Product Data Management (PDM)

What is product data management (PDM)?

Product data management (PDM) is a system that collects and manages electronic data related to a product and enables users to reutilize this data in business operations such as design, production, marketing, and distribution.

PDM leverages dedicated software and a centralized repository to track and manage product data. This data typically consists of technical specifications of the product, information related to computer-aided design (CAD) models, drawings, and associated documents. 

Product Data Management (PDM) Software

Software that mention product data management (pdm) as a feature or term.

Autodesk Fusion Manage

Benefits of using product data management (PDM) 

PDM offers a host of benefits to project managers, salespeople, engineers, and more. Some key benefits of this tool are listed below.

• Security: PDM systems assist in the secured management of data. It provides access control with role-based permissions to safeguard the organization’s data.  Role-based management also covers intellectual property (IP) rights and ensures security by granting exclusive access depending on the user’s department.

• Collaboration: It facilitates communication among teams based out of different locations. It allows multiple stakeholders to work on the same project without affecting the accuracy and consistency of the data. Project members can post comments and suggestions within CAD files and share the documents with each other.
• Reporting capability: Organizations can utilize the knowledge management and reporting functionalities of a PDM system, allowing users to locate relevant information easily. It provides an audit trail of changes, assisting management in tracking who is accessing which file in real time so that no user can mishandle the data.
• Automated assignment of part numbers: A key advantage offered by a PDM solution is the ability to automatically generate and assign part and release numbers to newly created CAD parts and assemblies. This results in easy identification of parts and associated information.

Impacts of using product data management (PDM) 

PDM is an important tool for manufacturers that assists them in overcoming the intricacies of product development processes. It positively impacts organizations in the following ways: 

• Enhanced visibility: PDM integrates with other business software and systems, such as customer relationship management (CRM) and enterprise resource planning (ERP), which play an important role in product lifecycle management. This allows organizations to achieve a higher level of visibility into their product data, thereby increasing efficiency and ensuring continuous improvements in processes and product quality.
• Greater reliability: The tool reduces data redundancy, i.e., repetition of the same data across the database, and improves accuracy. It also reduces the possibility of human errors by automating workflow-driven processes and unifying data sets across the company. This helps prevent data tampering and provides users with reliable data. 
• Increased productivity: PDM increases productivity by regulating the management of product data across multiple locations. It streamlines the process of product development and reduces product development costs. It reduces the time spent searching for important data as the software has advanced search capabilities. Users can search, store, and share information using keywords, attributes, and conditions.

Product data management (PDM) best practices

In order to make PDM work, follow these best practices:

• Cost implications: To get optimum results with a PDM solution, the organization needs to factor in the total cost of ownership of the tool. This includes costs associated with deployment, staff training, maintenance, and more. It is imperative to understand the cost structure provided by the vendor to take into account additional charges associated with software updates. 
• Data migration: Data migration from the former tool is crucial if the organization upgrades to a new solution. Organizations must understand the process of migration in depth, the amount of time it will require, and the associated costs. 
• Scalability: While selecting the tool, the buyer must opt for a scalable solution to support the growing volume of data and the increasing number of users depending on the scope of the project.

Product data management (PDM) vs. product lifecycle management (PLM)

Product lifecycle management (PLM) is the process of managing all facets of product development from its origin through production and sales until it reaches the end of life. It is a business discipline that streamlines production, minimizes errors, facilitates team collaboration, and optimizes resource utilization.

PLM has a broader scope as compared to PDM. PDM manages and catalogs product data. Its features are available within a PLM system. PDM is lower in cost and can be easily deployed compared to PLM implementation, which is an expensive and time-consuming process. 

PDM assists in managing manufacturing information. While it can be used for managing the design release process, there are a variety of such processes that a standalone solution cannot support unless integrated into a PLM system. Integrating PLM and PDM solutions helps the organization manage the product life cycle efficiently by reducing errors, lowering costs, and improving overall efficiency and productivity.