PLM software: The next generation of Configuration Management tool
What's the purpose of configuration management tools?
The introduction to ISO 10007:1995(E) states that
configuration management
"...is a management discipline that is applied over the life
cycle of a product to provide visibility and control of its
functional and physical characteristics."
More specifically, ANSI/EIA-649-1998 defined change
management and configuration control as a function:
1. "...which ensures that changes to released configuration
documentation are properly identified, documented,
evaluated..., approved..., incorporated, and verified."
2. "...concerning the systematic proposal, justification,
evaluation, coordination, and disposition of proposed
changes; and the implementation of all approved and released
configuration changes into (a) the applicable configurations
of a product, (b) associated product information, and (c)
supporting and interfacing products and their associated
product information."
This is a complex set of goals and, in an era of limited
staff and shrinking budgets, demands significant automation
to perform efficiently. All configuration management tools
support real-time data collection and control as users build
product definitions; propose, review and approve design
changes; and exchange that data with your supply chain.
Standards and policies governing configuration management
tools
Most configuration management tools help to implement CM
standards published over the past 30 years. These CM
standards include
- military standards (MIL-STD-483, MIL-STD-973) and military
handbooks (MIL-HDBK-61, -61A)
- other U.S. Government guidance from the Food and Drug
Administration (21 CFR 820) and Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA-STD-020A)
- commercial standards for general industry (ISO 1007,
ANSI/EIA-649)
- commercial standards for medical devices (ISO 13485, UL
60601)
There are also independently-defined configuration
management processes, such as CMII of the Institute for
Configuration Management.
These approaches can be extremely detailed, even to the
point of specifying exactly which data elements will be
included in your configuration management database schema
(e.g., MIL-STD-2549 and EIA-836).
Benefits of configuration management tools
Some of the benefits of configuration management tools
include:
- Buyers and sellers have a common basis for objective
evaluation of the product, based on clear requirements
- Good product documentation results in consistent product
quality
- Information required for acquisition is readily available
- Changes to product are explicitly identified, minimizing
unexpected costs and delay
- Minimized downtime and lower maintenance costs through
accurate information
Although configuration management practices are not
inexpensive, their financial value has been frequently
demonstrated. Essentially all large or high-risk acquisition
processes now include a configuration management component.
Paraphrased from ANSI/EIA-649 (1998),
National Consensus
Standard for Configuration Management. See also books on CM,
such as Guess: CMII for Business Process Infrastructure
(2002).
How PDXpert PLM fits your configuration management software
needs
PDXpert PLM has been designed to bring configuration
management capabilities to growing engineered product
companies. PDXpert PLM, "out of the box", directly supports
many of the data attributes and nomenclature defined in ISO
10007, ANSI/EIA-649, FDA 21 CFR Part 820, ISO 13485,
MIL-STD-973, and MIL-HDBK-61A. The business objects and
workflow can be tailored to meet your company's specific
requirements while conforming to industry best practices.
Principal configuration management capabilities cover areas
of document identification, configuration item
identification, revision management, product structure (bill
of material) history, engineering change proposal (ECP)
classification and management, and integrated data file
management.
Just as important, PDXpert PLM is scaled to meet the needs
of growing organizations. The modern user interface supports
drag-and-drop BOM and change form construction, built-in
data validation, extensive on-line help with step-by-step
procedures, and even spellchecking. Administrators enjoy a
simple, consistent interface for configuring the underlying
database, a straight-forward installation process, and a
simplified database maintenance console. After downloading
PDXpert PLM, most companies are operational in less than 20
minutes.
Moreover, the benefits of an automated configuration
management tool are available to even the smallest design
teams
at surprisingly little cost. PDXpert PLM's architecture is
designed to scale from single users to medium-sized
enterprises, requiring minimal IT support while providing
flexible configuration options.
PDXpert PLM software provides simple and flexible
configuration management. We invite you to: