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Will SAP Collaborate?

Asked on Apr 23 2007 10:23:19:000AM

Q

Dear Mr. Amann, What is your experience with SAP IPPE as a collaborative tool? Thank you.

Andre Iguti, SJC, NA
AWith the introduction of SAP's integrated Product and Process Engineering (iPPE), SAP launched an enhanced approach to the way mySAP PLM manages product structures. This approach addresses the requirements of organizations that need to manage a large variety of complex product configurations. Although initially developed to meet the needs of the automotive industry, SAP has found that iPPE is of interest to mechanical and plant engineering, aerospace, electronics, and other high-tech companies as well. In addition, SAP reports that iPPE is the foundation for other applications, such as Product Designer, to manage product features and requirements structures within the early engineering phases of a product; and for its new Recipe Management application, to support the product development for process industries as described in the Applications section of this document.

The organization of data within the iPPE is structured in three main components:

    1. The Product Variant Structure (PVS), to enable a continuous step-by-step product definition

    2. The process structure, with the activities that relate to the corresponding product structure items and the corresponding factory layout structure

    3. The factory layout structure, including the work stations in an assembly line

Given iPPE's capabilities and functional design as described above, it is not what CIMdata would call a collaborative tool (i.e., a product development tool that supports collaborative development internally and throughout the extended enterprise). mySAP PLM's functionality in support of collaboration in this manner generally focuses on the use of cFolders and cProjects.

Meet the expert

Kenneth B. Amann

Director of Research, CIMdata Inc

A graduate of Georgia Tech, Mr. Amann has 35 years of experience researching and working with Product Lifecycle Management and Product Data Management architectures, as well as developing computer-based engineering applications and document / information management systems. Mr. Amann has held senior positions in PLM marketing, development, and consulting. His experience includes evaluating corporate engineering and manufacturing operations, managing PLM programs, recommending collaborative and concurrent engineering and product information management solutions, implementing PLM solutions, and developing and evaluating requests for proposals. Prior to joining CIMdata, Mr. Amann was the managing director for PricewaterhouseCoopers' Technology Leadership Group, where he conducted research into and evaluated emerging PLM technologies and vendor products based on these technologies.
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