Electronic Product Data Management (ePDM) MPTs to Improve … · 2019-08-23 · tasks. The system should support technical data management, its analysis, and usage across all CERDEC

ContractNumber:HQ0034-13-D-0004 Task order 0052, RT 152

Report No. SERC-2016-TR-113

ElectronicProductDataManagement(ePDM)MPTstoImproveDesignforProducibility,Reliability,Availability,

Maintainability,andSustainabilityTechnicalReportSERC-2016-TR-113

30September2016

PrincipalInvestigator:

MitchellKerman,StevensInstituteofTechnology

ResearchTeam:

JeffMcDonald,StevensInstituteofTechnology

Sponsor:CERDEC

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Copyright©2016StevensInstituteofTechnology,SystemsEngineeringResearchCenter

Thismaterial is based uponwork supported, inwhole or in part, by theU.S. Department ofDefensethroughtheSystemsEngineeringResearchCenter(SERC)underContractH98230-08-D-0171(TaskOrder033,RT48).SERCisafederallyfundedUniversityAffiliatedResearchCentermanagedbyStevensInstituteofTechnology

Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material arethoseoftheauthor(s)anddonotnecessarilyreflecttheviewsoftheUnitedStatesDepartmentofDefense.

NOWARRANTY

THIS STEVENS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND SYSTEMS ENGINEERING RESEARCH CENTERMATERIAL IS FURNISHEDONAN “AS-IS” BASIS. STEVENS INSTITUTEOF TECHNOLOGYMAKESNO WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, AS TO ANY MATTERINCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, WARRANTY OF FITNESS FOR PURPOSE ORMERCHANTABILITY, EXCLUSIVITY, OR RESULTS OBTAINED FROM USE OF THE MATERIAL.STEVENS INSTITUTEOF TECHNOLOGYDOESNOTMAKEANYWARRANTYOF ANY KINDWITHRESPECTTOFREEDOMFROMPATENT,TRADEMARK,ORCOPYRIGHTINFRINGEMENT.

Thismaterialhasbeenapprovedforpublicreleaseandunlimiteddistribution.

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TABLEOFCONTENTS

TableofContents...................................................................................................................iii

ListofFigures.........................................................................................................................iv

ListofTables..........................................................................................................................iv

ExecutiveSummary................................................................................................................1

Background............................................................................................................................3

CERDECOrganization.......................................................................................................................4

ProductLifecycleManagement........................................................................................................5

DigitalThread...................................................................................................................................8

CurrentStatusofCERDECProductDataManagement............................................................9

SharePoint.....................................................................................................................................10

PTCWindchill.................................................................................................................................11

SharedDrives&LocalServers........................................................................................................12

SoftwareControlReferenceOffice(SCRO)......................................................................................13

Paper.............................................................................................................................................13

ComparisonofDataManagementPractices...................................................................................13

FutureViewofCERDECElectronicProductDataManagement..............................................15

IdentificationandAnalysisofIndustryBestPractices............................................................17

Overview........................................................................................................................................17

BenefitsofePDM...........................................................................................................................17

HighlightsofePDMImplementationandUse.................................................................................18

ComparisonandContrastofBestPractices.....................................................................................19

ShortfallsandOpportunities..........................................................................................................20

LessonsLearnedwithElectronicProductDataManagement.................................................20

ImplementationStrategy...............................................................................................................21

ArchitectureStandardization..........................................................................................................22

ConfigurationversusCustomization...............................................................................................23

EvolvingTechnologies....................................................................................................................24

AnalyticsofEnterpriseManagement..............................................................................................24

ConclusionsandRecommendations......................................................................................25

AppendixA:CERDECePDMSurvey–February&March2016.............................................A-1

AppendixB:RelatedReferences.........................................................................................B-1

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LISTOFFIGURES

Figure1-CERDECBusinessUnitOrganizationChart.....................................................................5

Figure2-ProductLifecycleManagementTools............................................................................6

Figure3-PLMProcesses(WindchillvsTraditionalPDM)..............................................................7

Figure4-SynthesisRequirementsforPLM...................................................................................8

Figure5-CERDECPDMSolutions(Current).................................................................................10

LISTOFTABLES

Table1-DataManagementMethodsAdvantagesandDisadvantages.......................................14

Table2-ComparisonofDataManagementPractices.................................................................15

Table3-PLMCapabilityofCERDECePDMTools.........................................................................17

Table4-BenefitsofWindchillePDM...........................................................................................18

Table5-CommonversusUncommonePDMPractices...............................................................20

Table6-ShortfallsandOpportunitiesofWindchillePDM..........................................................20

Table7-WindchillImplementationLessonsLearned..................................................................22


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EXECUTIVESUMMARY

Thispaper is the final technical report associatedwith Stevens Institute SystemsEngineeringResearch Center (SERC) research task, RT-152. The research task was to assist the US ArmyCommunications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center (CERDEC) toidentify and define evidence-based electronics-centric best practices and tools utilized bycorporations and government agencies (such as government contractors, DoD, and NASA)implementing and using these state-of-the-art and evolving electronic Product DataManagement systems. The research identified best practices for development, collaboration,and production as well as understanding the benefits for design for producibility, reliability,availability,maintainability,sustainabilityandtheassociatedcostsforexecution.SinceCERDEChasselectedPTCWindchill, theresearchfocusedoncorporationsandagenciesthatareusingthis product, but the results and conclusions are generally applicable to all ePDM tools andinstallations.

This report begins with background information related to the CERDEC organization. TheCERDECmissionistoactivelyadvanceSoldiercapabilitiesthatenablesituationalawarenessandunderstanding,establishandsecurecommunications,andprotectSoldiersfromsurpriseattack.To accomplish this mission CERDEC is divided into six directorates; Command, Power &Integration(CPI),Intelligence&InformationWarfare(I2WD), Night Vision & ElectronicSensors (NVESD), Space & Terrestrial Communications (S&TCD), Product RealizationEngineering & Quality (PRD), and Software Engineering (SED). Each directorate supports theorganization’s goal to discover, develop, and deliver innovative technology and integratedsolutionsthatenable,shapeandtransformthejointwarfighter'sabilitytocollect,disseminate,andprotectinformation,knowledgeandunderstanding.

Nexttheconceptofproductlifecyclemanagementisdiscussed.Lifecyclemanagementreferstotheprocessofmanagingtheentirelifecycleofaproductfrominception,throughengineeringdesign and manufacture, to service and disposal of manufactured products. The relation ofelectronic product data management and product lifecycle management are examined. Thebackgroundsectionconcludeswiththeconceptofthe“digitalthread”andhowit linksalltheelectronicdataandproductinformationthroughoutthelifeofaproduct.

The report then focuses on the current status of product data management within eachCERDECdirectorate.Currently,themethodsofdatamanagementinclude;MSSharePoint,PTCWindchill,sharedharddrives,localservers,theSoftwareControlReferenceOffice(SCRO),andpaper. Themajority of directorates employ a combination of SharePoint, shared drives, andlocalservers.Eachmethodisdiscussedindetail,includinghowitisbeingusedatCERDEC.Theadvantages and disadvantages of each method are included in the descriptions andsummarizedinatable.Acomparisonofcurrentdatamanagementtechniquesisalsoprovided.

ThenthefutureviewandgoalsfordatamanagementatCERDECispresented.Thevisionistoleveragecurrentandevolvingtechnologiestoenableuserstobettermanageandexecutetheirtasks.Thesystemshouldsupporttechnicaldatamanagement,itsanalysis,andusageacrossallCERDECdirectoratesbyprovidingasystemengineeringcentricapproachtoproductrealizationacrossaproductlifecycle.ThegoalisenterprisemanagementofallCERDECproductsthrough


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use of model based engineering and model based support. The current methods of datamanagementwithinCERDECareanalyzedfortheirapplicabilitytothisfutureview.ThegoalisaUSArmy-wide system that linkseach commandandpromotes forcewide sharingofproductdata.TheultimategoalistoextendthesystemacrosstheDepartmentofDefenseandpromotesharingofinformationacrossalloftheservices.

