PTC updates Windchill

PTC today announced Windchill 7.0, the latest iteration of its PLM (product lifecycle management) product. Executive vice president and chief product officer Jim Heppelmann says the new version has been in development for about a year and a half and focuses on "the three i's: integral, Internet, and interoperable." Integral means that Windchill now includes PDMLink and Windchill Project Link, which used to be separate products, to offer both collaborative capabilities and formal control of information and processes. Integration refers to enterprise systems integration. Internet technology is updated with the addition of ProductView, PTC's own lightweight viewing technology. Features include PDF creation, viewing, and markup tools. Average selling price of Windchill is $1,000 per seat.


Heppelmann says that initial interest in PLM came from companies with complex products and development cycles as well as those such as medical device manufacturers that needed to meet regulatory requirements for process management. These days, he notes that more and more companies of all sizes are increasing outsourcing and adopting a supply-chain mentality.

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