Case study on implementation of product life cycle management with a PDM system

Product lifecycle Management (PLM) is a strategic business approach, which helps manufacturing companies to achieve its business goals of shortening time to market, reducing costs and improving product quality. Increasing an enterprise’s flexibility and agility to respond swiftly and effectively to new changes, new markets and competitors is the true hallmark of a world class PLM strategy. Product Data Management (PDM) is software system that manages product data and product development process throughout the enterprise and remains the foundation of PLM. For an enterprise to be successful in today’s global markets the choice of the right PLM solution and stategy is not an option – it is a competitive necessity. The aim of the dissertation to understand PLM/PDM technology and study the current developments in the PLM/PDM market and explore the typical PDM functions. It also investigates the requirement of design framework for a collaborative product development environment and explores the implementation options and methods. A case study at Seahorse Corporation has been conducted with “AS IS” product development process and “TO BE” with a PLM/PDM system. Capacity Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) product suite, the state-of-art product and development model is used to check and guide the case study. Further it will also list out acceptance factors to measure the organizations readiness for PLM/PDM and discuss Enterprise Resource Management (ERP) and Supply Chain Management (SCM) integration methodology.Master of Science (Computer Integrated Manufacturing