Identification and analysis of industry and government agency best practices are thenexamined. This section is based upon the results of meetings with industries using PTCWindchill,multiple branches of theDepartment of Defense, and other federal agencies. Theresults of the meetings are summarized, and the benefits of electronic product datamanagement are discussed. Industry practices are compared and contrasted. The sectionconcludeswiththeshortfallsandopportunitiesofelectronicproductdatamanagement.

Lessons learned are presented based upon interviews with industry, meetings with otherDepartmentofDefenseagencies,andthereviewoftechnicalpapers.Thelessonsarefocusedinfivemain areas: Implementation Strategy, Architecture Standardization, Configuration versusCustomization, Evolving Technologies and Analytics of Enterprise Management. Each lessonlearnedareaisexploredindepth.

The paper concludes with conclusions and recommendations regarding PTC WindchillimplementationatCERDECandachievingproductlifecyclemanagementgoals.


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BACKGROUND

Over the last decade, there has been a rapid increase in the number of electronic artifactsgeneratedduringtheacquisitionphaseofprojects.Inadditiontotheelectronicallygenerated“standard” documentation, model centric engineering is generating countless artifacts thathavetobestored,managed,utilized,andmaintainedduringthelifeoftheproductandbeyond.

At a minimum, the technical data packages delivered to CERDEC with operational systemsincludethefollowingtypesofinformation:

1. TechnicalProductDefinitionInformation(e.g.,alldesigninformation,specifications,3-DCADdrawings,etc.);

2. TechnicalProductOperationalInformation(e.g.,Maintenanceplanninginformation,supportandtestequipmentinformation,fieldfeedbackinformation,etc.);

3. TechnicalProductAssociatedInformation(e.g.,testreports,configurationcontrolinformation,requirementsforvariance,etc.);

4. InterfaceManagementInformation(e.g.,interfacespecifications,enablingintegrationofsub-systems,etc.).

Current and evolving technologies for systems engineering technical product data shouldenable organizations such as CERDEC to better manage and execute their responsibilitiesthrough the use of electronic data management. Research is needed to identify potentialenablers for increased collaboration, increased efficiency, and increased effectivenesssurrounding technical data management, its analysis, and use across engineering projects,includingtheuseandavailabilityofadigitalcollaborationandtechnicaldatastoragecapabilityproviding a system engineering centric approach to product realization across the productlifecyclefromconceptdevelopmentthroughproductionandsustainmentstages.

Electronic product development management (ePDM) tools have emerged and continue tomature in themarketplace.Companies andagencies aredeveloping “bestpractices” as theirorganizationsmature intheuseofthesetools.CERDEChasselectedtheWindchillePDMtoolcreatedandmarketedbytheParametricTechnologyCorporation(PTC).Thistoolwasrecentlychosenandiscurrentlybeingimplemented.

The intent of this research is to identify and define evidence-based electronics-centric bestpractices and tools utilized by corporations and government agencies (such as governmentcontractors, DoD, and NASA) implementing and using these state-of-the-art and evolvingelectronic Product Data Management systems. The research will identify best practices fordevelopment, collaboration, andproduction aswell as understanding thebenefits for designforproducibility, reliability,availability,maintainability,sustainabilityandtheassociatedcostsforexecution.SinceCERDEChasselectedPTCWindchill,theresearchwillfocusoncorporationsand agencies that are using this product, but the results and conclusions will be generallyapplicabletoallePDMtoolsandinstallations.


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Resources to be utilized include the Internet, other academic research, vendor discussions,trade research such as Gartner Group and Forrester Research as well as discussions withdefensecontractorsandgovernmentagencies.

Researchincludesidentificationandanalysisofindustrybestpracticestocompareandcontrastthe advantages and disadvantages. Work was also conducted to understand current andforecasted shortfalls and future opportunities (strategic, operational, or technological) in theePDMspace.

CERDECORGANIZATION

The Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center (CERDEC)actively advances Soldier capabilities that enable situational awareness and understanding,establishandsecurecommunications,andprotectSoldiersfromsurpriseattack.

As an Army applied research center under the U.S. Army Research, Development andEngineering Command (RDECOM), CERDEC provides the diverse technical expertise andoperational awareness and understanding to develop, engineer and foresee essential Armyneedsinmissioncommandandintelligencetechnologies,applicationsandnetworksdesignedtoconnectandprotecttheSoldier.WhetherSoldier-borneoronvehicleoraviationplatforms,the Army relies on CERDEC’s technical expertise to develop and/or seek out capabilityadvancementstoaddressSoldierneeds.

CERDECworkswithDefenseDepartmentandnationalbasicresearchorganizationsandlabstoinfluenceresearchinvestmentandadopt,adaptandmaturerelevantscientificbreakthroughs.CERDEC maintains close ties to the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command’s (TRADOC)centersofexcellenceandoperationalunits to stay in touchwith theevolving realitiesof theSoldierenvironment,anticipatechallenges,refinerequirementsandinformoperationaltactics,techniquesandprocedures.

Specifically, CERDEC’smission is to discover, develop, and deliver innovative technology andintegratedsolutions thatenable, shapeand transformthe jointwarfighter'sability tocollect,disseminate,andprotectinformation,knowledgeandunderstanding.

CERDEC’svision isanArmywhoderivesadvantagefrom itssuperiorknowledgeofacomplexworldtoachievedecisiveeffects.

Organizationally,CERDECisstructuredassixseparatedirectorates:

1. Command,Power&Integration(CPI)

2. Intelligence&InformationWarfare(I2WD)

3. NightVision&ElectronicSensors(NVESD)

4. Space&TerrestrialCommunications(S&TCD)

5. ProductRealizationEngineering&Quality(PRD)


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6. SoftwareEngineering(SED)

Figure1-CERDECBusinessUnitOrganizationChart

ThisresearchwasconductedforandfundedbytheCERDECProductRealizationEngineering&QualityDirectorate(PRD).Theresultsoftheresearchandthefinalreportandbriefingwillbeapplicable to this Directorate, CERDEC, the US Army, and, more broadly, to all servicecomponentsandcommandscurrentlyusingorpositionedtouseePDMtools.

PRODUCTLIFECYCLEMANAGEMENT

Productlifecyclemanagement(PLM)istheprocessofmanagingtheentirelifecycleofaproductfrom inception, through engineering design and manufacture, to service and disposal ofmanufactured products. PLM integrates people, data, processes and business systems andprovidesaproductinformationbackboneforcompaniesandtheirextendedenterprise.ThekeytoachievingPLM is theconceptofa “digital thread,”which isdiscussed indetail in thenextsection. PLM is realized through the use of tools to link; Engineering data (technical,development, and manufacture specifications), cost and procurement information, andoperationalfeedbackandfailurereports.


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Figure2-ProductLifecycleManagementTools[Source:KarlsruheInstituteofTechnology]

Figure 2 shows the product lifecycle phases and tools that must be integrated in order tosuccessfully accomplish PLM. The tools shown in the figure are Product Data Management(PDM), Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Supply ChainManagement (SCM), and CustomerRelationship Management (CRM). These tools link all the phases of product design,development, operation, and retirement. Traditional PDM supports only the first phases ofPLM, but PTCWindchill doesmore than traditional PDM. Figure 3 shows the advantages ofusing PTC Windchill over traditional PDM tools. PTC Windchill is an ePDM tool thataccomplishesmanyoftheprocessesofPLM(PDMandERP),butdoesnotfullyaccomplishPLM.OthertoolsarerequiredtofullyrealizePLM,andthesetoolscanbeobtainedfromPTCorthirdpartysoftwarevendors.


