The latest from IBM PLM Express

Edited by the Processingtalk editorial team Nov 7, 2003

IBM has launched a massive effort to target the small and mid-sized market with pre-packaged solutions priced to make them more affordable for companies with 1000 or less employees

On June 30th, IBM launched a massive effort to target the small and mid-sized market with pre-packaged solutions that are priced with the intention of making them more affordable for companies with 1000 or less employees.

Today, IBM has launched the second set of Express solutions, which includes new PLM specific bundles for small and mid-sized manufacturers in the industrial components, tooling suppliers, industrial machinery, mobile equipment, plastic products and consumer goods industries.

Addressing key pains in these industries, new bundled functionality based on Smarteam will help manufacturers with "Collaborative Design" - Utilising the Smarteam open, standards-based connectivity, design engineers across the extended enterprise share 3D product information.

With over 70 percent of overall product costs committed at the early stages of design it is crucial to design right the first time to minimise change costs.

To handle engineering data and document management the programme offers integrated management of design data and documents in a multi-CAD authoring environment, including secure vaulting, version control and link management.

In addition to proactive knowledge re-use, this solution enables streamlined Engineering Changes and integrated Bill of Materials management.

It addresses bidding and request for quote management: companies that streamline their business using the Smarteam pre-defined standard processes can more quickly and more accurately calculate product costing, enabling them to handle a greater volume of bid requests and improve their win ratio.

For the retail aftermarket, companies can benefit from the Smarteam accurate version-controlled product data and web-based, on-site field support to improve after-sales maintenance support and open new revenue streams with regular maintenance plans, replacement parts and asset management to their existing customers, for increased loyalty and repeat business.