Innovation made simple

CXO. Companies can often be unsure by exactly what is meant by PLM. How would you define it?

LJ. The simplest term to explain PLM is ‘joined up engineering’ from idea to disposal. Imagine all the processes are linked and their flow is optimized, from design through manufacture to sales, sharing information and automating much of the tedious form filling. There are productivity improvements to be had by connecting the ‘islands’ of automation with carefully defined processes, workflows and tools. The extreme example of this are firms like automotive OEMs that have drastically reduced vehicle development times by ‘morphing’ new models from old, secure in the knowledge that the relevant tooling is also changing. At the low-end, PLM has been described as simply deploying a PDM system, which is certainly the kick-off point for a managed design environment.

PLM is not rocket science, it’s just joined up thinking in a way that takes every opportunity to allow the computers to take the strain both internally and externally. Far from just being about traceability, PLM is relevant to every company interested in continuous innovation, meeting time-to-market targets, minimising investment and maximising revenue at every stage of a product’s lifecycle.

CXO. How does PLM differ from PDM and CAD systems?

LJ. What differentiates PLM from a CAD and PDM approach is the integrated nature of PLM. This is the true value of PLM for companies. By integration we are talking firstly about a series of processes and tuned applications that closely work together, whether you source them from a single supplier or take a best-of-breed approach. But over and above integration, key to PLM are feedback loops. The product development process is iterative in nature and one that involves a massive range of skill-sets and personnel, whether within a single company or throughout an international supply chain including small and medium business distributed over the globe. When you combine this feedback-enabled environment with a fully integrated data capture and management solution you really see the whole picture. Once you start to proliferate the database with your first PLM project, you are essentially creating a repository of knowledge, know-how and best practices that can be reused in any subsequent project. What PLM does is allow parties responsible for implementing and influencing product development to quickly access information, reuse it and spend the majority of a project working on true innovation.

CXO. What type of services does INCAT offer and how can they be of value to organizations?

LJ. One of our main activities is helping engineering departments improve design practice, optimize processes and apply best-of-breed IT tools. This may involve deploying existing resources more effectively, or it may entail a complete overview of the design flow. For example, one of our specialist services focuses on increasing the reuse of design, a fundamental tenet of PLM. Our technology portfolio covers a full range of PLM solutions, including CAD, PDM, collaboration, data integrity, migration, visualisation and data exchange, as well as business applications for network security, storage, back up and disaster recovery systems.

This wide range of business solutions is delivered by a world-class team of design engineers, software engineers and IT and change management experts. Always, our emphasis is on best practice and proven methodologies. In every case we work closely with clients so that we fully understand their businesses. Only by taking a pragmatic view can we really offer solutions that fit happily within an organisation and deliver improved performance and a genuine return on investment. Our client base now includes several hundred enterprises of all sizes and many industries, from small local players to global Fortune 500 companies in North America, Europe and the Pacific Rim. They trust us to help them creatively apply technology in a long-term partnership, so they can face the business challenges of the future.

About INCAT

INCAT was founded in 1989 and is a global leader in Engineering Services Outsourcing (ESO) and Enterprise IT Services to the manufacturing industry. Through its practical approach to engineering and manufacturing processes and its unique-in-the-industry Global Delivery Model, INCAT delivers best-in-class solutions for Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), Enterprise Resource Management (ERP), Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and Application Development and Maintenance (ADM) to the world’s leading automotive, aerospace and durable goods manufacturers and their suppliers. INCAT is headquartered in the US, India and Germany and has a combined global work force of more than 3000 employees. It serves clients worldwide from facilities in Europe, North America and the Asia-Pacific region.
For more information see www.incat.com