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Figure3-PLMProcesses(WindchillvsTraditionalPDM)[Source:PLMTechnologyGuide]

Systemengineers,senioranalystsandengineeringmanagersarethedrivingforcesforPLM.AtechnicalbackgroundisessentialtoachievingPLM,and,therefore,engineersandengineeringmanagers must have direct ownership of the PLM process and the solution. Engineers,engineering/technicalmanagement,andexecutivemanagementaretheprimarystakeholdersofPLM.Theneedsofeachgroupmustbeaddressedtoensuretheirrequirementsaremetbythe finalPLMsolution.Systemsengineersuse thePLMsystemtobetter informmanagementand assist inmaking better decisions. The ultimate goal of PLM is tomaximize producibility,reliability,sustainability,maintainability,andavailability.

Within ePDM, the focus is onmanaging and tracking the creation, change and archive of allinformationrelated toaproduct.ePDMservesasacentralknowledgerepository forprocessand product history, and promotes integration and data exchange among all users. ePDMenablesautomaticreportsonproductcosts,programstatus,productionreleasepackages,andengineeringchanges.Furthermore,ePDMenablesspreadofproductdataintotheentirePLMprocess. This significantly enhances the effectiveness of thedata analytics and life-cycle coststudies.TheusersofePDMincludeprojectmanagers,engineers,salespeople,buyers,qualityassurance teams, operators, andmaintainers. The central database alsomanagesmetadata,such as the owner of a file and release status of the components. ePDM also includes:controlled check-inandcheck-outof theproductdata,engineering changemanagementandreleasecontrolonallversions/issuesofcomponentsinaproduct,buildingandmanipulationof


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the product structure bill ofmaterials (BOM) for assemblies, and configurationmanagementinformationofproductvariants.

Figure4showshowPLMrequiresthesynthesisofdata,technology,methods,tools,processesand people. The acronyms are not the important feature of this figure, rather the focus isunderstandingthatallaspectsmustcombineandworktogetherinordertoachievePLM.Thetechnologymustmanagethedatainamannerthatsupportsthemethodsandtoolsinusebythe people/processes. System engineers, senior analysts and engineering managers are thedrivingforcesforPLM.

Figure4-SynthesisRequirementsforPLM

[Source:FreeformerattheEnglishlanguage,viaWikimediaCommons]

DIGITALTHREAD

The Glossary of Defense Acquisition Acronyms and Terms(https://dap.dau.mil/glossary/Pages/Default.aspx)hostedbytheDefenseAcquisitionUniversity(DAU)providesprecise,DoD-accepteddefinitionsofthedigitalthreadandrelatedterminology.Thedefinitionsoftheserelevanttermsarerepeatedhere:

DigitalSystemModel:Adigital representationofadefensesystem,generatedby all stakeholders that integrates the authoritative technical data and


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associated artifacts which define all aspects of the system for the specificactivitiesthroughoutthesystemlifecycle.

Digital Thread: An extensible, configurable and component enterprise-levelanalytical framework that seamlessly expedites the controlled interplay ofauthoritative technical data, software, information, and knowledge in theenterprise data-information-knowledge systems, based on the Digital SystemModel template, to informdecisionmakers throughoutasystem's lifecyclebyproviding the capability to access, integrate and transformdisparate data intoactionableinformation.

Digital Twin: An integratedmultiphysics,multiscale, probabilistic simulation ofan as-built system, enabled by Digital Thread, that uses the best availablemodels, sensor information, and input data to mirror and predictactivities/performanceoverthelifeofitscorrespondingphysicaltwin.

The Digital System Model (DSM) is an ongoing initiative within the Office of the DeputyAssistant Secretary of Defense for Systems Engineering (ODASD(SE)) to build an integratedtaxonomywhichwillprovidestakeholderswithastructureforthetypesofdatathatshouldbeconsidered across the system life cycle. The Digital Thread (DT) provides the analyticalframework,basedontheDSM,toaccess,integrateandtransformthedisparatedataacrossthemodel into actionable information that will inform decision making. Thus, the DT informsdecisions in the Capability Planning and Analysis, Preliminary Design, Detailed Design,Manufacturing,Testing,andSustainmentacquisitionphases.TheDigitalTwin (alsocalled theDigital Surrogate) is a physics-based technical description of the system resulting from thegeneration,management,andapplicationofdata,models,andinformationfromauthoritativesourcesacrossthesystem'slifecycle.

In regard to this research, the DT is realized, at least initially, through the use of ElectronicProductDataManagement(ePDM)tools.ePDMreferstotheuseofsoftwareandothertoolstomaintainandcontroldatarelatedtoaspecificproduct.TheDTexistsasthe linkagesofallthedataofaspecificproductwithintheePDMsystem.Theengineeringdatatrackedtypicallyinvolves the technical specifications of the product, specifications for manufacture anddevelopment, and the typesofmaterials thatwill be required toproduce goods.Otherdataincludescostandprocurementinformation.OperationalfeedbackandfailurereportsarealsolinkedtoproductswithintheePDMspace.

CURRENTSTATUSOFCERDECPRODUCTDATAMANAGEMENT

ThissectiondetailsthecurrentmethodsemployedbytheCERDECdirectoratestomanagedata(SharePoint,Shareddrives,SoftwareControlReferenceOffice(SCRO),CloudServer,andPaper).Subsectionsrevieweachmethodandhighlightadvantagesanddisadvantages.

Figure5illustratesthedatamanagementmethodscurrentlyinusebyeachCERDECdirectorate.The majority of directorates currently employ Microsoft SharePoint in some capacity.SharePointserversandfilesaresharedbetweensomeCERDECdirectorates.Separateclassifiedserversareusedforahigh-sideSharePointsystememployedbycertainCERDECdirectorates.


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Thenextmostcommonmethodofdatamanagementislocalserversandshareddriveswithineachdirectorate.Thesedevicesarenotcommonlysharedamongstdirectorates.PTCWindchillis used in two directorates, with major differences in implementation. One instance isemployinganoutoftheboxWindchillsolutionthatisconfiguredtomeetdirectorate’sneeds,while the other is using a highly customized version tomeet directorate requirements. TheconfiguredinstanceofPTCWindchillallowsgreaterscalability,whilethecustomizedoccurrencerequires coordination with the vendor to support updates and scaling. The SoftwareEngineeringDirectorate (SED)usesaSoftwareControlReferenceOffice (SCRO) for controlledstorageanddistributionof software.Onedivision in SEDalsousesMicrosoft SourceSafe forlocal control and storage of software. The final method of datamanagement is paper hardcopy. This is employed in at least one directorate for retaining of historical engineeringdrawings, analysis, and reports. Paper may also be used in other directorates for historicalprogramdocuments,engineeringdocuments,andtestdata.

Figure5-CERDECPDMSolutions(Current)

SHAREPOINT

Microsoft SharePoint is a web application platform that combines traditionally separateapplications of intranet, extranet, internet, content management, document management,cloud services, social networking, enterprise search, business intelligence and workflowmanagement. SharePoint is defined as a platform, not a product. Thismeans that dedicatedservers are required to support the SharePointbackendwithin theorganization.Microsoft isshiftingtoasoftwareasaservice(SaaS)modelwhichprecludestheneedfordedicatedserversonsitebyusingcloudtechnologytosupportSharePoint.Thisshiftinmethodologyhascausedsomeintheindustrytobeconcernedwithfuturesupportforon-siteservers.Thisconcernmaybe unfounded as Microsoft recently released the next version of SharePoint Server 2016.Currently,MicrosoftisstatingthatSharePointServersupportwillremainacompanyfocus.

