IT168 expert committee honorary director Wu Kezhong [IT168 Information Information] my country is a manufacturing big country, and tens of thousands of manufacturing enterprises affect the country's economic lifeline. It is worth paying attention to the initial CAD (Computer Assist Design, Computer Aided Design), until later CAM, PDM (Product Data Management), CPC (Product Collaborative Design), until PLM (Product Lifecycle Management), reflected The continuous in-depth and management philosophy of manufacturing informationization continue to penetrate in the implementation of information. PLM is causing more and more attention to our manufacturers, has extended to aerospace, automotive, electronics, home appliances, consumer goods, industrial machinery, plant design, ships and other industries, and the trend to other industries. It can be said that PLM is one of the current most interesting information hotspots.
PLM is based on the market's perspective and based on the product data integration in the entire lifecycle, and research products from product planning, design, manufacturing to sales in its life cycle, intended to shorten as shortening Product launch time, low cost, try to meet the personalized needs of users. It provides enterprises to provide support for product rapid design and manufacturing optimization of integrated products synergy and manufacturing systems.
Authoritative research institutions predict that the product lifecycle management (PLM) solution market will reach 11 billion US dollars in 2006, PLM service spending (consulting, application, management, training and technical support) will reach $ 5.5 billion in 2006. And will exceed the ERP market in the near future.
1. What is PLM?
Product Lifecycle Management (PLM is the English abbreviation of Product Life Management). EDS, which has been focused on manufacturing information, is the definition of product life cycle and PLM: the life cycle of the so-called product, which means that all life history of the product will begin to the product. EDS's PLM solution provides digital tools for every stage of the product full lifecycle, and also provides information collaborative platforms to integrate these digitization tools. In addition, EDS's solutions can also match these digital tools to the Enterprise Enterprise Resources Program (ERP), Supply Chain Management (SCM) Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and other systems.
Industrial enterprises have at least four types of assets in information construction: brand / trademark assets, knowledge-based assets, operating assets and tangible assets, corresponding technologies, CRM, PLM, SCM, ERP, etc. For intangible assets such as brand assets, maintenance of knowledge-based assets is an indispensable important link in the process of informationization. But for knowledge-based assets, it is said that it is a new concept of a new concept, it is better to strengthen people's attention to both knowledge assets, because it already exists in the company's daily activities, and the most important source of corporate competitiveness is based on innovation. Knowledge and its carrier - various products. Figure 1 is a graph of enterprise tangible assets and intangible assets. Therefore, there is the following four systems in the manufacturing enterprise. First, PLM. This is because in manufacturing companies producing product production as major economic activities, product development process occupies 70% or more of the product life cycle cost, even before a new product design is put into production. The ERP system can only improve the additional 30% cost in the cost of product life cycle. The development of new products has a large proportion of funding throughout the company, especially throughout the development project, for various reasons, if newly designed products cannot be produced at low cost, then they are difficult to meet the market Quality requirements; or products have been canceled when preparing to list market demand, and the company's funds will be wasted in a white.
Figure 1 Table-shaped asset and intangible asset composition chart
Second, SCM. The supply chain is a sequence consisting of suppliers, warehouses, work, and retail channels. The supply chain system can optimize product cost and value, which is mainly manufacturing services. Third, CRM. The CRM system can get customer needs in time and provide services to customers to reduce the "soft" cost. Fourth, ERP. It manages the enterprise, sales, deposits, and mainly manifested in tangible assets. We can see that the promotion of ERP, SCM, CRM Enterprise Management Information System is indeed simplified and improves various business rules, but these systems have not much impact on the improvement of the core functions in the development of manufacturers. Therefore, in the four systems of enterprise information, PLM is the foundation of corporate informationization. It is the need to spend vigorous vigorously. So, what is the difference between PLM and ERP? As shown in Figure 1, the PLM focuses on a knowledge product or the management of intangible assets, and the management of ERP occurs after the launch of the company's tangible product. The less product inventory in the ERP system, the better, in the PLM system, you want the invisible product as much as possible. ERP management invisible digital knowledge products seems to be powerful. PLM is different from other information systems such as ERP, SCM, CRM, which is an information system for product innovation, knowledge base management, and process optimization, managing intangible assets of enterprises, using knowledge-driven design methods to improve product quality, put Product knowledge is treated and fully utilized as corporate strategic wealth, highlighting sustainable development strategic thinking, support continuous innovation, makes full use of enterprises' "knowledge" assets, and improve the reactivity of the product and reactivity. At the same time, PLM runs throughout the product lifecycle, not an outgoing tool software, but an overall solution.
