In a well-established upper-range product lifecycle management (PLM) market total platform replacements are a rare occurrence. Brazil-based Embraer, one of the world’s largest aircraft manufacturers, has recently selected PTC’s Windchill PLM technology solutions to “help bring new innovative aircraft to market faster, more efficiently, and with the highest levels of quality.” With the switch from its legacy PLM provider to PTC, Embraer says that it is preparing for an expected increase in demand for new aircraft in the next few years.

Embraer’s objective in the overhaul is to modernize its technology infrastructure and business processes in order to meet accelerated delivery schedules while maintaining the company’s commitment to quality and safety. Embraer’s enterprise resource planning (ERP) platform is SAP, and while the company did attempt in the past to use the SAP PLM suite, it was not up to scratch for Embraer’s needs. Perhaps the latest SAP PLM 7.x series could have stepped up to the plate, but that would have required the ERP platform’s upgrade too, which Embraer reportedly wasn’t ready for at the time. Read the rest of this entry »

In late November 2012, Dassault Systèmes, a world leader in 3D design software, 3D digital mock up (DMU), and product lifecycle management (PLM) solutions, announced the latest release of its 3DEXPERIENCE platform. Dassault Systèmes provides individuals and businesses with a set of software tools to create so-called “virtual universes” to imagine and create sustainable innovations and transform the way products are designed, produced, and supported. The company’s collaborative solutions foster social innovation and aim to expand possibilities for the virtual world to improve the real world. Dassault Systèmes has more than 150,000 customers of all sizes, in all industries, in more than 140 countries.

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