SharePoint iscurrentlyusedatCERDECtostore,trackandmanageelectronicdocumentsandassets.Furthermore,itsupportsmulti-usercollaborationoffiles.Theintegratedversionhistory


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andworkflowfunctionareusedinsomeareasofCERDECtosupportconfigurationcontrolandengineering changes. The search capabilities allow CERDEC users to more quickly locatepertinentdocuments,whereaccessispermitted.SharePointcanalsobeusedtotrackprojects,documentsandusersthroughuseofsearchand‘graph’functions.

The main advantages of SharePoint include the relative ease of use (web page based),centralized searchable database, and integratedworkflow and tracking functions. SharePointalso supports various configurations to support different users and use cases. SharePointsupports control of data and user access based upon directorate requirements. Finally,SharePointcanproducestandardizedreportsbaseduponlibrarycontents.

The main disadvantage of SharePoint is the lack of a digital thread between the productelectronic artifacts.While SharePoint does allow importing the bill ofmaterials (BOM) fromengineering files (CAD models), SharePoint does not provide an effective means for linkingotherdocuments,testreports,analysis,andfielddatatotheBOMcomponent.Thismeansthattheuserof thesystem is responsible fordeterminingaffected files forchangesanddoesnotsupportlife-cycleanalyses.AnotherdisadvantageofSharePointisthelackofastandardizedfilestructure.SomeCERDECdivisionsandusersareextremelydiligentabout filestorage,namingconventions,andrequiredfilemetadata.However,SharePointdoesnotforcethiscomplianceand, as a result, certain areas of file storage are less structured than others. This lack ofstandardization impactsdatabase search capabilities, and canhinderdatamigration tootheranalytictools.

PTCWINDCHILL

PTCWindchillisacommercialofftheshelf(COTS)solutionforePDMthatisdesignedtosupportPLM.Windchillprovidesasinglesourcerepositoryforallproductinformation.Productcontentincludes CAD models, documents, technical information, embedded software, analyses, andrequirement specifications. Windchill uses relationships between content to allow detailedsearchesanddataanalytics.WindchillhasCADsoftwarethatsupportsallmajorMCADsoftwareandallowsusers toaccess the informationembedded inCAD fileswithoutuseof thirdpartysoftware. Thismethod supports file control and allows users to check in and check out filesdirectly from native programs. Windchill inherently allows configuration control and use ofstandardized parts/components. This function allows re-use of components across manyproducts. Component changes are automatically reflected across Windchill files and allowimpact studies to be conducted more easily. Workflow functions in Windchill supportconfigurationmanagement and change control.Windchill also supports projectmanagementthroughbi-directionalinteractionwithMSProject.Windchillallowsassigningtasks,resources,and timeframes in the program or can import directly from MS Project. The advantage ofWindchill is thattasksare linkedtodirectlytoproductfilesanddocuments.Finally,Windchillallowsautomaticreportingbasedupondatabasecontent.Becauseallproductdocumentationresidesinasingledatabase,thereportingfunctionsaregreatlyenhancedoverothermethods.Windchillcanbeconfiguredtosupportprojectrequirements,andalsoallowscustomizationforspecificcustomerneeds.


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Currently, CERDEC uses two versions ofWindchill. CP&I uses a highly customized version ofWindchillfordatamanagementandproductsupport.Thisversionistailoredfortheiruse,butrequires dedicated staff and outside consultants for product upgrades. PRD is currentlyimplementingaCOTSversionofWindchillthatisconfiguredfortheiruse.ThegoalofPRDistoavoid customization to allow system growth without specialized support. Efforts at PRD arecurrently focused on populating theWindchill database with current products in use acrossCERDEC.Todate,over2milliondrawingsfor450systemshavebeenloadedintotheWindchilldatabase.

ThemainadvantageofPTCWindchill isestablishmentof thedigital thread foreachproduct.The relationships and linkages amongst the product electronic files will support automatedreporting, database searches, and data analytics. The embeddedworkflow functions supportconfigurationmanagement and change controls. Thismethod also allows re-use of standardcomponentsandrequirements toreducedesigncycle times.Testdata,operational feedback,andfailurereportsarealsolinkedtoproductfiles,allowingmoredetailedlifecycleanalysesofcost, function,andperformance.PTCalsooffersother software tools that leverageWindchilldatabasefordetailedanalyticsandcoststudies.Finally,Windchillprovidesasinglesourcedatarepositoryforallproductdocumentationthroughoutthelifecycleofasystem.

ThedisadvantagesofWindchillarerelatedtoprocessimpactandpersonneltraining.TheuserinterfaceisnotasintuitiveasMSSharePoint,andrequiresemployeetrainingtoeffectivelyusethe features of the Windchill software. The major disadvantage is the potential impact ondirectorateworkflow processes. Use ofWindchillworkflow functionswill require changes todirectorate procedures to integrate this software and may initially result in decreasedefficiency.Thismethodalsorequiresadetailed implementationplantoensurethathistoricaldata ismigrated into thedatabase correctly and linked correctly to fullyutilize theWindchillenvironment.

SHAREDDRIVES&LOCALSERVERS

Most CERDEC directorates use shared drives and/or local servers in some capacity for datamanagement.Thesedevicesprovideacentralizeddatabaseandsupportteamcollaborationofelectronic files. These devices are often used for a specific division or function within adirectorate. For example, one local server may be used for CAD files and engineering data,while a shared drive is used for program documentation within a single division. Both localserversandshareddrivessupportsearchingfunctions,butarelimitedbystoreddataandoftendonotencompasstheentirescopeofaproduct’sdata.

Themajoradvantageofshareddrivesandlocalserversisallowingasmallcentralizeddatabaseforcollaborationofteamwork.Anotherbenefitofthesedevicesissecurityandcontrolofdata.Localserversandshareddrivessupportvaryinglevelsofuseraccess.

Themajor disadvantage of shared drives and local servers is once again the lack of a digitalthreadamongstthedifferentproductfiles.ThesedevicesalsoofferlesscontrolthanSharePointoranePDMtool. Finally, thesemethodsdonot inherently supportworkflowandautomatedreporting.


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SOFTWARECONTROLREFERENCEOFFICE(SCRO)

The SED of CERDEC uses SCRO for storage, control, and distribution of software. Typicallysoftware iscreatedusing local serversorshareddrives forcollaboration.Oncecomplete, thesoftware package is sent to SCRO for control and distribution. This method allows a singlerepository for all software related toaproduct and supports configurationmanagementandcontrol.Thissystemisseparatefromotherproductfilesanddocumentation.

ThemainadvantagesofSCROaredocumentcontrolandasinglesourcelibraryforallsoftware.Thismethodisalsotailoredforsoftwareinformationandisdesignedtointerfacewithsoftwaredevelopmenttools.

ThemaindisadvantageofSCRO is the lackofadigital thread tootherproduct files.Anotherdisadvantage isusinga separatedatabase for softwaredoesnot alloweffective searchingorimpactanalysisforchanges.

PAPER

Paper files are still in use for datamanagement for certain systems. The paper files includeengineeringdrawings,analyses,testdata,andprogramdocuments.Themajorityofthesefilesareassociatedwitholdersystems.Manyofthefileshavebeenscannedtoelectronicformatforstorageviathemethodsdescribedabove.

Themajoradvantageofpaperfilesissecurityandretentionofhistoricaldata.

The disadvantages of paper files are numerous. This method does not support teamcollaborationandisnoteasilysearchable.Thereisnodigitalthreadassociatedwiththistypeofdata management. Configuration management and change control is difficult and requiressignificanteffort.Lastly,paperfilesarebulkyandthereisnoeasymethodtobackupthefilesunlesstheyareconvertedtodigitalmedia.Thebackupproblemismostconcerning,asseveralindustry and government agencies have experienced data loss due to paper-only recordssuccumbingtomisplacement,loss,ornaturaldisaster.

