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The PLM/MDM Hub
The PLM/MDM Hub is the pragmatic and easy way to Master Data Management for PLM data. It is game changing in that it acknowledges existing SW applications as well as process and allows for these to remain. Much less effort has to be spent on integration and much time in implementation of PLM/MDM is saved. It delivers consolidation of PLM Master Data in a federated environment – the typical PLM situation at any enterprise. Focus is on consolidation and synchronization across the enterprise. The solution is based on STEP and PLCS covering the product’s whole life cycle.
“Product lifecycle management (PLM) is the process of managing the entire lifecycle of a product from its conception, through design and manufacture, to service and disposal. PLM integrates people, data, processes and business systems and provides a product information backbone for companies and their extended enterprise”. Wikipedia March 2009 Master Data Management (MDM) - At a basic level, MDM seeks to ensure that an organization does not use multiple (potentially inconsistent) versions of the same master data in different parts of its operations, which can occur in large organizations . . . . . One of the most common reasons some large corporations experience massive issues with MDM is growth through mergers or acquisitions. Two organizations which merge will typically create an entity with duplicate master data (since each likely had at least one master database of its own prior to the merger). Ideally, database administrators resolve such duplication in master data as part of the merger. In practice, however, reconciling several master data systems can present difficulties because of the dependencies that existing applications have on the master databases. Wikipedia March 2009 The PLM/MDM Hub from Eurostep is ideally suited for use where different but related sets of PLM Master Data reside in different systems. To have all master data reside in just one system is not feasible and too many projects have failed in trying to achieve this because of the complexity with PLM master data. The concept that works for ERP or services industries is not applicable into the complex PLM domain. It is simply the case that a system like SAP or Oracle cannot manage detailed engineering data so in order to manage this in such systems, the information must be simplified (e.g. using a document/drawing instead of the richer 3D model) causing a loss of information value which can become unacceptable to the enterprise. The way forward is to allow for several systems to manage their parts of the PLM Master Data and use a Hub to synchronize between these. The PLM/MDM Hub approach is pragmatic and delivers superior ROI based on low cost investments and immediate value returned. The reason that the PLM/MDM Hub from Eurostep is a viable solution is that it based on leading edge PLM and integration technologies and is yet pragmatic. At its core is a rich information model based on PLCS and STEP. This ensures that all product data from across a product’s life cycle can be represented. These award winning standards are designed to cope with collaboration where, for example, multiple ID:s on a part is supported. The powerful consolidation engine in Share-A-space protects data quality and reveals where there are issues. Applying business intelligence (BI) on the data in the PLM/MDM Hub is easy. With the incorporation of core Microsoft technology such as SQL Server and SharePoint, cost is kept low at the same time as data is made available across the organization through desktop interfaces familiar to all. This is important since master data must be easily accessed by all. Finally, the data managed in the PLM/MDM Hub is based on the same standards used for long term archiving of PLM/MDM data. Eurostep’s PLM/MDM solution is clearly different in that it is designed to work with already installed software, be it old legacy systems or more modern commercial systems. Such existing systems can be kept and minimal user training is required. This minimizes or eliminates changes to the processes in each discipline while the PLM/MDM Hub makes sure these same processes are synchronized across the enterprise. Eurostep does not promote the “Big Bang” approach where all SW applications should come from one vendor. Instead we believe in using best of breed applications and integration using standards and Hub technology. With this approach, the PLM/MDM Hub is clearly affordable and the implementation can start small and be refined and scaled over time. Doing MDM with the PLM/MDM Hub lets an organization extend the product data MDM into their supply network and to their customers. The PLM/MDM Hub is applicable for internal PLM/MDM (classic MDM) and can as well be positioned to manage PLM/MDM in the extended and virtual enterprise. PLM/MDM issues and opportunities:
Read more Information Consolidation and Federation AIA Position Paper: Engineering Data Interoperability - A Standards Based Approach
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