PLM software is a comprehensive suite of tools that help companies manage all the information related to product development.
A good PLM software solution should be able to manage all aspects of a company’s product lifecycle, from design and engineering to manufacturing, sales and support.
Best PLM Software
What Are PLM Software
PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) software is a tool that helps manufacturers to manage their product lifecycle.
It allows them to create, update and maintain different types of product data in one place. The data can be used for formulation, production and marketing purposes.
Best PLM software has an integrated environment that allows users to work together with all the necessary information about products. The software also helps to monitor processes and make changes as needed.
The best PLM software has an easy-to-use interface which makes it easy for both newbies and experienced users alike to use it.
It also provides support for a variety of languages such as English, German, Spanish, French and many more so that you can easily communicate with your clients or employees from all over the world.
What is the Best PLM Software?
The best PLM software solutions are designed with efficiency in mind. They allow you to automate repetitive tasks, optimize your supply chain and make it easier for employees to collaborate on projects.
Some of the top benefits of PLM software include:
Increased Productivity
With automated processes in place, employees can spend more time creating innovative new products instead of performing routine tasks like updating documents or manually entering data into spreadsheets.
Better Quality Control
Because your entire team will have access to shared data at all times, there will be less room for errors.
This means fewer mistakes are made and fewer corrections need to be made after a project goes out the door.
1. Teamcenter Siemens
Teamcenter Siemens is a suite of integrated products that provides a complete environment for managing product data, manufacturing processes, and resources used in the development and production of products.
Teamcenter Siemens is an integrated product lifecycle management (PLM) solution that enables companies to manage product data, processes and resources across their extended enterprise.
It provides a single platform to manage all aspects of product development and manufacturing, including design, engineering analysis, planning and scheduling, production control and quality management.
Teamcenter provides users with a single source of truth for product information from concept through retirement. It enables organizations to collaborate across the enterprise by sharing information in real time with suppliers, partners and customers.
Teamcenter is designed for companies across all industries — from manufacturing to service companies — who are looking for a modern PLM solution that can support their digital transformation efforts.
Teamcenter software is a modern, adaptable product lifecycle management (PLM) system connecting people and processes, across functional silos.
2. SAP PLM
SAP PLM is a comprehensive system for managing product life cycle processes and operations. The software allows companies to create, manage and deliver products in a more efficient manner by providing a single source of truth for all related information.
SAP PLM can be used to manage the entire product lifecycle, including creation, design, engineering, development and production. It also helps customers manage their supply chains and manufacturing processes by providing visibility into the entire process from beginning to end.
SAP PLM includes features such as:
1. Simulation modeling allows users to run simulations on different scenarios to see what would happen if certain changes were made.
2. Product lifecycle management allows users to create new products or update existing ones using a single system.
3. Sales order management allows users to create sales orders for customers and track them through the entire process until they are delivered.
4. Supply chain management allows users to track the flow of materials from suppliers through distributors and finally into production
Product Lifecycle Management in SAP helps organisations quickly develop and deliver the products that drive their business. SAP PLM provides all round support for all product related processes from beginning of life cycle with product ideation to manufacturing and service.
3. PTC Windchill
The PTC Windchill software development tool is an advanced CAD, CAE and simulation platform that helps engineers, designers and analysts accelerate product development cycles by reducing the time to market for new products, services and business models.
The solution enables users to quickly model, simulate and optimize designs in three dimensions, with a focus on mechanical systems design. It also offers seamless interoperability with other key product lifecycle management (PLM) applications from PTC such as MFG with Virtual User Modeling (VUM), Enterprise PDM, Teamcenter and Windchill PDMLink.
PTC Windchill is a family of Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) software products that is offered by PTC.
4. Oracle Agile PLM
Oracle Agile PLM is a next-generation product lifecycle management (PLM) solution that provides a single platform for digital product development. The software helps to better manage the product design, engineering and manufacturing process.
This software uses a collaborative approach to enable all members of the product development team to work together more effectively using the same data, processes and technology.
Oracle Agile PLM supports multiple design systems, including 3D CAD models from Autodesk Inventor and SolidWorks and 2D drawings from AutoCAD. It also supports PLM-specific formats such as Product Data Management (PDM) files from SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional and Configuration Management Database (CMDB) files from Oracle Service Cloud Service Catalog.
Agile Product Lifecycle Management is a tool acquired by Oracle that is used to drive product innovation process in number of industries including manufacturing, FMCG, life sciences, high-tech, etc.
5. Aras PLM
Aras PLM is a powerful, yet easy-to-use enterprise resource planning (ERP) software solution for product data management. The Aras PLM solution is an integrated suite of applications that provide a complete view of your business, including engineering, sales, production and services.