COMPARISONOFDATAMANAGEMENTPRACTICES

Table1providesa summaryof theadvantagesanddisadvantagesofeachdatamanagementmethod.

Table 2 below provides a quick comparison of the different data management practicescurrentlyinuseatCERDEC.Themethodswereevaluatedbasedon:TeamCollaboration,DigitalThread, Source Library, Search Functions, Workflow Support, and Analysis Support. Themethods were rated as Excellent, Good, Fair, and Poor. The ratings were determinedsubjectively based upon knowledge of the data management methods and their ability tosupporttheevaluationmetrics.


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Team collaboration refers to the ability of themethod to supportmulti-user access to files.Mostof the currentmethods support teamcollaboration. However,MSSharePointandPTCWindchillarethehighestratedmethodsforthis function.Digital threadreferstorelatedandlinkingallelectronicfilestotheproduct.Windchillistheonlymethodthatsupportsthedigitalthreadconcept.Sourcelibrarymeansthatthemethodhasacentralrepositoryforproductfiles.Onceagain,mostofthemethodssupportasourcelibrary;however,SharePointandWindchillofferthemostexpansiveandinclusivesourcelibraries.Thesearchfunctionsrefertotheabilitytosearchthedatabaseandalsotheextentofthatsearch.WindchillandSharePointofferthebestsearchcapabilitybasedupondatabasestructureandcompleteness.TheSCROandshareddrives/local servers support search functions but are limited by database contents and filestructure. Theworkflow support refers to the capabilityof thedatamanagementmethod tosupport user workflow processes, including configuration control and change management.Windchill andSharePointbothhave integralworkflow functions that supportuserprocesses.The final functionevaluated is theanalysis support.This functionrefers toabilityof thedatamanagementmethodtoallowanalysisofdata,generationofreports,and lifecycleanalytics.Windchillisthebestmethodforthisbecauseofthedigitalthreadcreatedbetweenallprojectfilesanddata.SharePointallowssomeanalysis,butitismoredependentontheusercompilingtheinformation.

Table1-DataManagementMethodsAdvantagesandDisadvantages Advantages Disadvantages

MSSharePoint

TeamCollaborationWorkflowsupportDocumentcontrolsEaseofUse

NodigitalthreadLackofstandardizedfilestructureLimitedsearchcapability

PTCWindchill

DigitalthreadTeamcollaborationExpansivedatasearchandanalyticscapabilityWorkflowsupportDocumentcontrols

ImpactsworkflowprocessesSoftwareeducationrequiredDatamigrationandlinkages

SharedDrives &LocalServers

TeamCollaborationDocumentcontrolsEaseofUse

NodigitalthreadLackofstandardizedfilestructureLimitedsearchcapabilityLimitedworkflowsupport

SCROTeamCollaborationDocumentcontrolsInterfacewithsoftwaredevelopmenttools

NodigitalthreadLimitedworkflowsupportLimitedsearchcapability

Paper DocumentControls

NodigitalthreadNoteamcollaborationNosearchcapabilityNoworkflowsupport


15

Table2-ComparisonofDataManagementPractices Team

CollaborationDigitalThread

SourceLibrary

SearchFunctions

WorkflowSupport

AnalysisSupport

MSSharePoint Excellent Poor Excellent Good Excellent Good

PTCWindchill Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent

SharedDrives&LocalServers Good Poor Good Fair Good Fair

SCRO Good Poor Good Fair Good Poor

Paper Poor Poor Poor Poor Poor Poor

Thegradingin

Table 2 used a subjective criteria based upon the knowledge of the individual tools and therequirements to achieve the goals in the columns. As an example, the Search Functionwasevaluatedasfollows:

Excellent assigned to Windchill based upon the multiple search methods inherent in thesoftware. The use of extensive metadata and artifact linkages support multiple searchapproaches.Additionally,theexcellentgradeisattributedtothesinglesourcedatabaseofalllifecycledatawhichallowsmoreextensive searchingofalldata.SearchingcanbecompletedremotelywithaccesstotheWindchilldatabase.

GoodwasassignedtoSharePointbaseduponmultiplesearchmethodsandpotentially linkeddatabases.Agradeofexcellentwasnotawardeddueto lackofextensivemetadata,andthelack of a single source database. Searching may be completed remotely with access to theSharePointdatabase.

Fairwas assigned to SharedDrives/Local Servers& the SCRO. These tools allow searchingoftheirdatabases,buthavelimitedmetadata,andnolinkagestootherdata.Searchingcannotbecompletedremotelyduetoaccessrequirementswithshareddrivesandlocalservers.

PoorwasassignedtoPaperbaseduponthemanualnatureofsearchfunctions,andthetimeintensivenatureofthesesearches.Searchesrequirepersontobeon-sitetoconduct.

FUTUREVIEWOFCERDECELECTRONICPRODUCTDATAMANAGEMENT

CERDECmanagersdesireameanstoleveragecurrentandevolvingtechnologiestoenableusersto better manage and execute their tasks. The data management solution should promotecollaboration, improve efficiency, and increase effectiveness for users of the system. Thesystemshould support technicaldatamanagement, its analysis, andusageacrossallCERDECdirectoratesbyprovidingasystemengineeringcentricapproachtoproductrealizationacrossaproductlifecycle.


16

InterviewswithCERDECmanagementdetailafuturethatsupportsenterprisemanagementofall CERDECproducts throughuseofmodelbasedengineeringandmodelbased support. Theconceptisofadigitalthreadthatallowsanyuserrapidandeasyaccesstoproductengineeringinformation,technicaldata,andprogramfiles.Operationalinformationandfailurereportswillbe linkedbacktotheproduct filesto improve lifecycleanalyses.Change impactanalysisandcostbenefitstudieswillbeimprovedthroughincorporationofallproductdata.

Finally, the ultimate vision includes a US Army wide system that links each command andpromotesforcewidesharingofproductdata.Thissystemwouldallowalluserstocommunicatemoreeffectivelyandsupportlifecyclemanagementofoperationalsystems.Thesystemwouldalso support a possible DoD-wide initiative for data management to promote cross-serviceinformationsharingandproductdevelopment.

Table 3 shows the ability of the current ePDM tools in use at CERDEC to achieve this futureview.ThecurrentCERDECtoolsareshownintherows,andmajorgoalsofPLMarelistedinthecolumns. The goals were selected based on research requirements and their relation toachievingPLM,whichisthefutureviewatCERDEC.Thisgradingusedasubjectivecriteriabasedupon theknowledgeof the individual toolsand the requirements toachieve thegoals in thecolumns.Asanexample,theProducibilityrequirementwasevaluatedasfollows:

ExcellentwasassignedtoWindchillbasedupontheinherentfeaturesofthesoftwareincluding:configuration controls, process management, change management, reporting functions,supportofmodelbasedengineeringanddataexportability.Additionally,theexcellentgradeisattributed to the single source database of all lifecycle datawhich allows complete productinformationtosupportproduction.

Good was assigned to SCRO based upon configuration control, change management, andoperational support. Software can be produced and distributed through defined softwareprocesses.Agradeofexcellentwasnotawardedduetolackofcompleteproductdatabaseandlackoflinkagestootherproductdata.

FairwasassignedtoSharePointandSharedDrives/LocalServers.Thesetoolsrequireuserstoverify configuration management because those controls are not inherent in the tools.Additionally, these tools lack process management tools to support production that areinherentinWindchillandSCRO.

Poorwas assigned to Paper based upon themanual nature of all processes associatedwithproduction.Additionally,papermanagementistimeintensiveandrequirespersonneltobeon-sitetoconduct.

The ultimate goal of ePDM tools is to support PLM. PLM requires managing, control, andanalysisof all dataassociatedwithaproduct.Windchill excellentgradesaredrivenby singlesource library, digital thread, and search functionality that support data analysis to achievePLM.


