COMPUTER INTEGRATED MANUFACTURING

• Concept of CIM: Manufacturing and its types

– Definition of CIM, Elements of CIM, Benefits
of CIM, Needs of CIM: Hardware and
software. Concurrent Engineering: Definition,
Sequential Engineering Versus Concurrent
Engineering, Benefits of Concurrent
Engineering, Characteristics of concurrent
Engineering, Product Life-Cycle Management
(PLM), Collaborative Product Development.
 Concept of CIM
• In today’s economic environment, enterprises that solely rely on
traditional technologies cannot meet dynamic customer demands.
• Hence, proactive enterprises seek the application of intelligent and
integrated manufacturing systems in order to meet the customer’s
demands and be the winners in the competitive market.
• Manufacturing enterprises face diverse challenges induced by
technological changes, geo political and economical environment they
operate in, and most importantly by the sophisticated and demanding
customers.
• In today’s open market, customers can reach manufactures across the
world and choose their preferred ones, due to the advancements in
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and modern ICT tools
that are available at affordable price and with increased reliability.
Important technical, political, and
economic forces for manufacturing
 sophisticated customers will demand products that are customized to
meet their needs,
 rapid responses to market forces are required to survive in the
competitive climate, enhanced by communication and knowledge sharing,
 creativity and innovation are required in all aspects of the manufacturing
enterprise to be competitive,
 developments in innovative process technologies will change both the
scope and scale of manufacturing,
 environmental issues will be predominant as the global ecosystem get
strained by growing populations and the emergence of new high-
technology economies,
 information and knowledge will be shared by manufacturing enterprises
and the marketplace for effective decision making, and
 global distribution of highly competitive production resources will be a
critical factor in the organisation of manufacturing enterprises to be
successful in this changing technical, political, and economic climate.
 Concept of CIM
• Even today, in order to win the confidence of the
customers and be the market leaders, manufacturers
should have the capability to be flexible, adaptable,
proactive, responsive to changes, and be able to
produce variety of high-quality and innovative products
quickly at a lower cost.
• Hence, manufacturing companies were compelled to
seek advanced technologies as a solution for the last
five decades or more. The most significant outcome of
this search resulted in the concept of CIM, which was
initially proposed by Dr. Joseph Harrington in 1973 in a
book published by the name ‘‘Computer integrated
manufacturing’’.
 Definition of CIM
• CIM is a process of using computers and
communication networks to transform islands
of enabling technologies into a highly
interconnected manufacturing system.
• CIM is a fundamental management and
manufacturing strategy of integrating
manufacturing facilities and systems in an
enterprise through computers and its
peripheral.
 DEFINITION OF CIM
Computer-integrated manufacturing (CIM) is an umbrella
term for the total integration of product design and
engineering, process planning, and manufacturing by
means of complex computer systems.
Less comprehensive computerized systems for production
planning, inventory control, or scheduling are often
considered part of CIM.
By using these powerful computer systems to integrate all
phases of manufacturing, from initial customer order to
final shipment, firms hope to increase productivity,
improve quality, meet customer needs faster, and offer
more flexibility.
 DEFINITION OF CIM
The computer and automated systems
association of the society of Manufacturing
Engineers (CASA/SEM) defines CIM is the
integration of total manufacturing enterprise by
using integrated systems and data
communication coupled with new managerial
philosophies that improve organizational and
personnel efficiency.
New manufacturing and management strategies

