PLM Blog - Aras User Blog

MiTeK Part 3 - Beyond PLM: Project Management, Quality, Standards & More

2012-01-13T15:35:00Z

As you may recall, MiTeK is an Aras Open User. For half a decade they've successfully, independently utilized Aras Innovator as their strategic PLM backbone.

In this third and final installation of the MiTeK series you'll hear about how MiTeK harnessed the power of Aras and combined it with Community Sourced apps to take their implementation beyond PLM to every corner of their business, including project management, quality, ISO9001, CAPA, ITIL and more.

You'll also learn how Aras enabled MiTeK to look at the big lifecycle management picture while empowering users throughout the organization - many with no programming experience at all - to take control over and customize their own workflows and processes, providing MiTeK with business advantages they never anticipated.

Click here for a quick refresh on Part 1 - MiTeK From Realization to Implementation

and here for Part 2 - MiTeK Aras is More Than Meets the Eye

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Webinar Announcement - Apparel Innovator - Solution on top of ARAS for Apparel and Footwear Manufacturers and Retailers

2012-01-04T13:17:00Z

Plural Technology announces upcoming webinar on Apparel Innovator. Apparel Innovator is a solution developed by Plural on top of ARAS for Apparel and Fashion Industry. The webinar will highlight functional capabilities of the solution which covers entire lifecycle of Apparel development from concept to release to production. The solution also has integrated Sourcing Management and Time and action calender. Limited seats available Register Now...

Aras 2011 - A Year in Review

2011-12-29T20:13:00Z

It's been another wonderful year to be a part of the Aras team. Throughout the year our Community worked together, pushed us further, and permanently impacted the PLM world.   

The theme for 2011, World of The Possible, lead the global Aras PLM Community to accomplish more than ever before - more solutions, more events, more change and more PLM success!

You've seen the videos and heard the stories about all that is truly possible with Aras. To all of our Community Members, thank you for an amazing year. If you haven't already joined us, we invite you to take control of your destiny and become a Community Member in 2012.

The short video below offers a quick year in review through images we captured along the way. As you view the slide show you might just spot yourself, one of your colleagues, the Aras team, or a few industry experts. We look forward to seeing you all next year, meeting new members, tackling greater challenges and creating another year’s worth of memories.

Cheers to all that is possible in 2012!

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Season's Greetings from Aras

2011-12-23T22:32:00Z

PLM for Fashion & Apparel is the New Black

2011-12-09T21:01:00Z

In the fashion industry? Spending a ton of time chasing down historical design data, tracking your vendors, updating catalogs? Take a look at this spiffy video with a flair for fashion by Aras partner Plural Technology. If you like what you see head over to the Community Projects and download Apparel Innovator.

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It's a Really Exciting Time to be in PLM

2011-12-02T21:26:00Z

It's been such a high-activity week over here at Aras! I for one cannot believe that Friday is already here. We had a training class in town, visitors from other countries, and a flurry of discussions and strategy sessions on futures in PLM.

Since my week was heavily focused on the future, I found it especially interesting to watch as a discussion started one month ago by fellow PLM enthusiast Logesh Rasumani unfolded into a whirlwind of commentary and ideas from the PLM community at large about the future of PLM. If you are a member of the PLM group on LinkedIn you can review and even join this discussion here: http://aras.com/plm/001377.

Add on top of that the Autodesk announcement about their future in PLM, and the discussion on futures just won't be put down. You can read more about that in a variety of places including the blog by fellow PLM enthusiast Al Dean here: http://aras.com/plm/001378.

So what does all this talk of futures here at the end of 2011 mean to you? Where do you find your needs focusing? Do you see your future being addressed? Do you see a pivotal crossroad ahead? Weigh in to any of these great sounding boards and make sure your voice is heard!

HIGHLIGHTS - ACE Germany PLM Conference

2011-11-03T22:51:00Z

Last month was the ACE Germany conference in Bad Soden. It was our German language event which combined corporate presentations on global PLM best practices with Aras updates, partner insights and lots of networking.

My colleague Martin Allemann, our SVP of global operations, covered Aras's strategy and corporate community momentum, and key members of our European team outlined the Aras roadmap and plans.

There were some great success stories by GETRAG FORD Transmissions, HAKAMA AG and others (download slides), along with an excellent presentation by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Martin Eigner on the challenges for global PLM environments created by increasing product complexity.

