The Demands of PLM for Manufacturers Today
July 4, 2012
As the global economy becomes more competitive, resources more sparse and stakeholders more demanding it is no wonder that PLM is having to step up their game to offer more. A recent PC Quest article, “Accelerating Innovations in Product Design”, explains how with emerging technologies, especially 3D, PLM providers are able to offer more to a manufacturing community needing more by the minute.
As the article explains,
“Today, product definition resides not just within an individual company, but also across an extended enterprise, including suppliers, partners and customers. PLM has traditionally existed within the walls of an organization. Now companies are integrating supply chain network with their PLM systems to get visibility into the entire gamut of processes involved. The core of PLM today is to integrate manufacturing applications with business apps.”
When one really boils down PLM solutions data management is the key to a successful integration of processes and elimination of waste and duplication. Inforbix, a leader in the PLM solutions industry describes its apps as “…integrated cloud solutions for manufacturing companies that tackle everyday tasks such as finding, reusing, and sharing product data without the overhead of traditional data management systems.”
Catherine Lamsfuss, July 4, 2012
Google Mini? Loser in the Search Appliance Game
July 3, 2012
Navigate to “Google Shutdowns Continue: iGoogle, Google Video, Google Mini & Others Are Killed.” Among the products and services “killed” is the Google Mini. That was the entry level Google Search Appliance. Our question: When will the Google Search Appliance walk the plank? Competitors point out with glee that it lacks some of the functionality of the next generation systems from vendors ranging from Attivio to Polyspot. The General Services Administration’s price list for the GSA 9009 takes my breath away. The write up asserts:
Note that Google isn’t exiting the enterprise by any means, it’s just that Mini’s functionality is now offered by other products like Google Search Appliance, Google Site Search and Google Commerce Search, the company blog post reminds us. Google will honor its existing contracts for Mini customers, though.
Doesn’t cloud based search make more sense as Google continues its push for cloud based services in the enterprise?
Stephen E Arnold, July 3, 2012
Sponsored by Polyspot
Tips for Businesses to Take Ownership of SharePoint Management
July 3, 2012
Sometimes tensions exist between legacy management issues in SharePoint and new business goals and values. In her blog post, “How to Get Business to Take Ownership of SharePoint,” Veronique Palmer addresses the issue and offers some tips on how to get a business to take the SharePoint reins.
The author explains one of her tips:
Do you have a training plan and support path? If you want business to take ownership, you have to train them to do that. If you want them to use the platform in a certain way, you have to train them…Once they start building their own sites, do you have a dedicated help desk that can assist them with queries quickly without having to log a change request? What type of support do you have in place for them?
Palmer also points out that the system needs to be flexible and open to change and a governance forum initiative that involves key business people is imperative. To bypass the need for some expensive or time –consuming training, consider a third party solution like Fabasoft Mindbreeze, which extends the capabilities of your SharePoint system. Their Web Parts based information pairing capabilities give you powerful searches and a complete picture of your business information, allowing you to get the most out of your enterprise search investments. And your end users will benefit from the fast and intuitive search with clearly displayed results and simple navigation.
Philip West, July 3, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
SolidWorks Introduces Mobile Design App
July 3, 2012
Although engineers and designers alike have been begging for mobile design apps they are the most reluctant to accept the apps released onto the market. Security is a major concern as is a mobile device’s ability to provide enough juice to handle a 3D CAD/CAM app. The latest app to hit iPads everywhere is SolidWorks’ eDrawings as described in the Design News article, “eDrawings App Launches on the iPad”.
As the article explains of the new app:
“eDrawings lets anyone involved in product development (not just CAD users) load and send 2D and 3D designs via email. The viewing tool essentially creates a lightweight representation of 3D models or 2D drawings created by SolidWorks and other widely used CAD systems, opening the door for anyone with a PC to examine and provide input on design data. With the iPad version, anyone with that device can view, interpret, and peruse the design data, making it a viable option at client sites, in the field at a sales meeting, or at home.”
