In particular, when it comes to engineering, product data management (PDM) is crucial. Data management is crucial to ensuring the security and history of your data, regardless of whether you are a small team or a large corporation.
Additionally, having a system that understands file/data relations is crucial since files frequently relate to one another. If SolidWorks PDM is something you’re considering, you might want to research competitors or similar alternatives to find the best choice.
Solidworks PDM Alternatives
When looking for SolidWorks PDM alternatives, design is another crucial aspect to take into account. In this post, we will look into SolidWorks PDM alternatives.
- Teamcenter
Teamcenter is a cloud-based tool for product lifecycle management. Users may change product data and procedures such as 3D drawings, embedded software, documentation, and bill of materials.
The features of Teamcenter include a flexible PLM base, materials management billing, electrical design management, manufacturing data, process management, mechanical design management, and many more.
Additionally, the solution offers lifecycle management, model-based systems engineering, product design, cost management, and material data.
Users may develop specifications, analysis reports, 2D/3D graphics, spreadsheets, test results, and technical publications using the document management and publishing platform of this company.
Aerospace, defense, automotive, transportation, consumer goods, retail, electronics, energy, utilities, insurance, finance, and marine industries all utilize Teamcenter. However, Teamcenter is extremely complex and difficult to use. As a result, extensive training, as well as refresher training, is required.
Due to this, infrequent users struggle greatly and need a lot of assistance from support or admin personnel. You may anticipate a greater cost and a more difficult integration with Siemen’s Teamcenter. This does not make it the best option for customers who want to set up their PDM and PLM quickly.
- Autodesk Vault
Autodesk Vault is productivity-boosting product data management (PDM) software. Everyone collaborates, minimizes mistakes, and saves time by using a single, well-organized source of data. It has rapid installation and simple management.
Additionally, it links internal and external teams and integrates with Autodesk design tools (such as AutoCAD, Inventor, AutoCAD Civil 3D, and Revit). There are three levels of Autodesk Vault (Basic, Workgroup, and Professional), each of which must be subscribed to.
They do not include cloud capabilities in their packages, regardless of the option you select. As a result, you will also be in charge of either setting up the system on the cloud provider of your choice or buying and maintaining all of the servers and any other hardware.
As you move through the tiers, you begin to add certain PLM features, such as revision control with Vault Workgroup and automatic change orders with Vault Professional. Integrating the system with a specific PLM solution is required if you want more PLM features.
- GrabCAD Workbench
If you’re looking for a free solution, GrabCAD Workbench is a wonderful place to start. It offers a cloud-based storage solution, enabling you to collaborate with a distributed team more effectively. Additionally, there are certain fundamental tools for collaboration including markups and email alerts.
It is compatible with a variety of CAD formats, much like the other solutions in this post. Even some fundamental revision features are already included into it. Although it’s a fantastic place to start, this solution is relatively restricted in comparison to the other ones mentioned in this post.
Data migration from one solution to another may be a time-consuming and expensive operation, especially if you have a large data set, which is something to keep in mind if you plan on growing.
- Collaborative Industry Innovator
Collaborative Industry Innovator is a function on 3DEXPERIENCE, powered by ENOVIA, that provides CAD and non-CAD users with PDM and PLM capabilities. The cloud-based solution is subscription-based and ready to use.
Because of this, you may get your data storage, revision control, change management, collaboration, and other features available much faster than with other alternatives. Multi-CAD assemblies are simple to create thanks to connectors for a variety of popular CAD programs.
Additionally, this single source of data is utilized by all 3DEXPERIENCE roles, including those in graphics, simulation, manufacturing, etc., making it a very scalable solution.
- PTC Windchill
PTC Windchill is a permanent solution that is based on subscriptions. Although it is not part of the standard Windchill offering, they do have a service to offer the system hosted on Microsoft Azure or AWS. PTC Windchill is one of the most established PDM/PLM solutions on the market right now.
The open design of Windchill makes it simple to integrate with other business systems, such as IoT, and serves as a strong basis for a digital thread focused on products. The PLM system from PTC offers extensive out-of-the-box capabilities as well as a fully configurable task- and role-based apps.
Increase the self-service availability of traceable product data to non-experts who do not generally utilize PLM while avoiding excessive customization and complexity. Although it has a large feature set, it also has a greater cost and a more difficult implementation. Larger firms are usually where you can find them.
- Autodesk Fusion 360 Manage with Upchain
Fusion 360 Manage with Upchain allows you the freedom to start with engineering data and BOM management and evolve into process management, going beyond engineering and centralizing your product-related operations.
This cloud-based product data management (PDM) / product lifecycle management (PLM) system offers a central source of data, giving teams access to the information they need to do their jobs and the capability to collaborate effectively across teams, suppliers, and customers, even those without CAD licenses.
With adaptable, pre-built processes and multi-CAD integrations, you can get started right away and scale up with ease.
- Predator PDM
Predator PDM, a production data management tool for paperless manufacturing, arranges and manages CNC programs and robot programs. Additionally, it oversees safety protocols, CMM programs, and PLC programs.
The combination of Predator PDM with DNC and CNC Editor, Virtual CNC Editor, MDC, Tracker, and MDC enables paperless shopfloor operation. Predator PDM provides the ideal ratio of flexibility, control, and responsibility to make it simpler to follow global norms like AS9100.
Quality staff members value Predator PDM because it makes sure that quality priorities and change management are followed. By doing this, FDA, FAA, and DOD audit results will be reduced.
The everyday advantages of seeing the production process and revision management of manufacturing files will be appreciated by manufacturing engineering and CNC programming staff.
