An Analysis of Product Life Cycle Orientation in PLM Software Tool Vendors

Abstract

A challenge in implementation of Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) tools is the selection of the right vendor and the solution. Implementing PLM entails huge financial investment on the part of the user and hence precise knowledge as to where each tool can be applied is a must. In this paper, seven PLM tool vendors are compared on their definitions of PLM and also their product offerings in different Product Life Cycle (PLC) phases, including the extreme ends of PLC viz. R&D and end-of-life phase, which are usually ignored. An integrated PLC model is developed and the tools are then mapped onto different phases of PLC. Vendors are compared based on number of tools offered in different PLC phases. The results reveal an uneven distribution in the applicability of various tools, with majority of them focusing on the product development phase and an astonishingly low number on the R&D and end-of-life phases.