Peter Schroer, CEO und Firmengründer von Aras, zeigte wie die Komplexität in der Produktentwicklung rapide steigt. Dies führe zu neuen Anforderungen an die PLM-Software: Die Kombination von Produktdaten aus Elektronik, Software, Simulation und Fertigung überlaste heute die meisten Software-Systeme. Das beherrschende Thema der großen Hersteller im Automobil- und Maschinenbau, aber auch in der Luft- und Raumfahrt sowie vergleichbaren Industrien, ist heute das Komplexitätsmanagement.

Kunden, Interessenten, Partner sowie PLM-Experten aus ganz unterschiedlichen Industriezweigen machten die Veranstaltung zu einem lebendigen Forum für interdisziplinäres Product Lifecycle Management und Systems Engineering in der Praxis.

Overall, it was another great ACE conference with lots of collaboration & sharing, and we want to thank everyone that came, especially the presenters and our sponsoring partners T-Systems, DataSquare, Kalypso, PLM-TEAM, usb GmbH, Dr. Maier CSS and xPLM.

And if you weren't able to make it, we have a post on our German blog with highlights, pictures and all the slides.

Crowd-pleasing Crowdsourcing Collaboration

2011-10-21T20:56:00Z

At ACE International in May Aras focused on Collaboration, Communication and Innovation through the World of the Possible. It's a theme we hear is exactly what our Community members look for in a PLM partner. At Aras, we're constantly reshaping the future of PLM, providing faster innovation and encouraging participation as well as leadership from the diverse, rich, enterprise open source community.

In continuing down this path, Aras announced earlier this week that we've expanded Open Innovation and Collaboration on the PLM Solution Projects Website. The enhancements at www.aras.com/projects expand the use of open innovation techniques and encourage crowdsourcing and co-creation in the development of next generation PLM solutions.

In a multi-phased, planned upgrade of our collaborative projects environment, the Community can continue to take advantage of already-developed projects in a new, user friendly environment where projects are easier to search, browse, download and provide feedback on. In addition, a brand new ideas submission page can be accessed by any registered user to submit ideas for projects. Weather you're tech-savvy, a brainstormer, a PLM novice or guru your ideas can now be shared with the community at large.

In this first phase Aras enthusiasts of all sorts are submitting their ideas, voting on their favorites, and planting the seeds for future development. In subsequent releases of the Community Projects site users will be able to go further and claim ideas, kick off collaborative projects, and build add-ons and stand alone solutions from the ground up. They can also form teams comprised of forum users, secret contributors, or closed company groups. With this enhanced site Aras has paved the way for millions of people around the world that use PLM software every day to actively take control of the next generation of innovation.

This project is in direct response to feedback and requests from the Community. We thank you for your continued participation and contribution and welcome your feedback as we continue to roll out this new collaborative environment for you. For more information about the Aras Community Projects review the slides from ACE International on Aras Community: Collaboration, Communication, and Innovation.

Mastering PLM: Strategies for Success

2011-10-14T17:56:00Z

Global Company Nexteer Automotive presented at the ACE International Conference on Realizing an Enterprise-Wide PLM Vision.

Listen as Bob Lipscomb provides candid feedback about Nexteer's real world experience of Realizing and Enterprise Wide PLM vision. This excerpt focuses on the process of choosing a solution with the company that ultimately becomes your partner, strategies for success, and the path to implementation.

After the presentation, click these links to walk through previous videos on Establishing Your Vision and History Creates Complexity or grab the full slides .

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Customize is NOT a 4 Letter Word

2011-09-23T17:32:00Z

Every day I talk to people who’ve implemented legacy PLM systems. And when I ask them how much of their system they’ve deployed, I always get the same answer. Not much! Whether it’s Windchill, Teamcenter, Agile or whatever, the story is always the same: they’ve invested X years and Y millions and usually all they’re using it for is CAD file management and/or change management. These people are frustrated and angry, as they keep getting more sales quotations from their vendor. And most importantly, they really NEED the advanced PLM functionality they thought they were going to get when they made their purchase decision.

So what went wrong? These are smart people, these are people who understand product development and technology… you might even call them “PLM Alpha Dogs”. So, how do so many companies find themselves in the same position with their PLM system? I’ll tell you how – they bought the demo.

Legacy PLM companies spend lots of time creating custom demos that make everything look like it works right “out the box”. And the bigger the sales opportunity, the more time they’ll invest in building that demo. It’s no wonder companies swoon when they see it. Those demos are downright intoxicating. Unfortunately, they’re not real.

There are (at least) 3 truths to implementing a PLM system:

You’re going to customize your PLM system
Everyone is afraid of customizing their PLM system
They’re afraid because customization traditionally increases cost and/or prohibits the ability to upgrade

You’re Going to Customize Your PLM System

It doesn’t matter how “out of the box” the solution is, you are going to customize it. Even if you don’t customize it today, you will at some point because your business isn’t going to stay exactly the same forever. The more “off the shelf” the PLM is, the further back you have to break it in order to customize it. The net result is that you pay for something, break it and then spend more time and money trying to get it back to a baseline so you can use it. Does that even make sense?

