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by Diane Himes, MA Editorial Staff   | Abstract: | An industry update on the product lifecycle management (PLM) software space with links to Managing Automation's online product directory. |
The recent acquisitions of Agile Software by Oracle and of UGS by Siemens have brought attention back to the software market that was born when the utility of engineering design applications for information management was brought across the entire product lifecycle. Since its emergence, product lifecycle management (PLM) technology has experienced slow adoption in manufacturing, outside of isolated, one-off types of implementations. (See Enterprise PLM: Will More Integration Offer a Cure?) However, as manufacturers move ahead with strategic innovation initiatives, many are beginning to see PLM applications as part of the must-have technology cache that includes ERP and supply chain management applications. PLM encompasses much more than design programs aimed at engineers. Applications now include sourcing and product portfolio management capabilities, for example. And integration with applications such as ERP and manufacturing execution systems (MES) has impressed PLM's importance on higher-level managers who are looking to tackle the ever-present project silos throughout an enterprise. [Click to continue] |