COE Annual PLM Conference & TechniFair Program Development with Hot Topics

David Aber, Ph. D. and Greg Premetz

The 2008 Annual PLM Conference & TechniFair Program development is guided by current PLM Business Issues. These issues are referred to as our COE Hot Topics list. The Committee Chairmen and Conference Planning work together to identify and validate these enablers to our program. Please review and comment on the 2008 Hot Topics. Feel free to add or comment so that we are addressing the compelling PLM business issues. Please reply with your comments by August 31.

 The current Hot Topics list is as follows:

• Collaboration
• Implementing PLM, Success and Lessons Learned
• PLM Legacy Data
• Working in Heterogeneous PLM Environment

Collaboration: This topic explores the approaches, benefits, tradeoffs and results to be obtained through structured and effective collaboration. It includes the challenges created by global locations, time zones, and cultures; as well as, technology and cost sharing issues. It addresses all collaboration within a PLM environment, such as Product Development, Production within the Supply Chain, and Post-delivery issues.

Implementing PLM, Success and Lessons Learned:  This topic in general covers approaches for implementation, supporting tasks, and early results gained within the context of this typical industry challenge. Specifically, it can address issues involving PDM implementation, managing change, and best practices in a PLM environment.

PLM Legacy Data: Many products have a life that is measured in decades. Customers require support for products even though the technology that developed them in the market is long gone. This topic addresses the issues of data migration, compatibility, and accessibility as these technologies change. The requirement to efficiently access legacy data is not limited support, since decisions can also be driven by PLM’s goal to reduce design to market cycles through the reuse of design data.

Working in a Heterogeneous PLM Environment: This is a reality in many projects and companies today. The product development environments depend on multiple vendors for PLM Solutions. This topic explores the issues and solutions for working with multiple operating platforms, multiple PDM solutions, and multiple CAD solutions. It also addresses specific issues such as SOA (Service Oriented Architecture), Open Architecture, (evolving) Standards for Data (e. g. , 3DXML), and network issues working with geographically distributed users (with remote facilities, business partners, and suppliers).

Program Development is then initiated through our Member Companies, COE’s Speaker Database, Industry Contacts, Founding Partners (IBM and Dassault Systèmes), and a general Call for Papers.

All submitted Abstracts and Speaker Bios are reviewed, selected, and prioritized within conference tracks. Individual speakers may be contacted to refine their presentation based on the Hot Topic List.

An excellent example of COE Hot topics being the very core of our Program is our General Sessions. They are mapped directly to one topic on this list. Another very good example is found in our numerous COE Roundtables. The Track Managers are using this very popular session type to exchange implementation experience, problem approach, success and lessons learned. These sessions are based on a cross-section of panel expertise found within our member companies. They are also fueled by all participant questions on their current business issues.