PLM is not a simple "system integration", not simply accumulating and inheriting of the CAD / CAPP / CAE / PDM system, plus the ERP or SCM system. In this way, just completed tasks and process automation, and did not really reflect the ideology and connotation of PLM.
PLM is managed with product-related data, of course, is closely related to PDM, which can say that PLM is the extension of PDM concepts and ideas, and PDM function is a subset in the PLM function. Moreover, PLM also emphasizes the concept of managing and utilizing all information across the supply chain and sales chain in the product lifecycle, which is the essential difference between PLM and PDM.
2. What is PLM management 1. Demand management. Demand management is mainly referred to as information from outside the market, customers and special requirements for products from products in an enterprise, performance, structural, maintenance, etc. Especially in the product design phase, it is especially important to pay attention to the needs of products. 2. Management of product development technology. Product development technologies include digital definitions and digital assembly (DD & DMU), Knowledge Based Engineering & Knowledge Driven Automation, KBE & KDAs, digital factories, virtual products, and development processes ( Virtual Product Process Development, VP2D), etc. 3, manufacturing process management. The growth of personalized demand and the increasing shortage of product life cycle have put forward new requirements for manufacturing models. Manufacturing process management mainly includes process management, manufacturing resource management, production planning and scheduling management, production process monitoring management, etc. The goal is the full optimization and coordination of manufacturing processes. 4, product recycling management. Product recovery management requires enterprises to supervise and manage product recovery from environmental protection and regenerative use of resources. 5, quality management. Quality management should run through the entire life cycle of the product. Since the content of the product quality itself involves the broadening, the quality needs of the product have changed as people's consumption awareness, human environment, information technology, etc., so quality management should be a dynamic face-oriented quality collaborative program. 6, project management. The entire life cycle of the product or a certain stage can be managed as a project. For example, the product development process can adopt project management means to ensure high quality of product development. 7. Data management. In a Web-based product full-life cycle dynamic management environment, the product's data management is in a very important position. Product data includes product requirements data, project data, product geometric data, vendor data, process data, change data, resource data, etc., how to extract these data, handle it into product full lifecycle useful information is domestic Outer researchers have been committed to important work. 8, value chain management. The traditional value chain concept focuses on a single business point of view to analyze the value of the company, refers to all the processes and activities of the product from raw materials to the final product. With the development of IT technology and the arrival of the digital era, the traditional value chain concept has been expanded, and the new value chain concept is that the value chain is not only a chain of increasing value, but also consists of virtual enterprises. Network, called the value network. Aberdeen's analysis shows that after the company fully implements PLM, it saves 5% to 10% of direct material cost; increased inventory flow rate of 20% to 40%; reduces development costs 10% ~ 20%; enter the market time accelerated 15% ~ 50%; reduce costs for quality assurances 15% ~ 20%; reduce manufacturing costs 10%; increase productivity by 25% to 60%.
3. Development process of PLM software products
Take back PLM history. In the 1980s, some CAD software companies have begun to find that users have a strong demand for the PDM system. They seize the opportunity, launched a PDM system, such as the US CV company Optegra system, EDS's IMAN system , SDRC's Metaphase system. Many PDM products are subsequent products for some original high-end CAD suppliers. Due to the origin of PLM and PDM, most PLM suppliers are now from the original PDM supplier. And most PDM suppliers have developed a PLM solution for a homemade system, enabled to PLM vendors, such as Teamcenter, EDS (from original Metaphase and iMan), IBM / DS company ENOVIA and SmartEAM, PTC Windchill of the company. Of course, there are also ERP vendors to join, such as the SAP's MySAP PLM, which is a PLM solution based on the ERP system. It is necessary to pay attention to it. Some original this is the supplier of PDM / CAD, and there is no real PLM product. It is only called a PLM supplier, which is only a PLM supplier, and sells its PDM / CAD products by the way. Customers have caused a lot of confusion about PLM.