While the concept of CIM is broadening its application in manufacturing and

other industries, it is interesting to note that new manufacturing and
management strategies have also begun to surface during this last five
decades.
Lean Manufacturing (LM),
Just-In-Time (JIT),
Concurrent Engineering (CE),
Cellular Manufacturing (CM),
Agile manufacturing,
Responsive manufacturing,
holonic manufacturing,
distributed manufacturing, and collaborative manufacturing are some of the
new terms evolved over the last four decades to reflect the dynamic nature of
improvements in manufacturing applications.
 Agile manufacturing is a term applied to an
Lean manufacturing is a methodology that focuses on organization that has created the
minimizing waste within manufacturing systems while processes, tools, and training to enable it to
simultaneously maximizing productivity. respond quickly to customer needs and
market changes while still controlling costs
and quality.
Just-in-time (JIT) inventory system is a management
strategy that aligns raw-material orders from suppliers Responsive manufacturing system is a
realistic manufacturing system which has
directly with production schedules. to meet the demands of consumer by
aligning themselves with the supplier by
Concurrent Engineering (CE) is a systematic approach flexibility in system and with lean team
to integrated product development that emphasizes efforts a satisfaction is
developed
the response to customer expectations. ... Concurrent
Engineering is a systematic approach to the Holonic Manufacturing System
integrated, concurrent design of products and their (HMS ) is aimed at meeting the
related processes, including, manufacturing and challenges of manufacturing
support. environment for mass
customization or low-volume and
Cellular Manufacturing (CM) concept can be used
high-variety products. The idea
at manufacturing systems with high variety and low
behind HMS is to provide a
demand to get superiority to environments with
dynamic and decentralized
low variety and high demand. ... This technology
manufacturing process, in which
offers the possibility of manufacturing a wide
humans are effectively integrated,
variety of products in a low volume
so that changes can be made
dynamically and continuously
 Concept of CIM
However, some researchers/ consultants often
misinterpreted CIM by focusing only on the letter C,
which stands for Computers, however, CIM does
not assign its entire focus on computers, but on the
other two letters I and M, which stands for
integrated manufacturing.
Nevertheless, without computers, an enterprise
wide integration cannot be effective and efficient,
since computers help organize, retrieve and store
information in an orderly manner with high
accuracy and speed
 AUTOMATION
Automation is the use of machines, control systems and
information technologies to optimize productivity in the
production of goods and delivery of services. The word
automation was originally coined by an engineering
manager of Ford Motor Company in 1946 in order to
describe the variety of feed device mechanism and
automatic transfer devices.
“Automation is a technique of automatically controlled
operation of an apparatus, process or system by
mechanical or electronic devices that takes place of
human organs of observation, efforts and decision.”
Evolution in manufacturing technology
 COMPUTER INTEGRATED
MANUFACTURING
Computer-integrated manufacturing (CIM) is the manufacturing approach of
using computers to control entire production process. ...
Although manufacturing can be faster and less error-prone by the integration
of computers, the main advantage is the ability to create
automated manufacturing processes.
In straightforward terms, CIM is the technique of using computers to control
an entire production process. It's commonly used by factories to automate
functions such as analysis, cost accounting, design, distribution, inventory
control, planning and purchasing.
The term computer-integrated manufacturing was coined by Dr. Joseph
Harrington in his 1974 book bearing that name. Until the 1970s, the most
aggressive and successful automation was seen in production operations.
 COMPUTER INTEGRATED MANUFACTURING

CIM stands for a holistic and methodological approach to the activities of the
manufacturing enterprise in order to achieve vast improvement in its performance.
Manufacturing engineers are required to achieve the following objectives to be
competitive in a global context.
 Reduction in inventory
 Lower the cost of the product
 Reduce waste
 Improve quality
Increase flexibility in manufacturing to achieve immediate and rapid response to:
 Product changes
 Production changes
 Process change
 Equipment change
 Change of personnel

CIM technology is an enabling technology to meet the above challenges to the

manufacturing environment
 Three Categories
Manufacturing Automation
 This category incorporates NC machines, computer
aided inspection, automated materials handling, and
warehouses and flexible machine systems.
Manufacturing Planning and Control System
 consists of master production scheduling, aggregate
capacity planning, shop floor control.
Computer-aided design and engineering
 The third category groups together the applications in
design, drafting, process planning, engineering
 challenge to management
• The challenge to management contained in the
use of CIM systems is often less in the design of
the system than in its implementation .
• Tools and machines are in use or can be modified,
but the real challenge is the implementation of
an integrated system of centralised and
decentralized databases and communication links
which will enhance a company's attempts to
protect and strengthen its competitive position.
six grand challenges for manufacturing
1. the need to achieve concurrency in all operations in an enterprise,
2. challenges in integrating human and technical resources to enhance
workforce performance and satisfaction,
3. challenges in dynamically transforming information from many
sources into useful knowledge that would help making effective
decisions,
4. the need to have zero production waste and environmental impact
to be competitive,
5. challenges in having reconfigure manufacturing enterprises in order
to rapidly respond to changing needs and opportunities, and
6. challenges in developing innovative manufacturing processes and
products to meet the technological breakthroughs in science.
 BENEFITS OF CIM
1. enable a functional unit of an enterprise to communicate
easily with other relevant functional units,
2. accurate data transfer among the manufacturing plant,
and/or subcontracting facilities,
3. faster responses to required changes,
4. increased flexibility towards introduction of new products,
5. improved accuracy and quality in manufacturing processes,
6. improved quality of products,
7. effective control of data-flow among various units,
8. reduction of lead-times,
9. streamlined manufacturing flow from order to delivery,and
10. a holistic approach to enterprise-wide issues.
A systematic integration flow chart for a typical
small or medium manufacturing company
CIM HARDWARE AND CIM SOFTWARE
CIM Hardware comprises the following:
i. Manufacturing equipment such as CNC machines
or computerized work centres, robotic work cells,
DNC/FMS systems, work handling and tool handling
devices, storage devices, sensors, shop floor data
collection devices, inspection machines etc.
ii. Computers, controllers, CAD/CAM systems,
workstations / terminals, data entry terminals, bar
code readers, RFID tags, printers, plotters and other
peripheral devices, modems, cables, connectors etc.
CIM HARDWARE AND CIM SOFTWARE
CIM software comprises computer programmes to carry out the following
functions:
Management information system Production control
Sales Manufacturing area control
Job tracking
Marketing Inventory control
Finance Shop floor data collection
Database management Order entry
Materials handling
Modeling and design Device drivers
Analysis Process planning
Simulation Manufacturing facilities planning
Work flow automation
Communications Business process engineering
Monitoring Network management
Quality management
Major Elements of a CIM System
Various Engineering Activities in CIM
Structure of CIM
 Flow of
Operations in
CIM
The Scope of CAD/CAM and CIM
 Computerized
Element of CIM
System
Information-processing cycle in a typical
manufacturing firm
Place of technological process
planning in CIM concept
Expected trends in the development of application specific
hardware components of CIM systems