While critics of mobile design apps have been burned a time or two and have solid reasons for doubting the ability of a new app to turn the design industry on its ear, we believe hope springs eternal. Product data management and product lifecycle management providers like SolidWorks and Inforbix, both leaders in the industry with reputations for innovation, are working fervently to make PLM more adaptable for users as well as relevant. All the kinks may not be worked out of mobile design apps but we believe with a little time mobile apps will be just another aspect of PLM.
Catherine Lamsfuss, July 3, 2012
Inteltrax: Top Stories, June 25 to June 29
July 2, 2012
Inteltrax, the data fusion and business intelligence information service, captured three key stories germane to search this week, specifically, what’s new with some of the biggest names in the business.
One rising company is bringing bright minds together, as we found in the story, “Lexalytics Conference Tackles Future of Analytics.”
“Latest Angoss Software Targets Unstructured Data” shows how a company not used to making waves in big data is doing just that in a major way.
Finally, “Digital Reasoning Leads in Partnerships,” shows one of the brightest minds in the business teaming with other smart companies to form a big data hydra head.
Big data is moving fast and the companies within the industry look like an atom smasher at times, they are going so quick. Look here to find the breakdown of every move and news bit for analytics.
Follow the Inteltrax news stream by visiting www.inteltrax.com
Patrick Roland, Editor, Inteltrax.
July 2, 2012
Speculation on New Surface Tablet and SharePoint 15 Integration
July 2, 2012
Rich Wood, an enterprise search and collaboration guru at Perficient, takes a closer look at Microsoft’s new Surface Tablet and SharePoint in his post, “Wish List: Four Keys for SURFACE and SharePoint Next.” Wood outlines some features that he suggests will help the next SharePoint release take full advantage of the slick new tablet. The author explains one of his wish list items:
An INTEGRATED USER EXPERIENCE is essential. There’s been a lot of talk about the “Metro” UI of Windows 8 and the Windows Phone. It’s beautiful and slick and very appealing, although of course some have grumbled that it’s too much of a jump from the traditional Windows style. To truly integrate into this brave new world, SharePoint Next needs to look and feel like an extension of Windows 8 and (less difficult by far) play well with its cousin, Office 15.
Wood also suggests that responsive design, touch friendly command interaction, and a SharePoint app should all be high on the priority list to integrate SharePoint and the Surface tablet. He brings some good points to the table as mobile usage only continues to increase.
It seems the folks at Mindbreeze also understand the importance of the mobile experience:
Smartphones and tablets are constant companions, indispensable in the business world. Information needs to be able to be exchanged at all times and wherever you are. Easily. Quickly. Securely. Fabasoft Mindbreeze Mobile makes company data available on all mobile devices.
Mindbreeze can save employees time by connecting them to the right information via a user-friendly interface. Navigate to http://www.mindbreeze.com/ to read more.
Philip West, July 2, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
Conference to Maximize Gaming and Social Media
July 2, 2012
Industry conferences are par for the course but the recently announced Global 3D Virtual PLM Conference & Exhibition is a new breed of conference that encourages participation by being totally virtual. The MCAD Café article, “Social PLM 2012, The Global Virtual Conference and Exhibition in PLM, Engineering and Product Design Is Announced,” explains this first-in-its-kind approach to conferencing for the PLM industry.
“In an innovative 3D immersive format with avatars, which is close to face-to-face, based on Altadyn’s conferencing platform, 3D-VirtualEvents.com , attendees can interact with expert speakers and PLM vendors through a life like experience with an amazing sense of presence, which favors social collaboration, but in the most efficient manner from their office, with no need to lose time and spend money travelling. They can also network in real time, and have hallway conversations with other attendees from around the world.”
The creators of the conference, 01consulting, are presenting the virtual conference in a game-like format that encourages exploration and socialization among visitors. Pushing participants headfirst into social media is a great approach for a conference focusing on the social aspects of PLM. We expect as more companies currently utilizing new PLM solutions realize the benefits social media can offer their industry and performance they will embrace it.