Aras™ enables you to manage your entire product lifecycle from concept to support. It helps you reduce time to market by eliminating redundant tasks and enabling employees to collaborate more effectively.
You can also use it to reduce costs through intelligent purchasing and cost estimation tools.
Completely customizable and scalable, Aras™ supports companies of all sizes – from single-developer startups to large enterprises with multiple offices worldwide.
At Aras, we define a resilient platform as one designed to adapt to changing business requirements while never locking users into a specific technology.
6. Upchain PLM
Upchain is a cloud-based software platform that helps manufacturers streamline their product development process. The software provides complete traceability, visibility and control over your products, from initial concept all the way through production.
Autodesk® Fusion 360® Manage (formerly Fusion Lifecycle) is a product lifecycle management platform that connects your people, processes, and data across departments and geographies.
7. Autodesk Fusion Lifecycle
Autodesk Fusion Lifecycle is a cloud-based software product development platform that enables enterprises to manage the complete lifecycle of their digital products — from conception through deployment and retirement.
As an all-in-one solution, Autodesk Fusion Lifecycle provides tools for ideation, prototyping, testing, manufacturing and marketing. It also offers a single repository for user research data and feedback.
Autodesk Fusion Lifecycle is being used by companies in the automotive, aerospace and defense industries as well as consumer goods companies to manage all aspects of product development from ideation through to retirement.
Autodesk® Fusion 360® Manage (formerly Fusion Lifecycle) is a product lifecycle management platform that connects your people, processes, and data across departments and geographies.
What is Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) Software?
Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) is a term that describes the use of computer software to manage the entire process of developing a product from conception through production, distribution and disposal.
Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) software is used to manage all aspects of the development process, including tracking when each step in the process begins and ends, managing budgets, managing human resources and making sure that every step is completed on time.
Because Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) software helps companies save money by reducing waste, it has become one of the most popular types of business intelligence software. In fact, according to Gartner Research, more than 90 percent of businesses are now using some form of PLM software to help them manage their products more efficiently.
What Features Do You Need in Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) Software?
The answer to this question depends on what your business needs. The PLM software that you need should be able to accommodate all of your business processes, from design to manufacturing, from sales and marketing to customer service.
A good PLM solution will offer the following features:
Product planning: Product planning is a key feature of any PLM solution. This feature allows you to create and manage product data in an organized manner.
It also allows you to create detailed plans for each product, including its manufacturing process and what tests need to be performed before the product is released into production.
Product design: A good PLM solution should allow you to create detailed designs for your products and then share them with other people in your organization so they can make changes if needed. You can also use this feature to track all of the changes that have been made during the design process so you can see when something was changed by whom and why.
Manufacturing: Manufacturing is another important feature that every PLM solution should have. This feature allows you to track when a particular part or assembly will be ready for production, as well as how much inventory is available at each stage in the manufacturing process (raw materials, partially completed assemblies and fully completed assemblies).
Closed-Loop PLM
The Closed-Loop PLM approach is based on a simple concept: If we can understand what our customers want and make it easy for them to tell us, then we can produce products that meet their needs and build relationships with them.
Closed-Loop PLM has been around for years. In fact, the closed-loop approach is at the heart of Lean manufacturing and just-in-time (JIT) production systems. It’s also the basis for Six Sigma quality improvement programs.
The difference between closed-loop PLM and other approaches to product development is that it focuses on activities that take place after a product or service has been developed — when companies begin to build relationships with their customers based on understanding their needs, wants and desires.
Main Users of PLM Tools And Top Reasons For Using Such Software
The usage of PLM software is not restricted to manufacturing industries only. The software has been used in other industries as well. The main users of such software are:
Manufacturing Companies
The primary users of PLM tools are manufacturing companies. These companies use the software to maintain the quality and performance of their products, and also to reduce the costs associated with product engineering and development.
Service Providers
Service providers also use such software to provide better service to their customers. It helps them in providing high-quality services at a lower cost, which ultimately increases their revenue and profits.
R&D Organizations
Research & Development organizations also make use of these tools to design new products more efficiently, which reduces time and cost associated with research & development activities substantially.
Best PLM Software – Executive Summary
PLM software helps businesses streamline their operations by providing a single, consistent view of the product lifecycle.
The best PLM solutions provide solution providers with all the information they need to support customers with their product requests and requirements.
Businesses that use PLM software can reduce costs by eliminating unnecessary rework and errors caused by miscommunication between departments. This makes it easier for companies to improve productivity and increase profitability.
The best PLM solutions also help companies compete more effectively against their competitors.
By providing quality information about their products, companies can better understand what their customers want and need.
This allows them to make informed decisions about how they should change the way they manufacture or distribute products in order to meet those needs.
Most importantly, PLM software enables companies to focus on delivering top-quality customer experiences by improving communication across all levels of the organization.