Numerically controlled machines:

 application of the higher cutting speed
processing,
 development of new programming languages and
systems,
 simplifying the connection man – machine,
 introduction by condition with self-diagnostic
status,
 the introduction of automatic detection and
correction of errors in the work.
 Expected trends in the development of application specific
hardware components of CIM systems

Flexible manufacturing systems:

• - the application of machines high flexibility and
completeness of the work,
• - the application of manipulation and transportation
systems with the appropriate sensors,
• - the application of artificial intelligence and simulation,
• - standardization modules,
• - increasing the use of new energy sources in the
processing,
• - the development trend of smaller and simpler systems,
• - the automotive industry became a major area of
application
Expected trends in the development of application specific
hardware components of CIM systems

Robots:
 - development in the area of operation,
 - expected to increase applications in the field of assembly, textile
and wood industry,
 process industry and services,
 - increasing the use of sensors to identify,
 - increasing the use of artificial intelligence.
Sensors:
 - non-contact dimensional measurement of objects,
 - identify colors,
 - speech recognition,
 - determination and forecasting tool life by analyzing vibration
spindle and tool.
There are only 3 robots per 10,000 employees in India, according to the 2017 World
Robot Statistics issued by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) . By comparison,
the average robot density in the world was 74 in 2016. South Korea, the number one
country on the leaderboard since 2010, was the most automated country in 2016 with
631 robots per 10,000 workers.
Expected trends in the development of application
specific hardware components of CIM systems

Computers:
 - increase capacity on-chip,
 - in addition to GUI applications increase MUI
(multimedia),
 - the fifth generation of computers and neural
computers,
 - optical memory,
 - the development of communication,
 - open systems,
 - parallel computers and computer of the fifth
generation
Trends in the development of software
components CIM are
Integrated information systems (IIS):
 - development of new software tools for rapid
development of information systems,
 - integration method DSS (decision support on) in IIS,
 - the integration of CA packages of software systems in
IIS,
 - directly taking analog data from the monitoring of
manufacturing processes and their
 conversion to digital data processing and monitoring in
IIS.
Trends in the development of software
components CIM are
CAD software packages and software systems
 The CAD system that has the most significant application of all the CA program packages and
software systems are expected: the increasing use of PCs and workstations, the
development of the theory of the construction and its applications in CAD systems, the
development of new concepts of CAD applications.
 The CAP system is expected greater use of artificial intelligence in selecting and defining a
work plan and improving links with CAD, CAM and PPS software systems.
 The CAM system is expected to better integration with CAD, CAP and PPS systems,
application software maintenance by the state and the TPM, to develop the model for
production management.
 The CAQ system is expected to further the development and installation of sensors and
diagnostic systems in the manufacturing process, the integration of CAT systems as well as
integration with PPS, CAD and CAM systems.
 The PPS system lacks quality relationship with CA software packages and programming
systems, expected greater use of optimization algorithm (OI), the development of models for
rapid feedback of the progress of the plan, the greater use of expert systems and neural
networks.
Trends in the development of software
components CIM are
Communications software and protocols:
 - increasing the speed of transmission,
 - neural networks,
 - widespread use of ISDN,
 - EDI for office automation,
 - jobs' 'at home'',
 - communication faster transmission speeds (ATM, etc).
Artificial intelligence:
 - the development of expert systems for manufacturing
processes,
 - development not distinct systems
 Concurrent engineering in manufacturing industry
 In this competitive environment, organizations should use a flexible,
adaptive and responsive paradigm.
 Concurrent Engineering (CE) is a management philosophy and is not
restricted to manufacturing companies only.
 It involves systematic and simultaneous approach in developing a product
or process while bringing up all the people who need to be involved in the
first place.
 Global competitive pressure has motivated many companies to change to
a more rapid form of product development such as concurrent
engineering (CE).
 By executing design in parallel, improvements occur in many areas such
as communication, quality, production processes, cash flows, and
profitability.
 Concurrent engineering (CE) is undertaken to improve the product design
process with the intention of improving organisation performance.
 Conventional information flow in
engineering design and manufacture
 Development of manufacturing technology

