Needham, MA Ñ March 4, 2003 Ñ At the National Manufacturing Week in Chicago, software solution provider PTC has announced that, in response to what it said is the need for companies to have better data interoperability and a low-cost solution to build the technical infrastructure for product lifecycle management (PLM), it has connected its Pro/ENGINEER product design and development solution with its Windchill collaboration and control solution.
PTC said that with the new product development system companies could create high fidelity digital products, collaborate throughout their extended digital value chain and control all associated product information and processes.
In addition, the modular system can be deployed incrementally and is supported by packaged services so companies can implement a common PLM architecture that is expandable and links legacy applications and heterogeneous computer-aided design (CAD) systems while protecting past IT investments.
"The system, supported by our Product First Roadmap, enables companies to improve their business with a centralized focus around creating better products through specific product development strategies, initiatives and competencies. By placing products first they can better capture the growth and profitability value opportunities that are resident in the product development process," observed PTC President and CEO C. Richard Harrison.
Some of the functionality in PTC's system includes increased product development speed; a single "system of record" for all product information throughout the entire process; and reduced training time, since users are able to work within their familiar environment.
"An optimized product development process means you are able to consistently bring superior products to market," says James Heppelmann, executive vice president, Software Solutions, and chief product officer. "That requires a complete system that simplifies all the processes involved, freeing people to focus on the products themselves."
In other news this week for PTC it announced it is partnering with Thomas Register, a resource for manufacturing information and B2B e-commerce, to make CADRegister available within Pro/ENGINEER. Thomas Register said CADRegister is an online library of millions of CAD 2-D drawings and 3-D models, with technical data from over 250 leading manufacturers.
According to PTC, the portal will provide product designers with native Pro/ENGINEER models based on PTC's Granite One interoperability kernel. To support this initiative, Thomas Register has licensed Granite. The portal features a drag and drop integration, using the Web services supported by Wildfire.
"This partnership sets a new standard for linking manufacturers' CAD drawings and models into a design engineering application," said Erik Mikisch, vice president, Integrated Marketing, of Thomas Register. "The new relationship will also expand the reach of manufacturers listed on CADRegister to more than 250,000 potential customers via Pro/ENGINEER's install base."