Everyone is Afraid of Customizing Their PLM System

Of course you are! You’ve seen that legacy code hairball. I wouldn’t want to touch it either. It’s hardcoded, old technology and the legacy PLM vendors like it that way. They don’t want you to touch it. However, they’re willing to do it for you – for a price.

Customization Traditionally Increases Cost and/or Prohibits the Ability to Upgrade

See above. Either by design or by lethargy, legacy PLM systems cost a lot to customize. And once customized, they are nearly impossible to upgrade. It’s a vicious cycle and before you know it the consultants have their own parking spaces in your lot and their own company ID cards.

So what do you do?

Well, you could rip out the legacy system you’ve already invested in and install a new one, but you’d waste all the money you already spent and likely end up with a similar set of problems. You could build your own system. But that’s a risky undertaking. It takes time and people and resources - and you already have a full-time job. You’d also have to maintain it, which takes more time, resources and people. Or, you could use a PLM system like Aras that is designed to be customized.

Aras PLM – Built to Customize

It’s true. Aras PLM solutions are built on a modern, web-based foundation, based on industry standards through and through. They’re free to download, easy to use, and customized with a simple drag and drop – no time-sucking code compiling here. We’ll even give you the source to the PLM solutions. Oh, and those upgrades? Not a problem. We’re so confident we even do them free of charge for subscribers.

Yes, we offer out-of-the-box PLM solutions with best practices and all the basics in there, along with tons of functionality. And we built them all out for you so that when you customize – and you know you will – you’re moving forward from the get-go, not backward.

And here’s the best part: Aras works right along with what you’ve already got.

There’s no need to trash your existing PLM or PDM. If you’ve got CAD file management under control, that’s cool with us. Thanks to some nifty federation capabilities, we don’t have to own the data in order to revise it, track it, route it, use it, build on it, share it, or send it over to your ERP and bring it back.

Aras builds on the investment you’ve already made, giving you the advanced, enterprise functionality you need today in a flexible system designed to change and grow with your business. And you can learn more at aras.com/technology.

Putting the Enterprise in Business Process Management

2011-09-16T13:52:00Z

What happens when you move away from automated approval processes and into comprehensive, flexible, enterprise change management? You achieve real time Business Process Management (BPM) that remains agile.

Over the years BPM has taken many forms and arguments. The leading experts seem to have come to an agreement that automation of approval processes is one small piece of BPM, and that true BPM lies in the final word - management. When workflows are rigid and do not allow for evolution as new efficiencies in processes are discovered or new regulations added, BPM is lost.

To use the example on www.cio.com:

BPM gives an organization the ability to define, execute, manage and refine processes that:

involve human interaction, such as placing orders
work with multiple applications
handle dynamic process rules and changes, not just simple, static flows, (think tasks with multiple choices and contingencies)

What's more, in the graphic at the right, we see that BPM should not only be web-enabled and allow for process modelers and workflow rules, it should also support digital signatures and federated authentication.

Not long ago, Xerox, a $22 billion corporation with 130,000 employees in 160 countries, set out to find a way to achieve Enterprise Business Process Management on a world-wide scale. Starting with their solid ink unit, an exploration into options and solutions began.

Using Aras, Xerox has transformed their worldwide product development process for office products, incorporating a comprehensive, flexible approach to business process management. Watch the video below to benefit from years of Xerox research and advantages gained on Aras. (Please visit the site to view this media)

BPM graphic courtesy of: nih.gov [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

When Document Management Isn't Enough

2011-09-09T18:28:00Z

Simple vs. Complex: Which is the better path to take when it comes to deciding between Document Management and BOM Management? According to Aras Partner Razorleaf, simple is not always better, and sometimes the more complex route is the smarter choice. Razorleaf, a leading consulting services provider for PLM, PDM/TDM and more, has seen this again and again during their years of experience with mid-market manufacturers.

Many companies are looking for “simple” solutions to their product development problems, but it turns out that basic Document Management is simply not enough. In many cases, Item/BOM Management and more full PLM functionality are what is needed to solve companies’ problems. Why are companies willing to deal with the increased complexity of PLM systems over the relative simplicity of basic Document Management? It seems to be slightly different for everyone, but some of the most common reasons include:

Drawing revisions are not sufficient for keeping design stakeholders synchronized
Keeping critical product information locked away inside of 3D CAD systems is counter-productive
BOM management’s complexity provides additional flexibility – which is what companies need today to be responsive to the market

To find out how this transformation from Document Management to BOM Management works, and more about Razorleaf’s experience with Aras PLM, take a look at the slides below from the Aras Community Event.