CE applications were reported to achieve a 30–60% reduction in time-to-market 15–

50% reduction in lifecycle costs and a 55–95% reduction in engineering change requests
 Why concurrent engineering?
 Increasing product variety and technical complexity that prolong
the product development process and make it more difficult to
predict the impact of design decisions on the functionality and
performance of the final product.
 Increasing global competitive pressure that results from the
emerging concept of reengineering.
 The need for rapid response to fast-changing consumer demand.
 The need for shorter product life cycle.
 Large organizations with several departments working on
developing numerous products at the same time.
 New and innovative technologies emerging at a very high rate, thus
causing the new product to be technological obsolete within a short
period.
CONCURRENT ENGINEERING

Traditional Process

Concurrent Engineering Process

 Sequential and
concurrent
development of new
product
A framework of concurrent
engineering
 Goals of CE
The goal is to improve quality, reduce manufacturing cost, or
improve quality. The situations and companies that achieve
these goals:
• Greater Competitiveness
• Improved Profitability
• Rise Sales and profits from new products
• Reduce new product time to market
• Reduce human and capital cost
• Maintain and increase product quality
• Leverage knowledge and experience
• Close integration between departments and promotion of
team spirit
 Schemes for CE
CE is the application of a mixture of all following techniques to
evaluate the total life-cycle cost and quality.
1. Axiomatic design
2. Design for manufacturing guidelines
3. Design science
4. Design for assembly
5. The Taguchi method for robust design
6. Manufacturing process design rules
7. Group technology
8. Failure-mode and effects analysis
9. Value engineering
10. Quality function deployment
 Schemes for CE
To respond to this increasing dynamic and challenging
environment, manufacturers are implementing concurrent
engineering concepts to reduce design cycle time and product
value.
While design for manufacturability (DFM) is a core part of
concurrent engineering, its concepts are based on an
expanded focus of the entire product lifecycle from concept
development through use and disposal.
Concurrent engineering is based on the integrated design of
products and manufacturing and support process.
It is not a matter of assessing manufacturability of the product
after it has been designed and making appropriate changes to
the product design to enhance its producibility.
 Strategic benefits of concurrent engineering

(a) Improved customer satisfaction

(b) Improved quality
(c) Reduced cost
(d) Reduced new product development time
(e) Reduced time to market
(f) Reconciliation of conflicting requirements in
product development
Converting computer-integrated manufacturing into
an intelligent information system by combining CIM
with concurrent engineering and and knowledge management

Automated areas in manufacturing

 DFM and concurrent engineering
 Concurrent product and process engineering is the practice
of simultaneously designing a product to fulfil particular
functions and the manufacturing process by which it will be
made .
 More generally, concurrent engineering is the practice of
simultaneously developing solutions that address multiple
lifecycle issues.
 In practice, engineered systems are usually too complex to
truly consider all issues simultaneously.
 More commonly, concurrent engineering (and DFM) is
accomplished through an iterative ‘spiral’ design process in
which marketing experts, designers, manufacturing
engineers, and other personnel jump back and forth
between identification of customer needs, design of the
product, and assessment of manufacturing issues.
Automotive door component sets:

