Interenterprise configuration and change management

The Windchill« Product Management Factor! lets everyone in the extended enterprise use a common set of product and process information. It links information from multiple organizations and systems to create a complete representation of the product throughout its lifecycle. Removing such organizational barriers allows information to flow smoothly and processes to work efficiently. The result is a product-centric working environment where everyone has easy access to the information needed to make the best business decisions.

CAPABILITIES

In today's dynamic product development environment collaboration among all organizations and the supply chain is critical to remaining competitive. The Windchill Product Management Factor! ensures that all participants are working with the most up-to-date product information.

Information Access

Users can navigate easily through the product structure created by the Product Management Factor! to access information from multiple systems and companies. Upon request, information is automatically retrieved and delivered to the user in the appropriate context. For example, an engineer who has navigated an automobile assembly and selected the engine would automatically access more detailed information from the company's engine division; selecting the piston assembly would access the most current information from that engine component's supplier. Time that would normally be spent hunting for information is now free for employees to focus on the success of the product.

Multiple Product Structure Views

Specific functional views of the product can be defined and related to present information in the appropriate context for every user. For example, the manufacturing bill of materials (BOM) created with the Manufacturing Planning Factor! can be linked with the as-designed BOM developed by the Engineering Factor! and associated through the Production Factor! with the operational BOMs contained in an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. All users have synchronized product information because each view within the Product Management Factor! is handled as part of the overall product structure definition. As information is changed, effectivity criteria are applied to inform users of how and when impending modifications will affect their organization.

Change Control

Once organizational barriers are removed, information can flow in the most effective manner. Users can easily participate in change processes through standard email messages that contain URL links to the information required to perform the assigned tasks. For example, if the marketing department requests a new color option for an automobile, the request can automatically be routed, either sequentially or in parallel, to the paint supplier, to determine availability, the factory, to determine the impact on the assembly line; back to marketing, to update literature; and finally to the dealerships, to inform them of the new option.

Digital Product Definition

The Product Management Factor! can be used in conjunction with the Windchill Collaboration Factor! to present information as a digital mockup, for visualization and 3D analysis. For example, an engineer working on an automobile being developed may want to review the latest design information with a number of suppliers and partners, using a variety of design tools. The information from the various sources can be converted and related to create the complete automobile mockup, eliminating the need for a physical prototype. Improved collaboration, iterative prototyping, and continual assessment follow when products that are developed by multiple companies are represented in their complete form.

BENEFITS

The Windchill Product Management Factor! enables companies to collaborate on product development across the extended enterprise. Information and processes are streamlined, reducing the time associated in sharing knowledge among organizations and companies.

• Common source of product information
  The Windchill Product Management Factor! removes the barriers between companies, organizations, and systems to create a complete representation of products. From any location, regardless of the source systems, users can access all the product information necessary to make the best business decisions.
   
  
• Consistency of interenterprise information
  Linking related information across the extended enterprise into a single product representation ensures its continual consistency. When all users have access to the most up-to-date product information, the latency problems traditionally associated with copied and duplicated information are eliminated.
   
  
• Process optimization
  The efficiency and accuracy of communications improve when processes within the extended enterprise are streamlined. Information can be automatically routed to the users and systems affected by a proposed activity. The result is that users immediately understand the changes required, and change information is synchronized across multiple business systems.
   
  
• Improved product and business agility
  Because the Product Management Factor! allows information on products, suppliers, and partners to be modified rapidly, companies can take better advantage of technical innovations and new business opportunities. The product information structure can quickly incorporate changes as components or subsystems are provided by new suppliers or partners.

The Windchill Product Management Factor! is part of the Windchill Factor! e-SeriesÖ, a comprehensive suite of e-business solutions for CPC. From product planning through production and everything in between, the Windchill Factor! e-Series exploits the Internet for product collaboration, and in so doing, raises the value of product information to an enterprise asset.