Some history, some context and info about the PLM PROCESSThank GTRIContext of the environment in which PLM evolvedA few key pieces of the PLM ProcessAttendee “town hall” discussions
(Being from Atlanta…I alsoattended Ga Tech during a couple of summers!)DMX = Digital Music Express, Satellite and Cable delivered 30 channel commercial free digital audio service with 2-way “DJ” remote control displays Title, Track and Artist information.DOCSIS = Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification.VoIP = Voice over IP IP Video Set-top – used primarily for xDSL delivered Video services provided by Telcos worldwide.
Glen P. Robinson and six other Georgia Tech researchers founded Scientific Associates in 1951 with the initial goal of marketing antenna structures and antenna measurement instruments.Renamed/Rebranded Scientific Atlanta when another company with the Scientific Associates name requested the change.Robinson worked as the general manager without pay for the first year; after the small company's first contract resulted in a $4,000 loss, Robinson (upon request) refunded five of the six other initial investors. The success of Scientific Atlanta and paved the way for further technology transfer efforts by Georgia Tech's VentureLab and the Advanced Technology Development Center.
Very early drawing on Scientific Associates formatted paper.From 1956, the company name had already changed but likely still had pre-printed drawing paper.Drawing is a for part used on the APR (Antenna Pattern Recorder).Part number is APR-MA-2448 (this P/N can foster a lively discussion about part number formats).Drawn and Checked in 1956, Drawing was Approved in 1963! (Document control release procedures and sign-off requirements would not allow this today)
Hand Tools Hand tools, used to work and assemble materials by hand. The only option available up through the 17th and early 18th century.
Machine Era External Power from Human, Animal, Water, Steam, Internal Combustion Sources Employ mechanisms for mechanical advantage, precision and throughput. Every work piece was a “one-off”. Before the Civil War, Jonathan Norcross, fourth Mayor of Atlanta, built a novel animal powered saw mill in “Terminus”, later renamed Atlanta. The saw mill was designed to produce railroad ties for the three railroads that converged there. Norcross also was granted a patent for new reciprocating mill saw guide design in 1843.
Employ mechanisms that provide mechanical advantage and higher precision. Each part still individually made, subject to variations introduced by the operator.
Era of Automation A machine that is set up for dedicated repetitive tasks, work pieces are made in batches – mostly identical (to the limits of tool precision and repeatability) Labor saving, improved output, higher consistency Changing the task requires specialized, time consuming and costly re-tooling of the machine New Fixtures, Dies, Jigs, Templates, etc Coupled with the moving assembly line, introduced the era of mass-production
Era ofProgrammable AutomationWith the introduction of Programmable Automation, the Machine isalso capable of being programmed to vary work done and make variations in the output without “retooling”. Jacquard Loom – Invented in 1801Used to manufacture textiles with complex patterns using punched cards with punched holesThe Jacquard loom was the first machine to use punched cards to control a sequence of operations. It is considered an important step in the history of computing hardware. The ability to change the pattern of the loom's weave by simply changing cards was an important conceptual precursor to the development of computer programming. Charles Babbage planned to use cards to store programs in his Analytical engine.Unimate industrial robot 1961- the first industrial robot. This unit worked on a General Motors assembly line at the Inland Fisher Guide Plant in Ewing Township, New JerseyIt was created by George Devol in the 1950s using his original patent filed in 1954 and granted in 1961. The patent begins:Devol, together with Joseph Engelberger, started the world's first robot manufacturing company, Unimation.The machine undertook the job of transporting die castings from an assembly line and welding these parts on auto bodies, a dangerous task for workers, who might be poisoned by exhaust gas or lose a limb if they were not careful.The original Unimate consisted of a large computer-like box, joined to another box and was connected to an arm, with systematic tasks stored in a drum memory.In 1961, the Inland Fisher Guide Plant became the first commercial user in the United States to use a programmable industrial robot to replace human workers, installing the 4,000 pounds (1,800 kg) Unimate automated hydraulic arm developed by George Devol and Joseph Engelberger to position into cooling pools units of aluminum door handles and other automotive components weighing as much as 40 pounds (18 kg) that had just been die cast from molten metal, eliminating the risks to employees of handling extremely hot metal pieces and taking over on a permanent basis a task that had previously been performed by three shifts of employees.The first production Unimate was donated to the Smithsonian Institution in 1971 after being used for 100,000 hours during its 10 years of continuous operation at the Ewing plant.
