Siemens PLM Software and Microsoft Corp. are working on a joint development project to move the product lifecycle management provider’s application portfolio into the cloud.
The two are working on several proof-of-concept projects that will explore how Siemens PLM software can leverage the Microsoft Windows Azure cloud computing services. The first project is focused on moving Siemens’ Dimensional Planning and Validation (DPV) quality management application into the cloud so that it can be deployed cost-effectively across global operations and leveraged as needed, the company said.
DPV, which is already integrated into Siemens’ Tecnomatix digital manufacturing software suite, utilizes the company’s Teamcenter PLM software to deliver a closed-loop quality system that enables the user to incorporate as-built production information into the same environment used to manage product, process, and manufacturing data. This week’s announcement of the collaboration with Microsoft centers on finding ways to move that capability into the cloud, according to a Siemens PLM spokesman.
“We do not offer any cloud computing solutions today, but we take cloud computing very seriously,” the spokesman told Managing Automation in an e-mail exchange. He noted that the relationship with Microsoft is not exclusive, and Siemens PLM is working with several partners on cloud computing development projects. To that end, “it is reasonable to assume that commercially available solutions will eventually emerge, but not until we have confirmed their value to our customer base,” he said.