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Keytech Brings PLM within Reach of SMBs
22 Apr, 2010 By: Jeffrey RoweScalable, modular solution goes beyond document management, extending the value of CAD data across small and midsized engineering organizations.
Product life cycle management (PLM) is a system for managing and disseminating product data throughout an enterprise, from concept to end of life, according to research firm CIMdata. PLM technologies have been around for a number of years and the concept seems straightforward, but in fact it means different things to different types and sizes of organizations. What makes sense for a large enterprise in terms of functionality and associated cost is usually beyond the comprehension — and means — of most small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs).
CAD data is at the heart of any PLM system, but only a fraction of today’s engineering organizations have implemented PLM. Reasons include the cost, learning curve, implementation pain, and challenge of establishing the company-wide standards associated with implementation. But the truth is, virtually every organization could benefit from implementing a PLM system that, at a minimum, connects the engineering department to procurement to the factory floor. There's no longer a good reason for not having a PLM system in place, even for SMBs. This is where keytech PLM fits in.
Keytech PLM centrally manages and controls all the information associated with a product throughout its life cycle. The process of creating, changing, and maintaining all data and files is supported, controlled, and documented in a secure environment. Keytech PLM can store and manage a wide variety of 2D or 3D drawings and models and their associated structures, bills of materials (BOMs), and Microsoft Office documents, as well as all associated metadata.
Keytech PLM v12 is different from some other PLM systems because it functions in the context of data life cycle management and enterprise content management (ECM); it can capture, manage, store, preserve, and deliver content and documents related to an organization’s processes, not just product. In other words, keytech PLM v12 is all about product and enterprise data management, not just document management, and this is an important differentiator.
I discovered that keytech PLM v12 is not just a plugin, but rather a solution that is deeply integrated into the CAD system. For this review, I ran it with SolidWorks; it also fits into a multi-CAD environment, supporting CATIA, Pro/ENGINEER, AutoCAD, Autodesk Inventor, SpaceClaim, Solid Edge, and several other 2D and 3D CAD products via optional add-on modules. This is a real plus for any multi-CAD organization.
A hydraulic cylinder assembly drawing (top) and associated BOM displayed in keytech PLM v12. (Details shown; click images for full screenshots.)
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