A Proposal for a Standard With Innovation Management System

Stelian-Cornel Florica and George Draghici
Product Data Management (PDM) – PDM applications have developed a new way to organize
information in different formats, CAD and EDM in a single database. PDM has proposed a new way to
organize different types of CAD formats that an organization produces a relatively small time.
In the first phase of development, PDM allowed companies to capture CAD information realized by
users and turn them into the company’s intellectual capital. This was possible by adding the old
database records created before implementation of PDM. While some PDM systems began to
incorporate some form of workflow processes (information flows), other PDM systems only managed
the products information. A first step, with the implementation of PDM in a company, was to replace
the old archive data with an electronic format. During PDM systems development was needed the
ability to configure these systems, to enable the implementation in different companies with different
areas of activity, but also to enable the implementation of processes and practices within the
company.
3. Main advantages and disadvantages of PLM platforms
The main advantages are listed below:
� Considerable reduction in processing time of an order or of a new development process. Since
going through the automatic route, it is clear that time is greatly reduced.
� Employees in each department have access to any information, they can view and / or modify it if
it is necessary. When the department completes the work on a specific command, it is
automatically directed by the PLM / PDM platform to the next department.
� Using appropriate PLM application can enhance company performance.
� it is easier to manage complex structures, marketing channels and business scenarios
� accelerates the time to launch the product on market and also the recovery time
� Improve services offered to the employees and customers and their satisfaction.
Although the benefits brought to the company are large, at the same time the disadvantages can be
greater than advantages when a PLM platform is not well implemented, especially when it is
accompanied by changes in the organization of the company. The main disadvantages of PLM
platforms are:
� Cost of PLM systems / PDM can be considerable;
� Implementation can be difficult and lengthy, although many sellers have the ads that
implementation is achieved in 3-6 months, often real time can be 1-3 years on average
� On first steps the company may halt the work because employees were familiar with the old
process and the new integrated computer programs not only introduce new programs but also
can introduce many changes in their work;
� Implementation involves many changes in the working of company departments.
Furthermore, the implementation of PLM / PDM platforms have some hidden costs that are difficult to
predict and measurable. Researchers and those who implement these platforms consider that the
following factors are often responsible for underestimating the budget:
Training of employees - Usually this is the most important factor which is underestimated by creating
the budget for implementation. Preparation costs are very high because workers almost always have
to learn new procedures and new processes, not just to become familiar with the new interface.
Integration and testing - Creating and testing package links between PLM / PDM and other software
that has implemented in the company before is also one of the most underestimated costs. Creating
links is quite difficult, especially when the existing software components from company are older and
the company who created is not offering support or it is no more on the market.
Pay the consultants - PLM implementation requires calling on consulting and training of employees
that tend to grow without limits. To prevent this, after signing the contract with consulting firm that
provides quantitative data, it must be established the needs of company employees to be able to
promote some tests at the end the training.
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