17

Table3-PLMCapabilityofCERDECePDMTools

IDENTIFICATIONANDANALYSISOFINDUSTRYBESTPRACTICES

OVERVIEW

InterviewswereconductedwithmultipleindustryandDepartmentofDefense(DoD)agencies.Meetingsand/ortelephoneconferenceswereheldwithNavalSurfaceWarfareCenter(NSWC),LockheedMartin,Infinera,NASA,NavalSeaSystemsCommand(NAVSEA),andconsultantswithrelatedexperiencewithePDMattheUSAirForceResearchLabandNAVAIR.Additionally,casestudiespublishedbyPTCwerereviewedforbestpractices.Theresultsoftheinterviewswerecompiledandanalyzed for common themes. In this section, the resultsof the interviewsarepresented. The interviews showed common themes of benefits from ePDM and exposedcommon ideas of ePDM implementation and use. The different methods of ePDM use andimplementation from the interviewsare comparedand contrasted. Finally, the shortfalls andopportunitiesofePDMarediscussed.

BENEFITSOFEPDM

Industryandgovernmentagency interviewsandresearchhighlightedmanypotentialbenefitsof ePDM use. One interview highlighted large time and cost savings through model basedengineering, electronic process support inWindchill, and reuse of models and components.Another interview highlighted that sustainabilitywas not possiblewithout ePDM tools. DataanalysisrequiredestablishmentofthedigitalthreadtorealizePLM.Withoutthedigitalthread,operational support and resource management was only achievable with large teams ofanalysts sorting throughmultiple databases. Incomplete data resulted in suboptimal analysisand poor PLM reports. Model based engineering through Windchill allows reduction in


18

configuration management and administrative staffing, and associated costs. The majorbenefitsofWindchillePDMaresummarizedinTable4.

Table4-BenefitsofWindchillePDMBenefitsofWindchillePDM

Fasterdevelopmenttime Insightintocriticalbusinessprocesses

Increasedproductivity Betterreportingandanalytics

Increaseddesignefficiency Reducedstaffing

Increasedproductquality Productsustainabilityandsupportability

HIGHLIGHTSOFEPDMIMPLEMENTATIONANDUSE

ThehighlightswerecompiledbasedupondataminingoftheDoDandindustryinterviews.Theinterviews contained numerous examples of failed implementation ofWindchill. The failureswere linked to poor communication of system goals, user training issues, and architecturedecisionsthatdidnotsupportfulllifecycleneeds.

Amajor highlight of the interviewswas to establish awell-defined implementation strategy.TheuseofanimplementationpartnerorconsultantwashighlyrecommendedbymostePDMusers. Additionally, the implementation strategy should address all lifecycle needs becauseredefiningarchitectureafterimplementationrequiresextensiveworkandmaynotbepossible.Multiple interviews stressed the importance of reviewing current workflow processes andidentifyingchangesrequiredwhenshiftingtoePDMmethodsintheimplementationstrategy.

Amajor item highlighted in every interview regarding PTCWindchill was the importance ofconfiguring the software vice customizing. Customizations causemajor issueswith long termproductsupport,systemupgrades,anddatabasemigrationcapabilities.UsingCOTSversionofWindchillallowsPTCsoftwareupdatestosupportthirdpartysoftware(Java,MSOffice,CAD)withoutneedforcustomizedsolutions.

Another item stressed wasWindchill user training. Windchill is not identified as being userfriendly.Furthermore,multipleusersidentifiedthatWindchillisanengineeringtoolthatmustbeusedbynon-engineers.Inordertoaddresstheseissuesthetrainingprogrammustaddressmultipleuserclasses.

Securitywasdiscussedduringmost interviews. Themain takeaway fromwas that security isdependentonWindchill serveranduser settings.UseofCloudserviceswasdiscussedduringoneinterviewanditwasnotedthatPTCoffersaDoDcertifiedCloudbasedcomputingsystem.

Finally, itwashighlighted in interviewsthatPLMrequiresmorethan justWindchill.Windchillachieves ePDM, but as discussed earlier ePDM is only the first step in achieving PLM.OthertoolsandsoftwareareneededinordertousethedatainWindchilltoconductPLManalyses.


19

COMPARISONANDCONTRASTOFBESTPRACTICES

Analysis of the interviews showedmany common practices amongst the differentWindchillusers. The majority of interviews emphasized the importance of using a consultant forimplementation.Useof a consultantwas stressed as importantbecausemost industries andgovernmentagenciesdidnothavetheinhouseexpertiserequiredtoimplementanePDMtool.Next themajorityofusersdecided toconfigureWindchill tomaintain theCOTSstatusof thesoftware. Additionally, most users implemented system architecture based on PTCrecommendationsinconjunctionwithDoDandindustrystandards.Anothersimilarityobservedin most interviews was the use of Windchill for all model-based engineering and non-engineeringtasksassociatedwithproductdesignandproduction.Finallythelastareathatwasobserved across multiple users was achieving PLM through Windchill and additional PTCsoftware.

In contrast to the above areas, the interviews recognized success in usingWindchill throughdifferenttechniques.OneindustrywasabletoimplementtheePDMtoolwithaninhouseteamofexperts.ItwarrantsmentioningthatthisagencyinitiallyhadafailedrolloutofWindchillthatresultedinonlyasmallportionofthecompanyutilizingWindchillforaperiodof5years.Thesecond rollout to a companywideWindchill solutionwas achievablewith in house expertiseusingtheteamofpersonnelwhohadpreviouslyusedthesystemfor5years.Thissameagencyused a highly customized version of Windchill with an architecture based on establishedcompany standards. This decision was based upon previous experience with the Windchillsystem,andtheuniqueneedsofthiscompany.Whilethecompanyhashadnumerous issueswithproductsupport,thoseissueshavebeenaddressedviaacloserelationshipwithPTCbuiltover many years of product use. Another area that a single company has diverted fromstandard practice is model-based engineering through Windchill with SharePoint for non-engineering tasks. This unique model was developed to overcome the hesitance of non-engineers to use Windchill. This agency allows development of non-engineering work viaSharePointandthenimportstheproductsintotheWindchillsystemoncetheyarematureandready for distribution. This requires unique process controls to ensure that configurationcontrolismaintained.ThefinalareathatonecompanydifferedinwasachievingPLMthroughWindchill and combination of in-house and third party software. As previously noted PLMrequires more than just an ePDM tool. While PTC offers many products to complementWindchill and achieve PLM, one agency decided to use a combination of in house and thirdpartysoftwaretoaccomplishPLM.ThisrequiredinhouseexpertisetoeffectivelyleveragetheWindchilldatabase.

Table5summarizestheePDMpracticesinuseacrossindustryandDoDagencies.


20

Table5-CommonversusUncommonePDMPracticesCommonePDMPractices UncommonePDMPractices

Useofconsultantforimplementation Inhouseteamforimplementation

ConfiguredWindchilltomaintainCOTS CustomizedWindchill

Architecture based on PTC recommendationswithDoD/Industrystandards

Architecture based on established companystandards

Completemodel-based engineering and non-engineeringthroughWindchill

Model-based engineering through WindchillwithSharePointfornon-engineeringtasks

PLM through Windchill and other PTCsoftware

PLMthroughWindchillandcombinationofin-houseandthirdpartysoftware

SHORTFALLSANDOPPORTUNITIES

IndustryandDoDinterviewsalsoidentifiedcertainshortfallsandopportunitieswithePDM.TheshortfallshighlightthechallengesassociatedwithWindchillimplementationanduse,whiletheopportunitieshighlighttheadvantagesthatWindchillprovidesinbothePDMandinachievingPLM.TheseitemsaresummarizedinTable6.