a) conventional, b) DFA
 DFM Guidelines
1. Design for a minimum number of parts
2. Develop a modular design
3. Minimize part variations
4. Design parts to be multifunctional
5. Design parts for multiuse
6. Design parts for ease of fabrication
7. Avoid separate fasteners
8. Minimize assembly directions; design for top-down
assembly
9. Maximize compliance; design for ease of assembly
10. Minimize handling; design for handling presentation
11. Evaluate assembly methods
 DFM Guidelines
12. Eliminate adjustments
13. Avoid flexible components; they are difficult to handle
14. Use parts of known capability
15. Allow for maximum intolerance of parts
16. Use known and proven vendors and suppliers
17. Use parts at de-rated values with no marginal overstress
18. Minimize subassemblies
19. Use new technology only when necessary
20. Emphasize standardization
21. Use the simplest possible operations
22. Use operations of known capability
23. Minimize setups and interventions
24. Undertake engineering changes in batches
 Understanding manufacturing
Designers should know the process that will be
used to build their designs. No one would be
impressed with recipes created by someone who
has never cooked Similarly, designers should be
familiar with all the processes they are specifying.
This is the only way they can choose the right
process, specify the right tolerance, utilise existing
factory process, minimise setup changes, and
assure smooth product introduction. All of these
will minimize labour costs.
Stages of design for manufacturability
 Design
improvements
by the DFA
process
Scope of the Methodologies known as
Design For Excellence (DFX)
 PLM
• In industry, product lifecycle management (PLM)
is the process of managing the entire lifecycle of a
product from inception, through engineering
design and manufacture, to service and disposal
of manufactured products.
• Product lifecycle management (PLM) may sound
like one of those deep-in-the-weeds business
terms, but it has become one of the most
important arenas for accelerating product
deliveries, reducing costs, and generating more
revenues in major manufacturing industries
 Why is PLM so important?
• Product development has become
strategically crucial to the financial
performance of these manufacturing
companies so they are investing more in it.
• They understand and appreciate problems
PLM addresses and the benefits it can reap
such as lower production costs, as well as
accelerations in new product designs and
launch schedules and engineering cycle times.
 Why is PLM so important
1. Better CAD/BOM integration
Building or changing a CAD file should automatically generate or change a
corresponding bill of materials (BOM). This ensures that there’s a clear link
between what’s being designed and what’s actually needed to build it and
keeps everyone on the same page.
But often, that’s not the case. BOMs are generated later, updated manually,
or exist only as a spreadsheet.
PLM software helps keep these two critical documents united and in sync
automatically.
2. Reduce revision errors
Design is a fundamentally iterative process. That means for every project,
there are multiple versions of the same thing. Plus, as designs naturally
evolve over time, there becomes a backlog of what you’ve produced
previously. It’s a lot to keep straight, and you don’t want to send the wrong
version to production, a costly and time-consuming mistake.
PLM software reduces this risk by creating a shared record of all file versions
automatically, so the production-ready file goes to the production floor.
 Why is PLM so important
3. Improved document tracking & handling
Just like there are multiple versions of the same thing, complex manufacturing
processes can generate hundreds of documents over the course of a product lifecycle.
Even a simple engineering change might generate:
Picture files of the original problem
Text files explaining the problem
An official ECR
An approval of the ECR
The original CAD drawing
The new CAD drawing
The original BOM
The new BOM
Various cost, timeline, and production impact spreadsheets and files.
Once you start to think about it, the volume of paperwork starts to truly cascade.
PLM software automatically tracks and organizes these files in a shared environment
that can be accessed from anywhere by any relevant team member.
 Why is PLM so important
4. Remove human error
Human error is a tremendous cost to production and is a surefire way to stretch out a
product lifecycle. Without PLM software, there are thousands and thousands of micro-
risks that can cause production to either grind to a halt or (worse!) produce products
that are not up to spec.
For example, even a small typo in a manually-generated BOM can cause serious issues
down the line. PLM software automates many of these mundane and repetitive
manual tasks, make mistakes less likely (and making staff happier).
5. PLM software improves communication
Collaboration across the globe is challenging at the best of times. And if you’re only
using email and VoIP, it’s really difficult to build cohesion across global work groups.
PLM software facilitates a single version of the truth throughout the product lifecycle.
It also creates a shared repository for files, comments issues, and feedback rather than
spreading it around multiple email accounts that are only accessible to the people
copied on them. Granular privacy controls allow team leaders to restrict or allow
access as needed, and role assignments allow team members to know exactly what
they’re working on at any given time.
 Why is PLM so important
6.Better error recovery
Even the best-laid plans are prone to error and mistake. That’s why one of the
most important things a PLM offers is rapid and easy error recovery.
For instance, imagine that an ECR was put through but it affected a different
part of production. With PLM software, the engineering and design teams
could quickly look at what was changed, restore a previous (functional)
version, get the reversion approved, and get the restored specs to production
in literally 10 minutes.
In contrast, it might take half a day to trawl through spreadsheets, emails, and
attachments to get the same result without a PLM system.
There’s a reason OEMs like Ford or GM and huge brands like Apple or Cervelo
use PLM software — it works. The only difference is, now it’s available to
much, much smaller organizations for hundreds of dollars a year, not millions.
It might come with short-term challenges, but a new PLM program keeps
organizations on the right path to long-term success.
 Essential elements of PLM
 Management of design and process documents

