Powerway Updates PLM Solution for Auto Industry

Version 2.0 of online product lifecycle management solution offers support for five languages, upgrades to usability, performance

Version 2.0 of online product lifecycle management solution offers support for five languages, upgrades to usability, performance

Indianapolis, IN — March 2, 2004 — Powerway, a provider of product development process solutions for manufacturers, has launched Powerway.com version 2.0, a new release available in four new languages in addition to English and including upgraded usability, navigation and performance, according to the software company.

The provider says that Powerway.com, a Web-based workplace, facilitates visibility and real-time communication throughout multiple tiers of the supply chain during product development. Powerway argues that as manufacturers in all industries continue to outsource, this supply chain connectivity is critical for managing risks and costs, improving quality and accelerating product delivery.

The need for cross-functional customer/supplier teams to share documents, data and process information during product development is well documented in the automotive industry. A single design problem or defective part from one sub-supplier can cost millions in warranty costs, lost sales and profits. According to AMR Research, the North American auto industry alone spends more than $10 billion annually on warranty costs and $200 million just to administer warranty programs. Increasingly, the impact of warranty costs is being shared down the supply chain.

Powerway says that DaimlerChrysler, General Motors and other automakers around the world have selected Powerway.com as their solution for advanced quality planning with the global automotive supply chain.

"Powerway.com 2.0 was designed with extensive input from our installed user base, and the new functionality will make it easier for global project teams to work together successfully during product development," Powerway CEO Ted Wozniak said.

Built using Microsoft's .Net technology, Powerway.com v2.0 currently is available in French, German, Italian and Spanish, as well as English. Portuguese is due to be added in the near future, and Powerway says that it has the flexibility to include more languages.

Additional features and enhancements for Powerway.com users include streamlined, simplified navigation, including a project information bar that provides users with quick access to pertinent project information. In addition to making the site easier to use, the navigation improvements increase the overall speed of the application and allow pages to display faster, according to Powerway.

The new version also offers expanded user settings that support multiple languages and include options for countries, time zones, 12- and 24-hour clocks, notifications and project views. A project activity log automatically records the history of significant activities, including actions performed, dates and times the actions occur, activity descriptions and users performing the actions.

In addition, Powerway points to more powerful and flexible search capability that allows users to more quickly locate the data they really need, as well as expanded help coverage and a direct link to Powerway technical support on every page.

Finally, the new version provides features specific to customers in a customer-supplier relationship, including the ability to split and merge projects to accommodate changes in part usage, part timing, resources or risk levels.
Latest