Manufacturers embrace the Windchill factor
An add-on module to PLM software will help to identify design faults earlier on, by involving manufacturing engineers more closely
Software supplier PTC has created a new module – which streamlines the link between design and manufacturing – in Windchill 9.0, the latest iteration of its web-based PLM system.
The module, called MPM Link (standing for Manufacturing Process Management), is a heavily re-written version of software that PTC acquired in the takeover of Polyplan two years ago.
Michael Distler, director of Windchill product marketing, told Eureka: “It helps to identify the detailed steps needed to go from a designed product to a manufactured product – by running the design and manufacturing concurrently.”
While he accepted that other systems can run design and manufacturing concurrently, he pointed out that this would need three separate packages – one for design, one for manufacturing, and the ‘interface’ – rather than a single, integrated system.
The company estimates that Windchill 9.0 will be available from September – along with a definite price of the MPM Link add-on.
Hong Kong-based toy manufacturer Jetta, which this week announced it has adopted Windchill, has already indicated that it will upgrade to version 9.0 when it is available.