4. The PLM typical architecture summarizes the current PLM solution and according to our center's business practices, we believe that the computing platform for component containers in the Internet environment is PLM generally adopted architecture, and the typical function set and system level of the PLM system included. Figure 2 shows. The function of the communication layer and the object layer is to provide a PLM system with an object-oriented distributed computing base environment in a network environment. The third floor is the main content of this project product development. Among them, the base layer provides public basic services for core and application layers, including data, model, collaboration, and lifecycle. The core layer provides basic functional interfaces such as storage, acquisition, category, and management of data and processes. The application layer is primarily a set of application functions for specific needs of product full life cycle management. The final protocol layer supports expansion companies to build solutions related to specific product requirements.
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5. PLM key technology development and use PLM technology, it is necessary to break through the following technical aspects: Member-based complex system architecture design and implementation technology PLMS operation coordination mechanism and maintenance management technology PLMS component function division, description and interface Definition Support Product Full Lifecycle End Model Construction Technique Distributed Heterogeneous Product Data Model Mapping Policy and Automatic Conversion Technology Hierarchical Sedimentation Technology Based on XML Open Information Integration and Dynamic Process Alliance Based on Semantic Network Multi-dimensional view product data organization, management, operational technology based on product full life cycle collaborative engineering and project management technology
The Development Trend of PLM Throughout the current situation of contemporary PLM, PLM technology has the following characteristics: unified model, application integration, comprehensive cooperation.
PLM technology presents the following development trends: PLM provides support for support for multi-level cross-stage enterprise business Synergy Support Products Full lifecycle full-featured service PLM provides completely open architecture and system constructive PLM Provide support for system customization and fast Implementation capacity PLM provides standardized implementation techniques and implementation methods
6. PLM implementation
Compared to tool software, PLM's most complex and difficulty is implemented, but many places should be the same as the implementation of PDM.
1. The network is the foundation, and the implementation of PLM requires a reliable and powerful network environment support. With the current rapid development of network technology, Gigabit Ethernet has been applied in many companies.
2. High-reliability operating systems, powerful hardware platforms, stable database systems and mass storage devices are essential in PLM systems.
3. The accuracy, consistency, integrity of the basic data is the premise of successful implementation of PLM, and the implementation of PLM is still a systematic project of "three technologies, seven management, twelve data". The credibility of data is entirely It has a very critical role in the system. 4. PLM also insensibly informing effective management systems, establishing a management system that meets the actual situation of the company is an indispensable content in the implementation of the PLM implementation.
At the same time, PLM is not a pure software product, and its implementation has fundamentally touches the management roots and management processes of the company, and thus the implementation of PLM is absolutely unfair to enterprise executive layer support. Successful PLM systems must be a successful combination and integration of technology, personnel, data, and management methods, rather than measurement of process automation. In addition, the establishment of the PLM system is very important in the implementation process, and sometimes even decisive effects.
7. Misunderstanding for PLM
Some of the most commonly heard: "ERP is the best management model today", "ERP contains all the functions of CRM, SCM or even PLM", "Enterprise Informationization is ERP". Is the fact now? People often confuse the PLM with ERP and unclear the differences between the two systems and the relationships between each other.
A new trend in the industry is that ERP manufacturers are providing and enrich their PLM function, and they have tried to join the PLM's field to divide a spoon. Is the PLM solution provided by the ERP manufacturer and the PLM solution provided by the professional PLM manufacturer?