1970’s/1980’s – with the introduction of CAD/CAM, Programmable Automation proliferated all areas of manufacturing from designing and making piece parts to final assembly, testing and shipping.In-line Panasert PCB assembly systemRacal-Redac PCB CAD systemPCB Photoplotter – used to produce PCB artwork “photo masks” and silk screen tooling.Electronic component tape and reel sequencer.
Environment and needs driving PLM Evolution
Pipeline rationalization is a process of review and optimization of the programs going through the company’s program pipeline.At each Gate Review the PAC can Approve, Reject or Redirect the program.Routinely make sure conditions don’t change that impact the viability/direction of the program: Customers/orders, Competition, Technology, Timing, Materials, Manufacturing.Make sure the “best” programs make it through and resources are applied optimally.
One of many slides in Phase Review deck that define the what, who, when of the program.The CFAis the key “Contract” approval document in each PAC Gate Review.
Evolution of Computing/Business MachinesAbacus with early adding/tabulating device (from Burroughs Corp.)Hollerith Tabulating Machine – used to tabulate the 1890 US Census in one year, a record feat.In 1911, Hollerith’s Tabulating Machine Company was merged with 3 other companies to form the Computing Tabulating Recording Company. Renamed International Business Machines (IBM) in 1924.Data Processing Center, 1985. Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) Vax 11/780
Progress in Business Communications(Abraham) Stansbury Iron Press – 1821 Edison Business PhonographVibroplex Semi-automatic telegraph key – 1906, made telegraphy 3-5 times faster and mitigated telegraphers’ repetitive stress injury (RSI) called “Glass Arm”. Telegraphers among the first to widely use code book based encryption to obfuscate banking, stock and futures information. Marconi Wireless ApparatusEdison MimeographEngineering Document Central Files (Microfiche and Paper)Part Number Assignment Log Books, for manual assignment of part number, part description and owner information.Telephone Switchboard
9600 Baud to 322 Tbps!DCA System 355 Network Processor, one line card for each terminal, replaced by Ethernet.Manufacturing Automation Protocol (MAP/TOP) rack – (1982-1987) Token Bus protocol (IEEE 802.4) development driven by GM for Programmable Logic Controllers, largely replaced by Ethernet.Hitachi AMS 5000 ATM Multiplexing System – (1994-1996) 5 to 20 Gbps.S-A QAM Cable Modulators – for MPEG Video distribution over coax.Cisco CRS-3 – Carrier Routing System,capacity of 322 Tbps. 322 Tbps throughput could enable the entire printed collection of the Library of Congress to be downloaded in just over one second; or allowevery man, woman and child in China to make a video call, simultaneously; or stream every motion picture ever created in less than four minutes.Cisco/Linksys EA-6500 -802.11ac Wi-Fi Router, 1.3 Gbps peak raw wireless bandwidth.Cisco ASR 9000 – Aggregation Services Router, up to 400 Gbps/slot and 6.4 Tbps of switching performance.From 2010 estimates: Cisco estimated in that each person will (at some point) consume 15TB of data per month (average 315 Mbps) between our personal and professional lives, 91 percent of Internet traffic by 2013 will be video, and overall, IP traffic will grow 40 percent per year.
CIMdata divides the PLM market into two software and services portions: Applications that support the authoring and analysis of product definition information (e.g., MDA, EDA, CASE, analysis, and technical publishing). Solutions that focus on collaboration, management, and sharing of product definition information.PDM includes the following basic elements of PLM solutions:• Data vault and document management• Product structure management• Workflow management• Classification management• Program and project managementOther PLM software vendors:Adeon Software House: CXInsight for ElectronicsArena Solutions: Arena PLMAtrion International: Materials Compliance SuiteAgentrics: Product Vine PLMAras Corporation: Aras Innovator PLM Software Solution SuiteBenchmark Vendor: Average SolutionConfiguration Data Services, Inc: PDMTOOLDatastay: Datastay PLMEpicor: Epicor ERPInfor: Infor PLM OptivaLascom: AdvitiumOmnify Software: Omnify Empower PLMProplanner: Proplanner Process Engineering & Management SuiteSofTech: ProductCenter