Product lifecycle management technology assessment: a case study in the industrial equipment industry

Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) adoption is very important for companies to sustain and stay competitive in market particularly to the organizations that involving from design to manufacturing. Many companies are struggling whether to adopt PLM because implementing PLM involves very extensive changes in intra and inter-organizational practices. PLM assessment is an important activity in the pre-implementation stage to determine the scope of implementation. However, the requirements and scope of implementation are always influenced by the users’ paradigm of “needs” instead of the company’s current PLM maturity level. This research covered the PLM assessment in using Capability Maturity Model (CMM) and Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) focused in PLM technology components. The research was based on case study approach conducted in an Industrial Equipment company. The scope of assessment was to investigate the technology components in respect to data, process and methodology. The empirical results showed PLM technology components prioritization determined through the hierarchy analysis could provide more consistent output compared to user’s direct judgement. The authors argue that PLM assessment in technology components prioritization requires consideration of its maturity level because the outcomes provide a better guideline to define a strategic roadmap for PLM implementation

Knowledge-based Engineering in Product Development Processes - Process, IT and Knowledge Management perspectives

Product development as a field of practice and research has significantly changed due to the general trends of globalization changing the enterprise landscapes in which products are realized. The access to partners and suppliers with high technological specialization has also led to an increased specialization of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Furthermore, the products are becoming increasingly complex with a high functional and technological content and many variants. Combined with shorter lifecycles which require reuse of technologies and solutions, this has resulted in an overall increased knowledge intensity which necessitates a more explicit approach towards knowledge and knowledge management in product development. In parallel, methods and IT tools for managing knowledge have been developed and are more accessible and usable today. One such approach is knowledge-based engineering (KBE), a term that was coined in the mid-1980s as a label for applications which automate the design of rule-driven geometries. In this thesis the term KBE embraces the capture and application of engineering knowledge to automate engineering tasks, regardless of domain of application, and the thesis aims at contributing to a wider utilization of KBE in product development (PD). The thesis focuses on two perspectives of KBE; as a process improvement IT method and as a knowledge management (KM) method. In the first perspective, the lack of explicit regard for the constraints of the product lifecycle management (PLM) architecture, which governs the interaction of processes and IT in PD, has been identified to negatively affect the utilization of KBE in PD processes. In the second perspective, KM theories and models can complement existing methods for identifying potential for KBE applications.Regarding the first perspective, it is concluded that explicit regard for the PLM architecture decreases the need to develop and maintain software code related to hard coded redundant data and functions in the KBE application. The concept of service oriented architecture (SOA) has been found to enable an the explicit regard for the PLM architecture.. Regarding the second perspective, it is concluded that potential for KBE applications is indicated by: 1.) application of certain types of knowledge in PD processes 2.) high maturity and formalization of the applied knowledge 3.) a codification strategy for KM and 4.) an agreement and transparency regarding how the knowledge is applied, captured and transferred. It is also concluded that the formulation of explicit KM strategies in PD should be guided by knowledge application and its relation to strategic objectives focusing on types of knowledge, their role in the PD process and the methods and tools for their application. These, in turn, affect the methods and tools deployed for knowledge capture in order for it to integrate with the processes of knowledge origin. Finally, roles and processes for knowledge transfer have to be transparent to assure the motivation of individuals to engage in the KM strategy

Knowledge-based Engineering in Product Development Processes - Process, IT and Knowledge Management perspectives

Product development as a field of practice and research has significantly changed due to the general trends of globalization changing the enterprise landscapes in which products are realized. The access to partners and suppliers with high technological specialization has also led to an increased specialization of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Furthermore, the products are becoming increasingly complex with a high functional and technological content and many variants. Combined with shorter lifecycles which require reuse of technologies and solutions, this has resulted in an overall increased knowledge intensity which necessitates a more explicit approach towards knowledge and knowledge management in product development. In parallel, methods and IT tools for managing knowledge have been developed and are more accessible and usable today. One such approach is knowledge-based engineering (KBE), a term that was coined in the mid-1980s as a label for applications which automate the design of rule-driven geometries. In this thesis the term KBE embraces the capture and application of engineering knowledge to automate engineering tasks, regardless of domain of application, and the thesis aims at contributing to a wider utilization of KBE in product development (PD). The thesis focuses on two perspectives of KBE; as a process improvement IT method and as a knowledge management (KM) method. In the first perspective, the lack of explicit regard for the constraints of the product lifecycle management (PLM) architecture, which governs the interaction of processes and IT in PD, has been identified to negatively affect the utilization of KBE in PD processes. In the second perspective, KM theories and models can complement existing methods for identifying potential for KBE applications.Regarding the first perspective, it is concluded that explicit regard for the PLM architecture decreases the need to develop and maintain software code related to hard coded redundant data and functions in the KBE application. The concept of service oriented architecture (SOA) has been found to enable an the explicit regard for the PLM architecture.. Regarding the second perspective, it is concluded that potential for KBE applications is indicated by: 1.) application of certain types of knowledge in PD processes 2.) high maturity and formalization of the applied knowledge 3.) a codification strategy for KM and 4.) an agreement and transparency regarding how the knowledge is applied, captured and transferred. It is also concluded that the formulation of explicit KM strategies in PD should be guided by knowledge application and its relation to strategic objectives focusing on types of knowledge, their role in the PD process and the methods and tools for their application. These, in turn, affect the methods and tools deployed for knowledge capture in order for it to integrate with the processes of knowledge origin. Finally, roles and processes for knowledge transfer have to be transparent to assure the motivation of individuals to engage in the KM strategy