Why Document Management Isn't Enough and Why PLM is Required using Aras by Razorleaf

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Sink Your Teeth Into This Tasty New Community Solution

2011-09-02T18:06:00Z

Aras has done it again. A new Formula & Recipe Management solution based on the Aras Innovator PLM suite provides food and beverage companies an end-to-end PLM solution, with the greatest flexibility on the market today. And like only Aras can do, it’s all available with no PLM license fees.

Every business sector faces unique challenges. For food and beverage companies consumer inspection is at the forefront. In 2011, the emphasis on ingredients, health and safety, and quality has never been greater.

From organic salsas to packaged pastas, consumers want to know where their food products come from, what they contain, and if they can trust the companies they’re buying from. At the same time, manufacturers are faced with ever-narrowing margins, stringent regulations, and increasing requests for ways to interact with consumers.

How then can these businesses effectively manage project portfolios, specifications and packaging while providing equal attention to supplier management, keeping secret formulas “secret”, and providing visibility to the extended enterprise and compliance? I’m exhausted just writing about it!

Enter Aras Innovator with a new, socially-developed Community Solution for Formula & Recipe Management.

Watch the video below to learn how companies across the globe are able to provide delicious recipes and top quality products, AND rapidly respond to consumer and regulatory agencies, manage suppliers, reduce maintenance, and pump out new products faster than ever before.

I don’t want to give it all away, but be sure to hit up Darryl at PSC to learn more, including how integrating PLM with your ERP or scan-on-the-screen dynamically generated barcodes and QR codes can help your business go the extra step and get all critical business info under control.

Oh yeah, and it’s not just for Food & Beverage Cos! Formula & Recipe Management is fully extensible to CPG, health and beauty / cosmetics, life sciences, chemical and other process industries.

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Mastering PLM; History behind Realizing an Enterprise Wide PLM Vision

2011-08-26T17:57:00Z

Global Company Nexteer Automotive presented at the ACE International Conference on Realizing an Enterprise-Wide PLM Vision. Our previous excerpt focused on the complexity of the challenge Nexteer faced and how they developed their PLM vision.

In this video, listen as Bob Lipscomb takes you through 100 years of history in this automotive company. This real world journey takes you all the way back to 1905 and the initial forming of Buick, company spinoffs, economic challenges, and yes the company fiddler. This history and changes in steering systems over 100 years add to the complexity Nexteer faced in and creating a vision to support their needs in managing global business processes and data.

A final session will show Nexteer's PLM selection and implementation strategy. Can't wait? Grab the full slides here http://aras.com/plm/001317.

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Putting it all Together - Guidelines for a Successful PLM Implementation with Aras

2011-08-11T18:39:00Z

What are the steps to take in preparation for a successful PLM implementation? Great question. Lucky for you our very own Mark Beaulieu has equally great answers. Combining his decades of real-world PLM implementation experience with his savvy Aras know how, Mark walks you through the right preparation for a smooth deployment including:

Get Organized: In order to be prepared, it’s important to gather all relevant materials, identify resources and make sure to keep an open mind when it comes to change.
Identify your Resources: Who do you need for your Implementation? Some key team members may include a Project Manager, Business Process Owner(s), Subject Matter Experts, etc.
Getting Started: Before beginning with implementation, make sure to develop a Project Charter for funding, draw up a Project Plan, get your Team trained, and review the standard Aras Innovator Solutions.
Organizing your Project: To organize your project, begin by breaking it down into sub-projects that will provide business value. Then break these sub-projects down even further into manageable phases. These implementation phases can and should overlap even though work is done in a serial fashion.
Executing your Project: When executing your project, remember to focus on end user requirements. Frequent end user validation of requirements, use cases and prototypes are essential. Work should be conducted in an iterative fashion where the requirements evolve over the project.

Also, Aras Innovator is ideally suited for using an iterative Agile deployment methodology as opposed to a traditional Waterfall-style methodology. This enables you rapidly deploy in phases, rolling out high priority functionality fast, and getting users on the system quickly.

To learn more about preparing for the Implementation process, including why requirements documents are important, and sample use cases, and more take a look at the slides below.

For more Aras Innovator Implementation information, visit: Getting Started - Implementation

For a more detailed explanation of the PLM Implementation process, visit: PLM Info - Implementation

Starting a Global PLM Implementation using an Agile Deployment Methodology with Aras

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