PLM - Product Lifecycle Management
Overview
What is PLM
PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) is a system that integrates and manages all data and processes across the entire product lifecycle, from planning through design, mass production, and end-of-life. While ERP manages "what to produce and how much," PLM manages "with which parts, which designs, and which tests the product will be built."
For example, when developing a new product, PLM manages the entire schedule and tasks from planning through design, prototyping, and production transfer following a Stage-Gate process. Design drawings and specifications are version-controlled, BOMs (Bills of Materials) transition from Engineering BOM to Manufacturing BOM, and when engineering changes occur, ECR/ECO approvals are processed so that affected BOMs, processes, and documents are automatically tracked.
VEXPLOR PLM Positioning
VEXPLOR PLM is an enterprise-grade solution that manages the entire product lifecycle. It includes Multi-BOM (E-BOM/M-BOM/S-BOM/P-BOM) management, technical document control and version management, Engineering Change Management (ECR/ECO) approvals, New Product Introduction (NPI) Stage-Gate processes, Design Reviews (PDR/CDR/TRR), test planning/results management, certification/standards management, PPAP submission, requirements traceability, configuration management, and mold/jig lifecycle management.
Key Figures
| Item | Quantity | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Business Tables | 79 | Complete data structure for products, BOMs, documents, engineering changes, NPI, certifications, molds, requirements, and configuration management |
| Management Screens | 55+ | Part Master, BOM, Technical Documents, ECO, NPI, Testing, Molds, etc. |
| Automated Workflows | 8 | Core process automation from engineering changes to PPAP submission and mold lifecycle |
| Shop Floor POP Screens | 6 | Touch-optimized design review, BOM verification, ECO status, and part search screens |
| Dashboard Widgets | 18 | Real-time monitoring of NPI progress, ECO trends, test pass rates, and mold utilization |
Why Choose VEXPLOR PLM
1. Multi-BOM Management
Systematically manage Engineering BOM (E-BOM), Manufacturing BOM (M-BOM), Service BOM (S-BOM), and Procurement BOM (P-BOM). With BOM type comparison, Where-Used reverse tracing, alternate material management, and 150% BOM (variant BOM) support, you can get a complete view of product configuration at a glance.
2. Integrated Engineering Change Management (ECR/ECO)
Automate the entire process from Engineering Change Request (ECR) through impact analysis, approval, execution, automatic BOM updates, and ECN document generation via workflows. Analyze the impact of changes on BOMs, processes, and costs in advance, and automatically route approval paths based on priority.
3. NPI Stage-Gate Process
Systematically manage new product development through gate reviews at each stage: Planning, Design, Prototyping, Pre-Production, and Production Transfer. Run design, testing, and certification tasks in parallel at each gate, and determine stage entry through checklist-based gate reviews.
4. Requirements Traceability and Verification
Register product requirements and automatically manage the Traceability Matrix from design through testing and certification. Systematically record verification methods (test/analysis/inspection/demonstration) and verification results for each requirement to achieve regulatory compliance and quality assurance.
Core Technical Elements
Multi-BOM
Manage different BOMs by purpose for a single product. Use E-BOM during the design phase, M-BOM during mass production, S-BOM for after-sales service, and P-BOM for procurement, with the ability to compare and analyze differences between BOM types.
Engineering Change Management (ECR/ECO/ECN)
Request changes via ECR (Engineering Change Request), execute approved changes via ECO (Engineering Change Order), and notify relevant departments of changes via ECN (Engineering Change Notice). The entire process is automated through workflows.
Stage-Gate Process
Manage new product development by dividing it into clear Stages and Gates. At each gate, evaluate technical maturity, business viability, and risk to determine pass/conditional pass/hold/stop decisions.
PPAP (Production Part Approval Process)
A production part approval procedure that systematically prepares and submits 18 elements (design records, PFMEA, control plans, dimensional inspection, etc.) to demonstrate production quality capability to customers.
Configuration Management
Systematically manage functional and physical characteristics of products. Ensure product consistency and traceability through baseline establishment, change control, and configuration audits. Efficiently manage various product variants through variant options and 150% BOMs.
Complete Product Lifecycle Process Flow
VEXPLOR PLM manages the entire product lifecycle from planning to end-of-life.
