Siemens unifies PLM experience

In today 's highly connected and competitive global environment, pressure is intensifying on companies to deliver more innovative, high-quality new products to market faster. Siemens PLM Software launched its High Definition PLM (HD PLM) technology framework, and the latest enhancements added to NX software, at the Expo 2010 in Shanghai, China. International Metalworking News for Asia had a chance to talk to Siemens PLM Software executives: Eric Sterling, Senior Vice President for Global Marketing, and Joan Hirsch, Vice President, Product Design Solutions, during the media interview with executives. Siemens is making a significant investment in modernising the PLM experience with HD PLM. Sterling and Hirsch were keen on explaining how this PLM investment will enable decision makers throughout the product lifecycle make better informed decisions more efficiently, and with a higher level of confidence. Both executives also explained from a user's perspective how this PLM experience will help boost valuable corporate tool become a little more fun to work with. More than just a user experience High-definition PLM is a new technology framework designed to unify the PLM experience across all of Siemens PLM's products. In fact, it is planned to be the common client for all solutions. The interface is cool, and looks like something anyone would be happy to work with. It is based on four basic tenets that define how the technology framework will help users make better decisions faster so they can spend more time innovating. PERSONALISE - It personalise the users' experience by recognising who they are and actively presenting them with only the information they need to perform their tasks. ASSIST - It assist users proactively to make collaborative decisions, by aggregating, analysing and monitoring information, notifying them when action is required and suggesting collaborators to aid in their decision making. CLARIFY - It clarify the users' understanding by presenting "rich" information in the most intuitive way and enabling them to navigate to associated data from different disciplines and sources. VALIDATE - It validate user decisions against best practices, by applying analytical techniques to assess alternatives and capturing decision-making best practices for future reference. But Siemens is not just focusing on user experience. "High Definition" means more than what you see. They are also investing heavily in a more rich definition and validation of products, particularly around systems engineering and mechatronics. HD-PLM is where users can monitor their designs and give real-time diagnostics. Its aim is more visuals on any peripheral. HD-PLM is the framework that HD3D is built on. Designers are given great information in the modelling environment because of it-- not to forget making faster decisions about their designs. So users are not just seeing the designs, they also have an idea of how it will look like in the future. According to Sterling and Hirsch, the release of NX7 is the first product to leverage the HD-PLM framework, and subsequent versions of the Tecnomatix digital manufacturing software and Teamcenter PLM platform will feature HDPLM capabilities, including visual reporting and tagging to understand, collaborate, and make decisions in a globally distributed product development environment. Sterling said the biggest driver for HD-PLM is customers' need to get a better handle on the volumes of disparate product-related data and materials that they need to access and process in order to aid in innovation efforts and bolster time to market. The vision for HD-PLM was driven by several macro industry trends, including influences lNike Mens Shoes