Blog Archive

'Silos Changing' is a regular feature in The Manufacturer (www.themanufacturer.com). In this blog, Cambashi discusses how exploiting software applications enables manufacturers to implement business initiatives for the new economy.

 

Click on the headline to view each article in full.

Model-based engineering December 2012

Combining the Siemens PLM and LMS portfolio will move their design emphasis from Mechanical Computer Aided Engineering to Systems and Model Based Engineering.  

Social media in business processes December 2012

Here, we look at potential deployments that enable manufacturing companies to make use of 'big data'.  

Handling several consistent versions of the truth November 2012

This week, Mike Evans discusses the software solutions that support manufacturers with a portfolio of smart products.  

Buildings and manufacturing October 2012

A brief look at software solutions designed to assist Architects, Engineers and Construction (AEC) businesses in managing design data in an industry network.   

Modular design of industrial machines October 2012

Industrial Machines are diverse, from vast paper making machines to small fastener making machines, through to mobile machines and static production lines. In this blog we talk about the advantages of modular design for industrial machinery, the biggest manufacturing sector in Europe sector.

  

Emotional and hard-headed decision making October 2012

All decisions have both emotional and hard headed objectivity. In business to business decision making, the emotional is not so apparent, but it is still there. In business to consumer decision making, it is very important. In both cases, hard headed manufacturers have tended to give too little consideration to emotional decision making.  

Innovation from materials October 2012

Big software tools companies are snapping up providers of simulation technology  

Computer Automatic Software Generation October 2012

This week, Mike Evans continues to discuss initiatives to minimise the effort and increase the quality of software developed for Smart Products and devices.   

PLM and ALM for smart products August 2012

Engineers designing products understand good practice is to first design a product architecture and then design modular sub-systems for each element of the architecture. By re-using the architecture they decentralise the design. That enables parallel working which reduces lead times yet incorporates the latest and best version of each sub-system.   

Dassault moves from PLM to 3D Experience August 2012

Part of Dassault Systèmes' rebranding is to introduce a "compass" that epitomizes their application capabilities in four directions: 3D modelling; Content and Simulation; Information Intelligence and Social and Collaborative. These are combined in different ways to create a solution for a problem specific to an industry sector.  

3D Experiences from Dassault Systèmes August 2012

We look at software supplier Dassault Systèmes' introduction of 3D Experiences which extend their solutions well beyond their PLM heritage.   

Design flexibility for diverse engineering disciplines June 2012

This article looks at the issue of design flexibility for smart products and devices and contains some input from the marketing teams at technical applications providers.   

Design Flexibility - Autodesk June 2012

Systems modelling is in fashion. At first sight modelling the behaviour and architecture of a new product looks like an overhead but, at least for complex products, it does add value to the design process by capturing the design in an organized way.   

Try before you buy May 2012

This week, Mike Evans discusses a trend for companies to market products on a try before you buy basis.   

Design in flexibility April 2012

This week, Mike Evans discusses designing in flexibility  

Social media in business processes April 2012

Many enterprise application users in a company would like to integrate social media into their business processes. These include marketing actions to protect and promote their values and reputation, but could also identify supply chain, or packaging, or quality issues at an early stage.   

Savvy consumers and social media March 2012

This week, Mike Evans discusses how consumers are using social media to make buying decisions on products and services.   

Crowdsourcing in product development March 2012

For a consumer, a product's appearance, price, functions and features determine its appeal. We discuss social media in product development, from capturing the 'voice of the customer' through to crowdsourcing.

  

Dynamic case management May 2012

Cambashi discusses how dynamic case management could be used outside the call centre to improve manufacturers' efficiency.   

Simpler to buy February 2012

This week, Mike Evans discusses enterprise application deployments making it simpler to buy products.   

Biz initiatives responding to savvy consumers February 2012

We discuss manufacturers' business initiatives that respond to more informed consumer purchasing behaviour, with social media and the Internet providing alternative sources of information on products and customer service, globalisation increasing competition and the erosion of pricing power.  

Both consumers and businesses demand smart products June 2012

This week, Mike Evans discusses demand for smart products and devices  

Global sourcing is a trade-off January 2012

This week, we look at how to avoid design constraints, while improving time-to-market and cost, through the procurement of existing parts.  

Ensure the product does what the customer said December 2011

Having captured the 'voice of the customer', what are the next steps? In this blog we look at requirements management following the decision to move ahead with product development.

  

Collecting customer requirements for product differentiation November 2011

This article focuses on incorporating consumer feedback, in the form of both structured and unstructured data, into product design.  

Portfolio Planning Applications November 2011

The portfolio management approach is to regularly evaluate all research and development projects by peer review, understand those most likely to succeed, then allocate resources to projects that create a funnel of product instances coming to market in a publishable roadmap.   

Prepare to replace your current Enterprise Applications Systems! October 2011

Current Enterprise Applications Systems support your business as it was around ten years ago. Business drivers and business initiatives have changed.  

Product differentiation October 2011

A discussion about product differentiation and the manufacturer's role in establishing unique selling points.