Integration of substance compliance and a product lifecycle management system in case organization

Abstract. Substance compliance is the field of identifying applicable product material regulations and managing the product composition to match those regulations. As the various regulations expand and new standards are added, manufacturers must take increased precautions to ensure their products are in line with the latest regulations and standards for example by developing system integrations to ensure better management processes. This thesis aims to study the development and implementation of an integration of a substance compliance management system with a product lifecycle management (PLM) system in a case organization. The perspective is on identifying how an integration of substance compliance and a PLM system can be conducted and what to take into consideration when introducing such an interface to current operations. The research methods used were two sets of semi-structured interviews and participatory observations. The findings of this study indicate that substance compliance has connections to data quality. In the case organization in particular, in order to fully grasp the benefits of the integration, special care should be put into completing a three-step plan focused on improving data quality management, using change management to introduce the integration, and utilizing an early and proactive approach to substance compliance. The study largely focuses on giving actionable improvement recommendations, but it also contributes to the substance compliance literature by conducting a brief literature study on the topic and showing the connection of product data quality with the field of study.Aineiden vaatimustenmukaisuuden hallitsemisen ja tuotteen elinkaaren hallintajärjestelmän yhdistäminen kohdeyrityksessä. Tiivistelmä. Aineiden vaatimustenmukaisuuden hallitseminen on ala, jossa tunnistetaan tuotemateriaalien lainsäädännöllisiä vaatimuksia ja varmistetaan, että tuote ei sisällä vaatimustenvastaisia aineita. Tuotemateriaaleja koskevien säädösten määrän kasvaessa elektroniikkavalmistajien on huolehdittava entistä tarkemmin, että heidän tuotteensa noudattavat viimeisimpiä lainsäädäntöjä ja standardeja. Yksi tapa tehdä näin on esimerkiksi panostaa systeemien yhdistämiseen, joka takaa paremmat hallintaprosessit. Tämän diplomityön tarkoitus on tutkia aineiden vaatimustenmukaisuuden ja tuotteen elinkaaren hallintajärjestelmän yhdistämistä kohdeyrityksessä. Pääpaino työssä on tunnistaa, miten kahden järjestelmän yhdistäminen voidaan toteuttaa, sekä mitä tulisi ottaa huomioon yhdistetyn järjestelmän käyttöönotossa. Diplomityössä käytettiin kahta eri puolistrukturoitua haastattelua sekä osallistuvia havainnointeja tutkimusmenetelminä. Tutkimustulokset osoittavat, että aineiden vaatimustenmukaisuudella on yhteys tuotedatan laatuun. Jotta kohdeyrityksessä voitaisiin ottaa täysi hyöty yhdistetystä järjestelmästä, tulisi yrityksen toteuttaa kolmiaskeleinen parannussuunnitelma. Suunnitelman tavoite on parantaa tuotedatanlaadun hallintaa, hyödyntää muutosjohtamisen oppeja järjestelmän kehittämiseen ja käyttöönottoon, ja edesauttaa kohdeyritystä ennakoivaan aineiden vaatimustenmukaisuuteen. Työ keskittyy suurimmaksi osaksi kohdeyrityksen parannusehdotusten antamiseen, mutta se myös edistää aineiden vaatimustenmukaisuuteen kohdistuvaa kirjallisuutta pienellä kirjallisuuskatsauksella ja esittämällä linkin tuotedatan laadun kanssa

Product portfolio management as part of product lifecycle management for configure-to-order products

