. Talented. Complete. They should hit these meatballs out of the park. Why do we believe this? Because in our analyst role, we work

 PDF The industrial equipment (IE) market is large and varied, ranging from fabricated metal components and sub-assemblies to manufacturing equipment that convey, assemble, or produce products, and mobile machinery like farming or construction equipment. IE companies have different business models, development and production requirements e.g., build to order (BTO). In order to be successful, IE companies must respond to changes in market needs, new technologies, ever-increasing product complexity, expanding end customer and regulatory requirements, and relentless cost pressures. Products may have lifecycles measured in years or decades, which require ongoing service, and may be significantly modified or upgraded over time. To successfully meet changing global market requirements, IE companies need PLM solutions and technologies that enable them to produce innovative, customized products faster, achieving both accuracy and profitability. IE Company Business Challenges Customers of IE purchase that equipment based on performance specifications tied to return on investment (ROI) rather than on features and

 PDF The choice of the company’s new Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) system has been made and the team of decision makers celebrates the challenging selection effort. But now the real work begins—planning and executing the migration of data from the current legacy systems to the new target PLM platform. A company’s existing data contains a significant portion of their intellectual property (IP) and therefore the company’s competitive advantage and value. The success of the new system depends heavily upon an effective migration of existing data in an intelligent, quality, and timely manner. This scenario is repeated in varying degrees across the globe and in every industry vertical. With the rapid pace of improving technology, competitive pressures drive many companies to continually evaluate their PLM solutions and undertake improvements. The decision may be driven by the recognition that their current legacy solution, or more often their maintenance of multiple legacy systems, has grown