The document explains the differences between Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) and Product Data Management (PDM), highlighting that PLM encompasses the entire lifecycle of a product while PDM focuses on data management and version control. PLM serves as an enterprise-wide system that integrates various business processes and functions, whereas PDM operates mainly as an engineering tool. The text emphasizes the advantages of PLM in enhancing visibility, reducing time to market, and improving efficiency, suggesting that organizations should consult experts to determine which solution best fits their needs.

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2. Many people think PLM and PDM are the
same thing, but that is not at all the case.
To help you understand which solution is
right for your needs.
www.3hti.com
PLM, or Product Lifecycle Management,
encompasses all facets of a product's
journey, starting from the design phase
and extending through production, sales,
service needs, and eventual retirement. It
serves as a unified tool and central
repository that integrates business
processes, software systems, people,
data, and corporate policies, acting as the
foundational information hub for a
company and its extensive supply chain
network.

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PLM manages every aspect of the product
from inception all the way to disposal.
PDM, or Product Data Management, focuses on
data management. PDM tools primarily handle
version control and technical specifications,
guaranteeing that engineers and relevant parties
have access to the correct versions and
specifications.
PDM manages all of the data associated with
a product.
Virtually every widely recognized definition of
these two solutions categorizes PDM as a
component within the broader scope of PLM.
Consequently, investing in a standalone PDM
system could potentially deprive your company.

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PDM serves as an engineering-focused tool,
whereas PLM is an enterprise-wide system,
comparable in significance to a company's
ERP, CRM, or MES solutions.
PLM encompasses and collaborates with each
of these enterprise solutions, functioning
optimally when integrated as the central
repository for shared data. In simpler terms,
PLM represents a strategic business approach
aimed at optimizing product profitability
throughout its lifecycle by providing a
structured framework for innovation, product
introduction, and end-of-life planning.
In summary, PDM serves as an engineering-
specific tool, while PLM operates as a holistic
enterprise management system.

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We’ve already established that PDM is an
engineering tool, while PLM is useful for every
stakeholder in the extended enterprise. In fact,
PLM can be shared and used by
manufacturing, procurement, supply chain,
tooling, prototyping, service and support
personnel. By looking deeper into the stages of
a product lifecycle, we can see the truth in this
statement.
• ECN Process
• Initial Design
• Prototyping
• Release to Manufacturing

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Initial Design: Engineering does the design,
and no other departments have access to the
information or the ability to use it in
accomplishing their own tasks. In most
cases, even most design review processing
and approvals will have to be done outside of
the PDM solution.
Prototyping: With PDM, prototyping is done
on an ad hoc basis, with either no formal
process or an offline process.
Release to Manufacturing: Release is
accomplished through sharing CAD files or
prints. Manufacturing enters items and BOM
information into ERP or another enterprise
solution, although sometimes this can be
done using a custom interface.

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ECN Process: This is a paper process with
multiple departments adding handwritten
signature approvals to marked-up drawing
packets. After the final approval — which often
occurs in a meeting — engineering changes
the drawings and releases them to
manufacturing. Only now can manufacturing
start applying changes.

8. Initial Design: The engineer designs and
manages the product in the PLM package.
Prototyping: Users promote the item to the
prototype state. The electronic signatures on
the promotion request are the approval to
begin the prototyping process, and the
testing lab has visibility into the design and
specifications.
Release to Manufacturing: The design goes
through a promotion request similar to that in
the prototype phase. Once approved,
manufacturing can directly view the product
structure in either a 2D or 3D representation.
If the PLM and manufacturing systems are
integrated, the items and BOMs are created
automatically.

9. ECN Process: Anyone who recognizes a
problem can create a problem report. The
problem report becomes the basis of an ECN
request with assigned tasks for everything
that will require updating because of the
change. This may include part information,
CAD documents, user manuals and sales
brochures.
Clearly, PLM is a more comprehensive solution.
PLM offers more streamlined initial design
and ECN processes, helping to reduce time
to market.
Designs are visible throughout the
organization, and the increased visibility
helps to increase the probability of reusing
designs.

10. Reusing designs helps reduce the required
inventory investment and improves
manufacturing productivity and efficiency.
PLM helps prevent costly manufacturing
mistakes by ensuring that manufacturing
documentation is always up to date.
We find that many organizations enjoy the
extra functionality that PLM provides their
organization once they understand how they
would deploy it.
PDM is cheaper and faster to deploy.
PDM is very easy to maintain.
PDM requires very little training
As a more limited solution, PDM has the
advantages of simplicity.

11. If you have questions about
whether you need a PLM or PDM
solution, you should talk to an
expert about the advantages of
each choice in your specific
situation. 3HTi has a full team of
PLM and PDM experts on staff, and
we sell and support most of the
major software applications in the
space. Contact us today to learn
how you can benefit from an
investment in PLM.

12. www.3hti.com
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