At the recent SAP Analyst Day for Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), Supply Chain Management (SCM), and Manufacturing, SAP delivered a message that focused on end-to-end integrated business processes. Conversely, this same message indicated that within the context of this focus on business scenarios and processes, there would be less emphasis on a platforms and applications-centric approach that SAP has typically used to deliver their enterprise solutions. It was clear that SAP was articulating an enterprise strategy that involved the PLM, SCM, and Mfg. domains along with a very process-driven approach that integrates product design, manufacturing build, and services in a holistic end-to-end approach. Additionally, SAP envisions this process-centric approach as a way to deliver more value to their customers by enabling them to optimize and streamline the overall design/build/support process which can ultimately lead to increased productivity and market response.
SAP outlined three major initiatives: 1) Product & Service Leadership, 2) Responsive Supply Networks, and 3) Operational Excellence. The scope of PLM enterprise solutions would include Project & Portfolio Mgmt, Product Design, Product Intelligence, and Product Compliance. In the PLM space SAP has traditionally offered robust Portfolio and Project Mgmt solutions that enable companies to collaborate across extended PLM domains, such a New Product Development & Introduction (NPDI) and product innovation through product design (CAD integration), manufacturing processes, and product support. SAP PLM, which now incorporates this process-centric approach, provides not only a collaborative PLM environment, but involves more of an orchestration of all processes involved in the design/build/support lifecycle. SAP is portraying their PLM solution set as the combination of product and service related processes that support a global network involving product development, R&D, marketing, procurement, manufacturing, logistics, and support & maintenance.
SAP PLM 7.0 is scheduled to go into ramp up in November 08 and represents a major deliverable of the SAP PLM Roadmap. Although SAP PLM is embedded into SAP ERP, most customers will need specific components based on their unique requirements, such as SAP PLM 7.0 (delivered as part of Enhancement Package 4 for SAP ERP) and SAP Resource & Portfolio Mgmt (RPM) 4.5 which is harmonized with their cProjects 4.5. Both are delivered as separate package and are not part of Enhancement Package 4 for SAP ERP.
The highlights for PLM 7.0 include much improved ease of use and simplicity with the new user interface and end-to-end support, improved product development collaboration with a comprehensive IP protection features. Trusted collaboration and IP protection is now based on access control management for projects, engineering work packages, engineering organizations, and individual roles. All file requests, transfers, and exchanges are based on data rights privileges that are pre-established. New Product Intelligence features provide decision support for design/build across multiple PLM domains. PLM 7.0 also includes new product labeling and recipe management support for the Food & Beverage and CPG sectors.
SAP PLM 7.0 addresses data model translation & interoperability, collaborative visualization, product communication & viewing, and publishing & content management with their strategic partnership with Right Hemisphere. With the Right Hemisphere technology and solutions, SAP PLM 7.0 provides product development & sourcing collaboration, 3D visual manufacturing support, sales & marketing communications, technical publications and training, and product service & support documentation. This provides the capability for SAP PLM 7.0 to extend and integrate product data across all business processes that involve not only PLM domains, but also ERP, SCM, MES, and Mfg operations. SAP PLM 7.0 users will be able to access product data and geometry from CAD systems, eBOM and metadata from PDM systems, and financials, inventory, supplier data, and mBOM from ERP systems. The Right Hemisphere Deep Server application translates product model geometry into lightweight 3D viewer files that are compressed to around 5 percent of the size of native CAD models, making transfer and exchange possible in a Web-based environment.
At this point, SAP PLM 7.0 has delivered the integration (2007) and synchronization (2008) phase of their overall PLM Road Map. The acceleration and assimilation phases are scheduled to follow in 2009 with more embedded analytical capabilities and continued integration with other SAP solution domains across SCM, ERP, SCR, MES, and Mfg Operations. It is apparent that SAP has been diligently working on delivering their PLM Roadmap as scheduled and complete with the functionality that was planned.