 Product structure (bill of material) management

 Central data vault (electronic file repository)

 Part and document classification and metadata ("attribute") management

 Materials content identification for environmental compliance

 Product-focused project task assignment

 Workflow and process management for approving changes

 Multi-user secured access, including "electronic signature"

 Data export for loading downstream ERP systems

 PLM
PLM is at least as important as other company
activities such as Material/Enterprise Resource
Planning (MRP/ERP), Supply Chain Management
(SCM) and Customer Relationship Management
(CRM). However PLM differs from ERP, SCM, and
CRM in that is focused on a company's products.
 PLM
The process of developing a new product, from design to
manufacturing generates important amounts of data and
information and relies on the experience gathered from
the development of previous projects.
Knowledge management (KM) and feedback loop
information issues become essential for productivity and
responsiveness improvement during the product
development process.
Integrating business rules related to manufacturing
constraints, costs and materials could improve the
designers‟ efficiency by incorporating a Design for
Manufacturing (DFM) approach in the broader context of
Concurrent Engineering and PLM into their work
PLM Spans the Product Lifecycle
Real-time collaboration and concurrent engineering-based
business processes operating in an Integrated Digital
Environment (IDE).
A PLM system for the shipbuilding
industry
 Product Data Management-PDM
• PDM stands for Product Data Management.
PDM tools manage product data as it moves through the
product lifecycle. Specifically, PDM systems keep CAD files
organized and version controlled
• Product data management (PDM) is a system for managing
design data and engineering processes in one central
location. Engineering teams use PDM software to organize
product-related information, track revisions, collaborate,
manage change orders, generate Bills of Materials (BOMs),
and more.
• PDM and PLM are complementary software solutions that
modern enterprises can use to improve product
development.
 Differences between PLM and PDM
PLM manages product information within a database
 PLM specifies and controls the complete, approved engineering design: requirements,
specifications, procedures, configurations. It defines the current product structures and planned
changes, as well as maintains the history of all previous design decisions.

 PLM data is usually created and managed by engineering in cooperation with other product
managers in purchasing, production, quality, service and sales. It's the container for how to buy,
fabricate, assemble, test, calibrate, inspect, install, repair and even sell the end product. PLM is a
cross-department information storehouse, and its data is often exported to manufacturing systems
and supply chain partners.

 PLM manages objects – parts, documents, change forms, and supporting data – within a database.
These objects have:

 Descriptive attributes like owning organization, identifying number, name/title, revision (technical
content) and lifecycle (business rules for what can be done with that content), weight and unit of
measure. CAD files (and any other files) can be attached to database records to further describe the
object.
 Relationships to other objects: parts have requirements, specifications, inspection procedures, etc.;
assemblies have components with quantities; purchased parts have approved sources; designed
parts have design drawings.
 These attributes and relationships are created, reviewed and approved using system rules and
change workflows.
Differences between PLM and PDM
PDM manages CAD files within a computer file system
1. CAD drawings are files, and reside principally in a computer's file
system or on a network share. A CAD file often represents a single
part, but several files may represent one part or one file can
represent multiple parts.
2. Product data management ("PDM") is a specialized file system
manager, somewhat like a CAD-oriented Windows Explorer. PDM's
primary job is to manage mechanical CAD files, and the linkages
between related files. These related files (the "model") are usually
in a proprietary format defined by the CAD vendor.
3. PDM assists in organizing the mechanical aspects of a product, but
it's the CAD model (or its derivative drawings), and not PDM itself,
that has utility to downstream users.
 CPD
• Collaborative product
development (collaborative product design)
(CPD) is a business strategy, work process and
collection of software applications that
facilitates different organizations to work
together on the development of a product.
• It is also known as collaborative
product definition management (cPDM)
collaborative
product
development
collaborative product development &
PDM