4 Replies Latest reply on Jun 22, 2018 9:17 AM by Ricardo Talbot

    SAP instead of PDM?

    Thomas Egger
    Thomas Egger Jan 20, 2018 12:27 PM

      Our CEO does really want to substitute our PDM with SAP !! This is no chocke!

      We are working now with the PDM from Solidworks fairly well.

      Does anyone know a company with a datamanagement with only SAP ?

       

      I think this a ridiculous question, but our CEO has it in mind and we have to proove the opposite!

       

      Thanks for any comments!

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        • Re: SAP instead of PDM?
          Solid Air
          Solid Air Jan 20, 2018 12:59 PM (in response to Thomas Egger)

          We used it for several years before going to PDM about 10 years ago.  At that time, it (SAP) certainly in not as user friendly as PDM (it may have changed since we used it).  However, it was convenient that both the PDM and ERP systems were combined.  Hopefully your CEO will allow for due diligence and not just go with his gut because some other CEO told him it was the way to go (every business is differnt).

            • Re: SAP instead of PDM?
              Adrian Velazquez
              Adrian Velazquez Jan 20, 2018 10:07 PM (in response to Solid Air)

              PDM, PLM, MRP, ERP they are all different even though there are some overlapping features which vary from vendor to vendor.The bottom line is that there's no one solution that DOES IT ALL, especially if you plan to tie in CAD File management. Try to explain that SolidWorks is relational in nature; one cannot simple upload SW files into a system with out impacting integrity and/or productivity. Contact your VAR, they surely have some Case Studies on why PDM is beneficial in addition to ERP or any other Business System.

               

              Regards!

              • Re: SAP instead of PDM?
                Thomas Egger
                Thomas Egger Jan 21, 2018 5:15 AM (in response to Solid Air)

                Hi  Solid Air

                Thanks for your reply...

                So you used Solidworks 200? and managed the CAD data only by SAP 10 years ago?

                Why did you switched to the PDM then?

                Could you handle fairly efficient not only the basic functions like:

                > copying assemblies, with subassemblies and subparts including its drawings in one batch?

                > renaming existent files?

                > replacing files?

                But as well the more complex functions like:

                > modification process:
                        modifications on parts /assemblies (what happens to all released asseblies with this part included?) and there history?

                > dynamic favorit folders / saved search folders...

                > copying an existing drawing and substitue its associated 3D-model to another one with a following "save as"?

                > ...

                Sorry for so many questions

              • Re: SAP instead of PDM?
                Ricardo Talbot
                Ricardo Talbot Jun 22, 2018 9:17 AM (in response to Thomas Egger)

                In the good old days, it make have made sense to leave the responsibility of PLM/PDM/CAD data to an ERP system.

                 

                However, it has always been a quirky process, mainly because product data is meant to flow naturally downstream from engineering (PDM/CAD) to manufacturing (ERP), not the opposite.

                 

                However, now that there are state-of-the-art PLM PDM CAD to ERP integration solutions that can bidirectionally integrate product data, it really makes very little sense to use that strategy any longer.

                 

                This may sound a bit self-serving, but we know from experience that an increasing number of ETO manufacturers tend to trust PDM systems for PDM, for excellent reasons.

                 

                I bet your CEO is not engineer ;-)

                 

                Hope this helps,

                 

                Ricardo.