Better decision-making in product development

Siemens PLM Software addresses the challenge of increasing globalisation with a more intelligent PLM system that provides the right information to the right person at the right time.

International Metalworking News for Asia along with other members of the media was given first-hand information from Siemens PLM Software executives during the Asia Pacific launch of Teamcenter 9 in Qingdao, China.

At the launch, KC Yee Senior Vice President and Managing Director for Asia Pacifi are gave the opening remarks. "As Asia is filled with challenges, we prepared a platform that turns such energy into innovation. There are many young people in Asia. We want to help them use their ideas to make innovations and become new heroes."

Business challenge, HD-PLM vision
Chuck Grindstaff, CEO talked about the business challenge and the company's HD-PLM vision. "Siemens PLM Software has changed its organisation in October 2011 from the one consisting of divisions for each product to an organisation consisting of divisions for each industry, emphasising that the company develops products by giving priority to customers' opinions. With the current ITs, it is possible to collect data from everywhere, but the data is useless if it cannot be used for company management."

Grindstaff made an example of the welding processes at production sites for vehicles. "In welding processes, a variety of data can be obtained, but it becomes meaningful only after being analysed and used for engineering," he explained. "Also, in recent years, products are becoming more and more complex, and demands are different in different regions. Therefore, it is necessary to share information and effectively make use of it all around the world. And to meet that goal, not only the engineering data but also data such as CRM and ERP have to be integrated and provided to each user in an appropriate form," Grindstaff said.

Grindstaff gave details about the company's "HD (High Definition)-PLM" framework. The HD-PLM consists of intellectually integrated information, a system that can be expanded in the future and clarified user experience, and it is the base of Teamcenter 9.

HD-PLM with Teamcenter 9
Rohit Tangri, Global Head, Teamcenter Product Management & Marketing, Siemens PLM Software
disclosed more details on HD-PLM with Teamcenter 9. "There are three applications that Siemens PLM Software considers as the main expanded functions of Teamcenter 9. They are System Engineering & Requirement Management, Content/Document Management and MRO (maintenance repair overhaul).

To explain the importance of system engineering and requirement management, Tangri talked about a friend who recently purchased a car but the alarm of the car kept ringing. When he checked with the maker of the car, he was told that the sliding roof of the car was open. However, his car did not have a sliding roof.

Tangri mentioned a possibility that this kind of trouble can happen if a base on which specialists from various fields have a discussion is not formed at an early stage because the complexity of products is increasing. And he pointed out that system engineering and requirement management are important for ensuring product quality.

In regard to Content /Document Management, Tangri said "By using multilingual manuals as an example. It is necessary for global companies to prepare manuals in multiple languages. But if it takes too long to prepare them, shipment is delayed, possibly decreasing sales. To avoid such a situation, it is necessary that the application can be used in an environment where product data and various documents are integrated."

As for MRO, Tangri described the "Service Scheduling & Execution," a new module that SiemADIDAS