Table6-ShortfallsandOpportunitiesofWindchillePDMShortfalls Opportunities

Windchill is excellent at engineeringdatamanagementbutnotatPLM

Windchillisexcellentformodel-basedengineering

Windchill is an engineering tool thatmustbeusedbynon-engineers

Windchill database offers ideal start point for ePDMandPLM

Revisions to Windchill architectureafterimplementationarechallenging

PTC offers complimentary products that leverageWindchilldataforPLM

Windchill user interface requirespersonneltraining

CloudbasedWindchillhasbeencertifiedforDoDuse

Cloud based Windchill can potentially reduce costsandexpanduse

LESSONSLEARNEDWITHELECTRONICPRODUCTDATAMANAGEMENT

Lessonslearnedarebasedupontheresearch,interviewsandmeetingsconducted.Thesectionsbelowhighlightthemajor lessons learnedfromothercompaniesandDoDagenciesusingPTCWindchill for ePDM. Meetings and/or telephone conferences were held with Naval SurfaceWarfare Center (NSWC), Lockheed Martin, Infinera, NASA, Naval Sea Systems Command


21

(NAVSEA),andconsultantswithrelatedexperiencewithePDMattheUSAirForceResearchLabandNAVAIR.Finally,casestudiespublishedbyPTCwerereviewedforlessonslearned.

IMPLEMENTATIONSTRATEGY

The most cited lesson learned related to implementing the Windchill ePDM solution. Eachactivity interviewed stressed the importance of a detailed implementation plan. A phasedapproachwas highlighted as away tominimize impact on current operations,while steadilytransitioning into a new paradigm. The implementation strategy should define the dataarchitecturestandardstobeused,asdetailedinthenextsection.Theplanshouldalsoidentifywhatprocesses are impacted (designapprovals, changeorders, reporting requirements, etc.)anddefinehowtheywillbetransitionedtothenewsystem.Theplanshouldalsoanalyzetheimpactonpersonnelworkhabitsandidentifyneededtraining.Theimplementationplanshoulddetail what products, processes, and services will be transitioned based upon animplementationschedule.Theplanshould includeactionableeventstiedtopersonnel,and itshouldaddresstheday-to-dayactivitiesofusers.Finally,theimplementationstrategyrequiresbuy-inandsupportatalllevelswithinthecommand.

Aphasedandtargetedapproachat implementationcanminimize impacts,establishacultureof enthusiasm and support, and allow internal lessons learned to be applied during theimplementation. The implementation and rollout of Windchill should start small to cover asingledepartmentandaselectsetofproducts.TheWindchillsystemshouldthenbeexpandedto cover more products, and then expand to multiple departments. This allows building inhouseexpertisewiththesystemandimplementationprocesses.

The implementationplanmustaccount for requiredchanges inestablishedprocesses (designapproval,changerequests,standardreports.)Windchillcontainsnumerousfeaturestosupportstandard work practices. The shift to using Windchill to manage these processes must becontrolledtominimizeimpactonpersonnelandprojectschedules.TestingmustbecompletedusingactualproductsanduserstoensuretheshifttoWindchillbaseddocumentmanagementsupports the needs and time requirements of CERDEC. Once again a phased and targetedapproachwillbestaccomplishthesechangesandminimizeimpactonorganizationoperations.

User training is required because Windchill is not “user friendly”. The interface can beintimidating tousersnot familiarwithePDMtools, andnon-engineeringusers. Instructor ledtraininghasbeenshowntobemoreeffectivethanself-trainingdoneviaPowerPoint.SuccesshasbeenshownintrainingasmallcoregroupofusersinWindchilltobuildinhouseexpertise.Thisteamcanthenbeusedtoassisttrainingadditionalpersonnel,andtoassist inrollingoutWindchilltootherprojectsanddirectorates.

Implementationshould includeaphase to test theWindchill systemby running throughpre-defined high-level use cases. The use cases should include; product development, changerequests, product approval, report generation, search functions, data export for production,operationusecases,andretirementusecases.ThedeploymentofWindchillshouldbeplannedandconducted inacontrolledmanner.Deploymentphaseshould includetime fordebuggingandrequiredchangesfollowingmorewidespreadusethanexperiencedduringsystemtesting.


22

Finally, implementation of PTC Windchill should be managed and driven by engineers andengineering managers. Due to the technical nature of ePDM, knowledgeable personnel arerequiredtosupervisetheimplementationanduseofthisproduct.Therearemanystakeholdersandrequirements in the implementationanduseofePDM.Thestakeholders’needsmustbeaddressedinthesystemarchitectureandworkprocessesdeveloped.ThemainstakeholderanddrivingforcebehindanyePDMsolutionistheengineeringteam.ThereforetheengineersandengineeringmanagersshouldbetaskedwithleadingtheefforttoimplementandmanagetheWindchillsolution.

Table7summarizestheimplementationlessonslearned.Table7-WindchillImplementationLessonsLearned

Detailed implementation plan with scheduleandactionabletasksassignedtopersonnel

Phased and targeted approach focusing onsingle department and select products thenexpandedtootherprojectsanddepartments

Considerimpactstocurrentworkprocesses Instructor led user training to small group ofdedicatedusers

Solution testing should include high level usecases and deployment phase should includetimefordebugging

Windchill implementation and use must bedriven by engineers and engineeringmanagement

ARCHITECTURESTANDARDIZATION

InordertofullyrealizethepotentialofanyePDMsolution,astandardizedarchitecturemustbedefinedfordatainthesystem.Theadherencetoanacceptedconfigurationmanagementanddatabaseentry is critical tosupport searchandanalysis functions. InterviewswithotherDoDagencies highlighted the need to conform to DoD and MIL-STD requirements. Theserequirements include the use of ASME rules for engineering drawings, MIL-STD for namingconventions, and DoD requirements for the 12 Integrated Product Support (IPS) categories.EmployingconfigurationmanagementstandardsthatarecommonacrosstheArmyandotherDoD agenciesmaximizes the future scalability of the system.While DoD directives andMIL-STD’sprovideaclearbasisforarchitecturestandardization,therearespecificsthatwillneedtobe included in contract requirements to ensure third party products are compatible withorganizationrequirements.

Architecture decisions for Windchill database must address all phases of PLM. Operationalusersandend-of-lifeusecasesneedtobeconsideredwhenestablishingtheinitialarchitecture.Post implementation changes to system architecture to address production, operational,maintenance, or end-of-life needsmay require complete revision of the system architecturewhichwillresultinlargecosts,orreducedsystemusebecausethoseneedsarenotaddressedintheWindchillsystem.

Artifact naming conventions should be based on ASME drawing guidelines and MIL-STDrequirements. DoD, ASME, andMIL-STD requirements also need to be addressed in systemarchitecturetoensurenamingstandardsaredefinedandalignedwithcurrentstandards.The


23

importance of naming and metadata standards cannot be overstated. Consistency in datanaming supports search functionality and is critical to data analysis to support PLM.Additionally,theWindchillarchitectureshouldalignwiththedefined12IPScategories.The12integratedproductsupportcategoriesareidentifiedinAppendixAoftheDoDProductSupportManager(PSM)GuidebookandtheyarefurtherdefinedandexpandeduponintheIntegratedProduct Support (IPS) Element Guidebook. The twelve categories are: Product SupportManagement,DesignInterface,SustainingEngineering,SupplySupport,MaintenancePlanning& Management, Packaging, Handling, Storage & Transportation, Technical Data, SupportEquipment, Training & Training Support, Manpower & Personnel, Facilities & Infrastructure,andComputerResources.

Vendor requirements defined in contracts need to detail specific requirements above andbeyondcitingofMIL-STDandASMEstandards.Thesestandardsallowformultiplemethodsofnamingandprocesses.ContractrequirementsshouldspecifyexactrequirementstobemettoensurecompatibilitywithWindchillarchitectureinplacewithinCERDEC.