Abstract. Product portfolio management (PPM) research has mainly focused on PPM practices by covering the early stage of the lifecycle and not the whole lifecycle of the product. In addition, lifecycle management has been applied to individual products rather than the entire product portfolio. In this thesis, PPM research focuses on both all lifecycle phases and the entire product portfolio rather than only individual products. The research aims to study how configurable products should be arranged in the case company’s future Product lifecycle management (PLM) system. The case company of the thesis is Valmet Flow Control Oy, which delivers flow control technologies and services for different industries. The current Product data management (PDM) system in use is no longer supported and it is seen that the PDM system does not support the company’s needs anymore. Therefore, a new PLM system is needed to cover future demands in the case company. The product portfolio is composed of a product series, which refers to a certain product type and model. This thesis focuses on configure-to-order (CTO) products, which are configured based on customers’ needs with pre-defined specifications. This thesis proposes, how to present product series level object in the PLM system and what kind of product data it contains. The main result of the research is the created product series object in the future PLM system and how to manage product series through their lifecycle in one centralized system with all internal stakeholders. The availability, traceability, and data use are also essential results. Appropriate exploitation of data allows to reveal the most critical information, enabling the management of the whole product portfolio from one PLM system. This kind of procedure creates transparency in the product portfolio.Tuoteportfolion hallinta osana tuotteen elinkaaren hallintaa tilauksesta määritettäville tuotteille. Tiivistelmä. Tuoteportfolion hallinnan (PPM) tutkimukset ovat pääasiassa keskittyneet PPM:n käytäntöihin elinkaaren alkuvaiheessa eikä tuotteen koko elinkaaren hallintaan (PLM). Lisäksi PLM:ää on sovellettu yksittäisten tuotteiden tasolla eikä niinkään koko tuoteportfolion tasolla. Tässä diplomityössä PPM:n tutkimus keskittyy sekä koko tuotteen elinkaaren vaiheisiin että koko tuoteportfolioon yksittäisten tuotteiden sijasta. Tutkimuksen tarkoituksena on tutkia kuinka konfiguroitavat tuotteet pitäisi järjestellä tulevaan PLM-järjestelmään tapausyrityksessä. Diplomityön tapausyrityksenä on Valmet Flow Control Oy, joka toimittaa virtauksensäätöratkaisuja ja -palveluja eri teollisuudenaloille. Nykyistä käytössä olevaa tuotetiedonhallinta järjestelmää (PDM) ei enää ylläpidetä eikä PDM-järjestelmä tue yrityksen tarpeita enää. Tästä johtuen PLM-järjestelmää tarvitaan, jotta voidaan kattaa tulevaisuuden tarpeet tapausyrityksessä. Tuoteportfolio koostuu tuotesarjoista, joilla viitataan tiettyyn tuotetyyppiin ja malliin. Tämä diplomityö keskittyy tilauksesta määritettäviin tuotteisiin eli konfiguroitaviin tuotteisiin, jossa tuote konfiguroidaan asiakkaan tarpeiden mukaisesti ennalta määrättyjen spesifikaatioiden avulla. Tässä työssä esitetään kuinka tuotesarjatason objekti kuvataan PLM-järjestelmässä ja mitä tuotetietoja sille tarvitaan. Tutkimuken päätuloksena luodaan tuotesarjaobjekti tulevaisuuden PLM-järjestelmään ja tehdään kehitysehdotus siitä, kuinka tuotesarjoja tulisi hallita niiden koko elinkaaren ajan yhdessä järjestelmässä, ja kaikkien sisäisten sidosryhmien kanssa. Tiedon saatavuus, jäljitettävyys sekä hyödyntäminen ovat myös pääasiallisia työn tuloksia. Tiedon oikeanlainen hyödyntäminen mahdollistaa kriittisimmän tiedon esittämisen ja siten mahdollistaa koko tuoteportfolion hallinnan yhdestä PLM-järjestelmästä

Efficiency improvement of product definition and verification through Product Lifecycle Management

The correct and complete geometrical definition of a product is nowadays a critical activity for most companies. To solve this problem, ISO has launched the GPS, Geometrical Product Specifications and Verification, with the goal of consistently and completely describe the geometric characteristics of the products. With this project, it is possible to define a language of communication between the various stages of the product lifecycle based on "operators": these are an ordered set of mathematical operations used for the definition of the products. However, these theoretical and mathematical concepts require a level of detail and completeness of the information hardly used in usual industrial activities. Consequently in industrial practice the definition and verification of products appears to be a slow process, error-prone and difficult to control. Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) is the activity of managing the company's products throughout their lifecycle in the most efficient way. PLM describes the engineering aspects of the products, ensuring the integrity of product definition, the automatic update of the product information and then aiding the product to fulfil with international standards. Despite all these benefits, the concepts of PLM are not yet fully understood in industry and they are difficult to implement for SME's. A first objective of this research is to develop a model to depict and understand processes. This representation is used as a tool during the application of a case study of a whole set of a GPS standards for one type of tolerance. This procedure allows the introduction of the GPS principles and facilitates its implementation within a PLM process. Until now, PLM is presented on isolated aspects without the necessary holistic approach. Furthermore, industry needs people able to operate in PLM context, professional profiles that are not common on the market. There is therefore an educational problem; besides the technical knowledge, the new profile of engineers must be also familiar with the PLM philosophy and instruments to work effectively in a team. With the aim of solving this problem, this thesis presents a PLM solution that gives the guidelines for a correct understanding of these topic