Catherine Lamsfuss, July 2, 2012
Overcoming Common Challenges with a SharePoint Implementation
June 29, 2012
DachisGroup.com recently posted, “SharePoint 2010: Why after 2 Years is it Still so Hard?” The author points out that SharePoint has grown exponentially, gaining 125 million licenses in just over two years, but some users are still baffled thus stunting some adoption of the platform. The author explains,
Unfortunately, despite its ubiquity, SharePoint suffers from a host of worst practices for adoption. In “Taking your SharePoint Implementation to the Next Level”, we discussed the reality that organizations have to stick with, and make SharePoint work, but that enterprise decision-making is focused incorrectly. There is too much focus on the needs of implementers which results in a punishing user experience that sabotages adoption.
The author argues that a user centered approach is needed to improve SharePoint implementations, and, in the article, a series of Webinars and blog posts focused on overcoming some of the common challenges of a SharePoint implementation is announced. It may be worth the bookmark if you are considering an implementation or are experiencing user adoption issues.
Asking the right questions will help ensure that limited project resources are spent on the key aspects rather than unnecessary functionalities that will only complicate the system. A third party solution, like Fabasoft Mindbreeze, can also help you connect the dots in your SharePoint adoption. Mindbreeze’s intuitiveness means less training required. They also have tutorials and wikis that are easy to use and more efficient. Here you can browse Mindbreeze’s support tools for users, including videos, FAQs, wikis, and other training options. Check out the full suite of solutions at Fabasoft Mindbreeze.
Philip West, June 29, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
Data Management Solutions for Modular Architectures Needed
June 29, 2012
As an increasing number of companies implement data-heavy Modular Architectures for their product families, computer-aided design (CAD) and product lifecycle management (PLM) suppliers such as Modular Management are enhancing their solutions to support such complex systems.
The challenge in designing CAD and PLM systems that effectively integrate with Modular Architectures is discussed in Jakob Asell and Scott Jiran’s article “Modular Architecture is Gaining Focus among CAD and PLM Tools” that recently appeared on the Web site MCADCafe:
“There is a variety of information that must be monitored and manipulated in order to effectively deploy Modular Architecture for a product family. The range of the product family is described in terms of the configurations of specific module variants. This can be a static definition or one that is created dynamically at the point of sale. Similarly, the product forecasts and actual demand need to be translated into a supply plan for the modules. As a product family is launched to the market in waves, the development of modules’ variants needs to be closely coordinated to match the schedule.”
Inforbix is among those PLM developers up to challenge of providing cloud-based, customized, and scalable data management solutions that will enable its clients to easily find, reuse, and share product data, regardless of its complexity.
Tonya Weikel, June 29, 2012
Using Search Refiners in SharePoint for a More Powerful Search
June 28, 2012
In “Custom SharePoint 2010 Search Refiner – Displaying Range of Choices,” at the ShareMuch.com Blog, Yaroslav Pentsarskyy demystifies some SharePoint search refiner features. Pentsarskyy explains his approach,
In this post, we’ll take a look at some of the most common customizations/configurations you’d want to do to a refiner in SharePoint 2010 enterprise search. First off, this post assumes you’re using SP 2010 Enterprise Search Center. If you perform a search query and navigate to the search results page you can edit the page and see a refiner web part on the left.
If you have users that do not know where to begin their search, refiners in SharePoint provide users the ability to narrow search results down by more meaningful filters, thereby reducing time spent searching. This becomes especially helpful, and Pentsarskyy’s guide may be worth the read if you are new to the search features in SharePoint.
One simple way to get a more powerful search is by integrating a third party solution into your SharePoint system developed by experts in search, like Fabasoft Mindbreeze, which extends the capabilities of your farm. Their Web Parts based information pairing capabilities give you powerful searches and a complete picture of your business information, allowing you to get the most out of your enterprise search investments. And your end users will benefit from the fast and intuitive search with clearly displayed results and simple navigation.
Philip West, June 28, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
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