People must be soberly recognized that erp has never been seen in the future, and it will not provide the function of CAD-centric PLM system. The PLM provided by the ERP manufacturer is actually a functionally extending in the ERP system perspective, which is limited PLM, which is not all the features covered by the professional PLM system. Similarly, in a professional PLM system, there will be no manufacturers to provide typical ERP, such as financial management, material supply, workshop statement, etc. The best choice for current industry users is still in the system integration, strengthening the openness of the two types of systems and improves interoperability between two types of systems to get an applicable, powerful PLM environment.
PLM and ERP are a process management idea, what are the differences? In this regard, IBM Liu Fengtian said that IBM's view is that ERP is the management of tangible assets. PLM is the management of intangible assets. Therefore, it is relatively large to use ERP based on production type. The manufacturing industry mainly based on product development is more suitable for PLM. Many of the interviewed information supervisors for PLMs are: Compared to PDM, PLM is a large system formed after integration of PDM and ERP, SCM, CRM, more integrated. In whole, the current PLM is more a wide range of concepts, which is a more clear or stable technical structure that optimizes business processes based on product design. However, its implementation is the integration and integration of PDM, ERP, SCM, CRM and other systems. According to the survey, although 90% of the interviewee is more understanding, at least 30% of the interviewee is not particularly clear, but only earn. Some people also equate the PDM to PLM, feeling almost.
Enterprise information, especially manufacturing enterprise information, no matter how you classify, combine, analyze, predict, or to assess it in any way you want, ultimately, ultimately, corporate information chemical dust is set to four main The business areas are represented by four major IT information systems: Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Supply Chain Management (SCM), Customer Relationship Management (CRM), and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM). The organic combination of these four information systems constitutes an important part of corporate informationization. Enterprises can build one or several systems to build their own enterprise information framework system based on their own conditions. That think that corporate informationization is to implement an ERP system is a one-piece and harmful. ERP, SCM, CRM, and PLM are all organic components of enterprise informationization. In the selection process, it is necessary to configure the subject matter, reasonable configuration, and may not be scrapped for the actual situation of the company. 8. Market analysis of PLM
With the continuous improvement of PLM software, the PLM system will have a comprehensive application in modern manufacturing companies. According to CIMData, the growth of PLM markets from 2002 to 2006 will grow at a rate of 25% per year.
The formation of several major camps in the PLM market
1. Erp PLM professional manufacturers, such as: EDS, Daso, etc. with CAD / PDM. They have a long history in PLM.
2. Newly developed PLM function vendors such as SAP, Baan and Oracle, with ERP.
3. Providing neutral vendors for a single product, such as Agile Software, MatrixOne, etc., their roles are mainly between the CAD-centric and ERP-centric manufacturers.
According to the survey, my country has a group of Guangdong Midea, Anhui Forklift Group, Changkov Machinery Factory, Fangzheng, etc., is an interviewed enterprise to represent or implement PLM. Anhui forklift is intended to complete the integration of PDM and ERP, finance, office and other systems in 2005.
The figure below is a comprehensive assessment of the AMR study company's PLM main supplier solution:
supplier
Product portfolio / project management
client needs
management
Collaborative product
design
product data
management
Direct raw material
Resource Integration
Total Score
EDS PLM
3
5
5
5
3
twenty one
Matrix One
3
5
1
5
3
In one
SAP
5
3
1
3
3
15
Agile
3
1
1
3
5
13
Agile (Eigner)
1
3
3
5
1
13
IBM DS
1
1
5
5
1
13
PTC
1
1
5
5
1
13
Oracle
3
3
1
1
3
11
Baan
1
3
1
3
3
11
Most domestic enterprise informationization is based on ERP, and foreign manufacturing informationization is based on product development as the core, and then combined with supply chain management, customer relationship management, etc. In addition, PDM, PLM in Taiwan, has also been in full swing. From macro look, this is an inevitable trend. Since the manufacturing industry in Taiwan is developing from the labor intensive product design direction, the product development cycle is getting shorter and shorter, and companies are increasingly valued. Relatively speaking, my country's PLM has not been very fast, but this is definitely a future development trend.
