Windchill moves to the next level

Described by the company as "the largest software release in PTC's history", the recent launch of Windchill 10.0, the newest version of PTC's product lifecycle management (PLM) software is designed to offer users a range of new benefits. One of the key messages accompanying this release is that it is designed to "enable manufacturers to do more throughout the product lifecycle, know more about product performance and get more value from PLM". This is being achieved with the introduction of capabilities that focus on product analytics and quality management, Windchill 10.0 allows customers to more effectively define, manage, and validate complete bills of material (BOMs), providing linkages across domain-specific views of product structures throughout the entire lifecycle. Windchill 10.0 also includes a new user experience and improved system administration, making it easier than ever to use and maintain and enabling broad adoption. The user interface of version 10.0 has been radically improved and, in fact, can be tailored to individual needs. According to Martin Greenhalgh, principal technical sales specialist at PTC, this has in part been a case of simplifying the existing UI, which, he says "simply had too much information on the page". This simplification has in large part been achieved by the introduction of PLM Navigator, which is much more like a standard browser in that it offers a search window and remembers browsing history, allowing the user to trace their steps back to a certain part's requirements or a supplier's compliance history with a few clicks. It is also possible to save search results, narrow them down with additional filters, or even export them as Excel spreadsheets. Another innovation is the 'Breadcrumbs' feature, that orients users as to where they are in the application and allows them to quickly get back to where they came from. Also to declutter the UI, the page footer was removed and all the header links have been consolidated under the "Quick Links" menu. Windchill centrally manages all product deliverables including MCAD, ECAD, documentation and service information. Windchill 10.0 unifies its ECAD data management capabilities to offer a common user experience, consistent with its existing approach for MCAD data management. This, claims Iain Lewis, PTC's principal applications specialist, will "enable Windchill to be the 'single source of truth' for all users." With Windchill 10.0, PTC's Relex and Insight product lines have been rebranded as part of the Windchill product family to better reflect their availability as both a stand-alone offering as well as part of a comprehensive Windchill solution. Windchill Quality Solutions (including the former Relex products) help improve next-generation products and reduce the cost of poor quality by preventing repeat errors and building reliability and risk management into the product development lifecycle. New offerings include solutions for CAPA (Corrective Action Preventive Action) to accelerate problem resolution through improved monitoring and root cause identification. Bill of Materials (BOM) and cost analysis are also areas that have been simplified within the new product. Auto-suggest capabilities in Windchill 10.0 streamline BOM creation and editing tasks, while a new module, Windchill Cost, allows users to track the latest estimated costs throughout the lifecycle and even display cost overruns and budget issues within the assembly model itself. Design Pointers • Present motors deliver 2Nm of torque to assist the movement of heavy luggage. They are 36mm wide and 191 mm in diameter, with built-in drives • Power is delivered by 10 AA nickel metal hydride batteries • Cost in large-volume quantities is in terms of tens of pounds • The wheel motors can easily be scaled up to deliver more torque or higher speed • Present motors deliver 2Nm of torque to assist the movement of heavy luggage. They are 36mm wide and 191 mm in diameter, with built-in drives • Power is delivered by 10 AA nickel metal hydride batteries • Cost in large-volume quantities is in terms of tens of pounds