DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION – IS 3DEXPERIENCE ENOVIA THE RIGHT ANSWER?

One area that is receiving increasing attention is Product Lifecycle Management (PLM).
PLM can play an important role in helping companies achieve their goals, but there is no clear answer as to whether all manufacturers should adopt it. In this blog post, we will explore the benefits of PLM and help you decide whether it is right for your business.

WHY CAN’T EXCEL BE A SIMPLE SOLUTION?

If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail. If you try to solve all data management issues with Excel, everything you do will be limited by spreadsheets. Managing a product development and manufacturing process is difficult, and it does not fit into the Excel model. That is why you cannot use a simple solution for complex problems.

Simple solutions for complex problems often fail because they require acknowledging that complexity exists. Many engineers and organizations refuse to accept this complexity and continue trying to solve problems using “Excel-only” approaches. Many organizations lack management awareness that product development requires IT and engineering skills, as well as proper knowledge and tools. They want to improve production and processes without investing in software, hardware, and human resources.

The best way to face a complex problem is not to break it into smaller, manageable parts (for example, exporting a parts list from CAD to Excel and then deciding what to do next). Doing so causes you to lose important relationships between system components and how they are managed. You also lose track of how and when these connections affect the entire system.

For example, sending an Excel file to the purchasing department to decide what to order may ignore change management and updates, which will later become chaotic.

Breaking a complex system down until you find a single issue you can solve (such as an Excel BOM) means only that part is addressed. The unintended consequences of solving only one part will cancel out any progress. In PLM, the goal is to manage all data and processes that support manufacturing operations.

Instead of focusing on a small problem, you should start by looking at the entire system. Describe it, define how all parts work together, how they are connected, and how changes impact one another.

IS THERE A RIGHT WAY TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM?

Many partners have expressed concerns about managing information between engineering, parts purchasing, standards, and manufacturing processes. Their data is stored in many places—BOM drawings, Excel files, and ERP systems used for procurement. They are trying to create a single list to bring everything together.

All of them agree that 3DEXPERIENCE ENOVIA provides a comprehensive solution for these challenges.

This is a common issue in many engineering organizations. Companies analyze complex processes (design, production planning, procurement, etc.) and try to combine everything into one list—preferably in Excel, since it appears “free.” What they overlook is the complexity of data and workflows.

You may consolidate data into one Excel file, but it will quickly become outdated as people in different departments make changes.

HOW CAN 3DEXPERIENCE ENOVIA SUPPORT DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION?

The straightforward answer is to acknowledge complexity.

Start by understanding data complexity and dependencies. Every company has design data, CAD documents, product information, product structures, production plans, purchase orders, inventory data, and more.

The goal of digital transformation is to establish a single source of truth and an integrated information flow that matches your company’s needs. This can be achieved through a unified 3DEXPERIENCE ENOVIA platform, providing web-based access for managing information and dependencies.

Each company has its own approach, and the goal is to find the right setup and processes. It is easier for startups and new businesses, but it is never simple for complex manufacturers with established processes and massive data relationships.

The solution is to focus on organizing workflows that model your business needs, using 3DEXPERIENCE ENOVIA to manage information and structure data. This enables data sharing and process management to support multiple teams and organizations, both internal and external.

WHAT IS THE KEY MESSAGE?

Do not try to solve complex problems by breaking them into overly simple parts. You will lose the essence of the problem, and at best, your solution will not be adopted. At worst, you will create a new, even bigger problem that requires more time and cost to fix.

Using “Excel lists” to manage processes and data ignores fundamental rules and dependencies. Data is complex, constantly changing, and involves many people and departments. What seems “simple” often results in high costs due to errors, delivery delays, increased expenses, and frustration.

Start your digital transformation by analyzing your data, processes, and how they interact. Then build a unified Product Lifecycle Management process on the 3DEXPERIENCE ENOVIA platform to support all stages of product development and lifecycle management.