Lexicon of PLM Terms: Which PLM 2019

P
U
F

In class presentation review:

Q: How these system improve PLM? How to utilise these?DAM / PIM ( What our group researched)

  1. DAM: A Digital Asset Management system: software that allows businesses to organize, distribute, collaborate on, and securely store digital files that make up a digital asset library. DAMplatforms contain features such as permission controls, rights management, and asset performance analytics.
    • Look for unlimited internal and external user access.
    • Test search intuitiveness and ease of use.
    • Review integrations for compatibility with current creative project workflows.
    • Address security and rights management concerns with permissions settings.
    • Consider platform customization and personalization for brand consistency. 
  2. PIM: Product information management (PIM) is the process of collecting and managing all the needed information — from descriptions to images and more — about a given product, in a single source or database. 
    • How it works: PIM software allows you to collect, input, and adjust all the information for a product. Approved product listings can be sent to all your marketing, digital, and storefront applications. 
    • A PIM system ingests product specifications and other basic information froma source system like an enterprise resource planning (ERP) platform and photographs and videos from a digital asset management (DAM) system, while providing a place for marketing to input descriptions and other copy.
    • PIM works by creating a centralized location for all of the product data created by various departments and tools. 
    • Pros: PIM solutions help you reduce the time needed for product data management while ensuring accuracy and consistency at every level. When adjustments to product data must be made, PIM systems allow them to be changed one time, rather than manually updated in every distribution channel. You have more time to spend on your company’s core business process.
  3. STORYBOARDING
    • STORY BOARDS OR LINESHEETS ALLOW FOR A RANGE TO QUICKLY BE VIEWED THROUGH DIFFERENT LENS.
    • ALTHOUGH THERE IS AN UPFRONT TIME REQUIREMENT TO INPUT DATA, THERE IS ULTIMATELY TIME SAVINGS FOR INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL REVIEWS BECAUSE THE INFORMATION IS LOADED AND TIED TO VARIOUS ATTRIBUTES.
    • QUICKLY BEING ABLE TO MAKE REVISIONS AND AUTO POPULATE STORYBOARDS.
    • ABILITY TO STREAMLINE YOUR DATA AND KEEP CLEAN HISTORY.
    • HELPS BUILD TRUST IN BUSINESSES FOR ACCURATE DOCUMENTATION.
    • ALLOWS BRANDS TO MORE EASILY INTEGRATE DATA TO THIRD PARTY WHOLESALE SITES, SUCH AS JOOR AND NUORDER.
  4. SHOP FLOOR CONTROL
    • SHOP FLOOR CONTROL CONSISTS OF THE METHODS TO PRIORITIZE, TRACK, AND REPORT AGAINST PRODUCTION ORDERS AND SCHEDULES.
    • BENEFITS: GAIN VISIBILITY, IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY & EFFICIENCY, REDUCE MANUFACTURING COSTS, AGILE, FLEXIBLE & RESPONSIVE MANUFACTURING 
    • SHOWS REAL TIME PERFORMANCE VS PRODUCTION TARGETS 
    • ORDER TRACKING 
    • PRODUCTION LINE BALANCING
    • PERFORMANCE MONITORING
    • QUALITY CONTROL
    • MACHINE MAINTENANCE
    • TARGETS 
    • MATERIAL AVAILABILITY
    • IDENTIFY BOTTLENECKS IN PRODUCTION
    • ELIMINATES TIME CLOCKS, PAPER TICKETS, GUM SHEETS, ETC
  5. Scanning and 3D Imaging: PLM can integrate 3D scanning and imaging technologies to capture physical garments and transform them into digital models. This is particularly valuable for creating virtual prototypes and reducing the need for physical samples.
  6. Digital Sampling: Digital sampling allows researchers to create virtual prototypes and simulate the look and feel of a garment digitally. PLM systems facilitate the management and sharing of these digital samples across the supply chain, reducing the need for physical samples and saving time and resources.
  7. Design and Conceptualization: PLM systems support the initial stages of product development. Researchers can use PLM to digitally create and design fashion products, incorporating elements such as sketches, fabric choices, and colour options.
    • Benefits of 5-7:
      • Reduced Physical Sampling: Drastically minimizes the need for physical samples, reducing material waste and transportation costs.
      • Accelerated Design Iterations: Speeds up the product development cycle, allowing for rapid design adjustments and quicker time-to-market.
  8. Digital Printing & Dyeing
    • Allows for customisation in a short lead time to produce garments without a need to meet bulk quantities for specialized prints 
    • Allows for nearshoring, speed to market elimination of excess fabric and therefore able to react to market trends 
    • PLM allows the centralisation that feeds into the digital printing software ( where the print pattern is housed) 
    • Sustainable design solution cutting energy usage by 85% and water usage by 95% and eliminates waste water from textile dyeing. 
  9. CAM: Computer Aided Manufacturing
    • Creates centralised system of data from PLM so all stakeholders can access the most up to date style information increasing efficiency & productivity in real time
    • Provides visibility & integration of manufacturing to the PLM system to filter and track 
    • CAM initially was a separate system that has now been integrated within PLM where machinery is programmed to complete manufacturing tasks 
    • Allows you to track style attributes that are utilizing CAM such as lead time, cost & status 
    • Examples include: Gerber Laser Cutting 
  10. Digital Colour Management: Digital color management includes all the  company’s processes that are impacted by color. This ranges from initial color selection by design to delivery of final products to the store shelf.  
    • Measuring Inspiration Colors, Digital Evaluation of Color Palettes, Digital Communication with Suppliers, Eliminating Unacceptable Physical Submissions, Production Quality Control Checks, Measurement of Specialized Materials
  11. Materials Management
    • Materials Specification and Selection: PLM systems allow companies to create and store detailed specifications for various materials, including their properties, sources, costs, and environmental impact. This data helps in the selection of materials for product design.
    • PLM systems track the lifecycle of materials, from initial design to manufacturing and beyond. This includes monitoring material changes, updates, and any associated compliance issues.
    • Cost Analysis: Materials management in PLM can provide cost analysis tools, helping companies understand the financial implications of different material choices and sourcing decisions.
    • Environmental and Regulatory Compliance: PLM can include features to track and manage the environmental impact of materials, including compliance with regulatory standards. This is particularly important in industries with strict environmental and safety regulations.
  12. BOM: Bill of materials often abbreviated as BOMs is a centralized information source containing an extensive list of items required to create and manufacture a product along with instructions to assemble and repair it. The format of a BOM is usually hierarchal, with the finished product at the top and the individual components and raw materials displayed at the bottom levels(Hofwegen, 2022).
  13. BOL: used to create standard templates related to the different product categories/types, etc. to reflect the different set of processes that apply(Banerjee & Dongre, 2021).
  14. AI planning: Requirements Management and Traceability, Reuse of Data for Faster New Product Development, Virtual Assistance and Customer Support, User Experience, Planning Intelligence
    1. Centric Software 
    • Visually search material, trim, color, and style libraries (Centric, 2023).
    • They are used for competitive assortment benchmarking, price, and product trend insights (Centric, 2023).
    • Centric Software has recently acquired aifora. It’s a software platform that uses AI to predict pricing, which can potentially reduce markdown and increase margins (Centric, 2023).

Takeaway: At first, I wasn’t clear about what PLM was, but after researching information about DAM and PIM, it became clear how to integrate these technologies into the product lifecycle. Listening to other students’ presentations, I gradually pieced together the new technologies for each process. Each new technology was essentially aimed at reducing production time, cutting costs, and consolidating data to ensure that every stage and every team is on the same page.