Meaning of Each Stage
| Stage | Description | Related Menu |
|---|---|---|
| Product Planning | Market requirements gathering, product concept definition, NPI project creation | New Product Introduction |
| Design/BOM Creation | Design drawing creation, E-BOM configuration, part selection, Design Review (PDR) | BOM Management, Document Management |
| Prototyping/Testing | Prototype fabrication, test plan development, test execution, certification acquisition | Certification/Testing |
| Production Transfer | E-BOM to M-BOM conversion, manufacturability review, PPAP submission, gate review | Certification/Testing, New Product Introduction |
| Production/Change Mgmt | Engineering change (ECO) processing during production, document revision, mold maintenance | Engineering Change, Mold/Jig |
| End-of-Life Mgmt | End-of-life decision, remaining inventory disposition, service parts procurement | Product Management |
PLM Overall Data Flow
This shows how the 9 menu areas are interconnected.
Menu Guide
Product/BOM Area
| Menu | Description | Detailed Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Product Management | Product Master, Part Master, lifecycle stage management | From product registration to end-of-life |
| BOM Management | Multi-BOM, Where-Used, Supplier Parts, BOM Components, Alternate Materials | E-BOM/M-BOM/S-BOM/P-BOM management |
Document/Engineering Change Area
| Menu | Description | Detailed Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Document Management | Technical documents, document versions, Drawing Master, drawing distribution, CAD integration, markups | Document control and version management |
| Engineering Change | Engineering Change Request (ECR), change items, approvals, ECO execution plan, impact analysis | Complete ECR/ECO/ECN process |
Development/Certification Area
| Menu | Description | Detailed Guide |
|---|---|---|
| New Product Introduction | NPI projects, tasks, gate reviews, design reviews, prototypes, technical reviews, cost estimates | Stage-Gate process |
| Certification/Testing | Certification standards, test plans, test results, PPAP submission, PPAP element checklist | Certification acquisition and PPAP |
Equipment/Requirements Area
| Menu | Description | Detailed Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Mold/Jig | Mold Master, mold trials, mold maintenance/repair, jig management, drawing management | Mold/jig lifecycle |
| Requirements/Config Management | Requirements registration, traceability matrix, verification, product configuration, configuration rules, variant options, variant BOM | Requirements traceability and configuration control |
Shop Floor Area
| Menu | Description | Detailed Guide |
|---|---|---|
| PLM POP | Design review, BOM verification, ECO status, part search, requirements traceability, PPAP status | Shop floor touch terminal guide |
8 Automated Workflows
VEXPLOR PLM automates core processes through 8 workflows.
Engineering Change/Document Workflows
| Workflow | Description |
|---|---|
| WF1: ECO Engineering Change | ECO creation - Impact analysis - Priority branching (urgent/normal) - Approval - Change execution - Automatic BOM update - ECN document generation - Notification |
| WF3: Document Approval | Document creation - Version generation - Review - Pass/revision request branching - Approval - Distribution notification |
| WF6: Drawing Distribution | Auto-generate distribution targets upon drawing approval - Branch to internal/supplier/customer - Await receipt confirmation - Escalation for unconfirmed |
Development/Certification Workflows
| Workflow | Description |
|---|---|
| WF2: NPI Stage-Gate | Project registration - Gate review - Pass/conditional/hold branching - Task assignment - Parallel execution of design/testing/certification - Progress notification |
| WF4: Certification Management | Certification registration - Document preparation - Application approval - Status update - Expiration timer notification - Renewal notification - Report generation |
| WF5: PPAP Submission | PPAP plan development - 18 elements parallel preparation - Completion check - Internal review - PSW generation - Customer submission - Decision receipt |
Equipment/Verification Workflows
| Workflow | Description |
|---|---|
| WF7: Mold Lifecycle | Automatic remaining life check - Good/caution/critical/scrap branching - Maintenance schedule/replacement order - Trial execution - Production return/scrap |
| WF8: Requirements Verification | Automatic traceability check - Coverage sufficient/insufficient branching - Unmet item resolution - Verification plan development - Verification execution - Compliance report |
PLM Integration with Other Solutions
| Linked Solution | Exchanged Data |
|---|---|
| ERP | Item Master/BOM synchronization, E-BOM to M-BOM conversion, cost information linkage |
| MES | M-BOM/process information transfer, production work order standards, engineering change reflection |
| QMS | Test plan/test result linkage, PPAP element evidence, certification document management |
| SCM | Supplier part certification, alternate material information, procurement updates on engineering changes |