CONFIGURATIONVERSUSCUSTOMIZATION

AnotherimportantlessonlearnedspecifictoPTCWindchillistominimizecustomizationsofthesoftware.Theimportanceofconfigurationinsteadofcustomizationwashighlystressedacrossmultiple interviews. Current versions of PTC Windchill allow user configurations to supportorganizational processes and products. The configuring of a Windchill installation allowscontinued product support from the vendor without the need for special considerations.Customization of Windchill products is also possible, but results in adverse conditions.Customizationmeans that the standard vendor product has been altered in such away thatspecial considerations are required when updating the system or migrating data to otherWindchill users.Customization can result inunexpectedmaintenance costs and theneed forconsultants and vendor support to accomplish any changes. Product support of a COTSsoftware is faster, cheaper, and easier than that required of a customized version.Customizationnecessitates specialized technical supportwhich can result inhigher costs andlonger response times for technical repairs. By only configuring the system to meetorganizationneeds,thevendorproductremainsinaCOTSstate.

Additionally,configuringWindchillensureseaseofdatamigrationtootherWindchillsystems,analysis tools,andnewversions.DatamigrationbetweenWindchillversions isensuredwhenusingaCOTSconfiguredversion,butcanbeproblematicinahighlycustomizedversion.COTSconfiguredWindchillworkswithCADsoftwaretomigratemetadataautomatically;thisfeaturecan be greatly impacted by customizations and may prevent some data from migratingcorrectly.WindchillproductupdatesaredesignedforCOTSconfiguredversions.Customizationcan require specialized updates to be created by PTC in order to upgradeWindchill. Thesespecializedupdatescanbeveryexpensiveandmayrequireadditional timewhichcan impactorganizationoperations.Thirdpartysoftware(Java,MSOffice,CAD)oftenrequiresupdatestoWindchilltoensurecompatibility.TheCOTSversionissupportedbyPTCandisasimpleprocessthat can be accomplished with standard software updates. Customization often requires


24

specially tailored updates that can result in lost productivity while creating, or requiremaintainingoutdatedthirdpartysoftware.

EVOLVINGTECHNOLOGIES

Another lessons learned from the interviews was the need to plan for evolving technology.Model-based engineering is becoming the standard in industry and is the future of DoDengineeringaswell.ePDMsupportsmodelbasedengineering.WindchillgoesbeyondstandardePDMand incorporatestheworkprocessandtools tosupportmodel-basedengineering.ThefutureofPLMisthroughtheuseofelectronictoolsanddatamanagement.PTCisanindustryleader in this area, and continues to create PLM software solutions. Windchill datamanagementprovidesthebackbonetomoveintothefutureofPLM.

ItisimportanttonotethatthereiscurrentlynoindustrystandardforePDMorelectronicPLM.However,PTCWindchillandtheirsuiteofsoftwarearguablyofferthebestindustrysolutionforePDM.Whilethereisnosetindustrystandard,thegrowthandwidespreaduseofPTCWindchillalmost guarantees that any future ePDMor PLM softwarewill offer compatibilitywithCOTSWindchillsoftwareandsupportWindchilldatabaseusageand/ormigration.

Therearemanyinitiativesunderwaytoexpandtheuseofmodel-basedengineeringintheDoD.OnesuchDoDinitiativeistheDigitalEngineeringWorkGroup.Thisgroupistaskedtoexploretransitioningtraditionalacquisitionprocessestoadigitalmodel-centricenvironmentbyshiftingtowardsadynamicecosystemthatwouldsupplantdocuments/models.Additionallyitistaskedto develop the digital engineering concept that will be implemented across engineeringfunctionsandsubsequentlywithintheDefenseAcquisitionSystem.

ANALYTICSOFENTERPRISEMANAGEMENT

ThegoalofemployingePDMandachieving increasedanalysiscapabilitiesrequiresmorethanjust entering all of the data intoWindchill. Fully realizing the vision of PLM requires sounddatabase architecture with correct relationships that fully establish the digital thread of allproductfiles.Performinglifecyclecostandperformanceanalysisoftenrequiresadditionaltoolsand software. Windchill establishes the linked database that can be utilized by other PTCsoftwareorthirdpartyvendorstoaccomplishthecomplexanddetailedmodelingandanalysisofproductlifecycleissues.

PLMrequiresvastamountsof coordinateddata inorder toconduct the requiredanalyses toassessproducibility,reliability,sustainability,maintainability,andavailability.ThedatamustbelinkedtoestablishthedigitalthreadthatiscriticaltoorganizingthedatainameaningfulwaythatsupportsPLM.However,a linkeddatabaseisnotenoughtoachievePLM.AsingleePDMtooldoesnotofferallthetoolsrequiredtoconductPLManalyses.

Windchill is a powerful tool that supports the PLM process. However Windchill does notinherently do everything required for complete PLM.Windchill should beused forwhat it isdesignedfor,andnotforcedintotryingto“do-it-all.”Thereisnosilverbulletsoftwareortool


25

thatcanaccomplishPLMfora largescaleorganization.PLMrequiresadditionalsoftwareandtoolstoevaluatethedataintheWindchilldatabaseinordertoeffectivelyassessPLMconcerns.

PTCofferscomplimentarysoftwarethatallowsuseofWindchilldatainordertoconductPLManalyses. The software alone does not achieve PLM. High level analysts are required to usethese tools and interpret the results in a meaningful way. ePDM and PLM software caneffectively reduce low level staffing requirements, but addition of higher level analysts arerequiredtocompletethePLMtasks.

CONCLUSIONSANDRECOMMENDATIONS

TheresearchfocusedoncurrentCERDECdatamanagementtechniques,Windchillfunctionality,andlessonslearned.ThemajortakeawayisthatCERDECisontherightpathwithimplementingePDM tools (Windchill).Windchill is anexcellentePDM tool and is the first step in achievingPLM.Windchill implementation is a challenging process. The implementation plan is vital toensuringsuccess.Windchillisnot“userfriendly”software,andrequirestrainingthatistailoredtodifferentusergroups.Architecturedecisionsduringimplementationarenoteasilychangedoncethesystemisdeployed.Thearchitectureneedstoaddressall lifecyclerequirementsandshould not be product development focused.Windchill customizations should be avoided toensure that product support, and interfaces with third party software can be provided bystandard PTC updates. ePDM is a developing field that has no industry standard. PTC is theindustry leader in ePDM solutions. Future innovations will most likely incorporateWindchillarchitecture into next generation solutions. There is no “silver bullet” to achieve PLM. PLManalysesrequireestablishingthedigitalthreadviaePDM,andthenusingcomplimentarytoolsandsoftwaretoextractandanalyzethedatatosupportPLManalytics.PLMneedstobedrivenbysystemengineers,senioranalysts,andengineeringmanagementduetothetechnicalnatureofthework.PLMservestoinformseniorexecutivemanagementdecisionsthroughbetteruseofproductandprojectdataandanalyses.

In order to successfully implement and use PTC Windchill it is recommended to develop adetailed implementation plan that includes architecture, testing, training, and deploymentrequirements.Theimplementationplanshouldhaveadetailedphasetimelineandassigntasksto individuals to accomplish phase goals. CERDEC should consider partnering or consultingduring implementation to avoid common failures. The use of ePDMneeds to expandwithinCERDECtoremainingdirectoratesusingacontrolled,phasedprocess. It isrecommendedthatCERDEC establish training guidelines and procedures for new users based upon use level. Itmust also determine control and utilization model for Windchill instantiation across theorganizationanddirectorates. It ishighlyrecommendedtoimplementthisusingacentralizedcontrol and decentralized utilization model with a controlling authority board consisting ofrepresentatives from each directorate. CERDEC should also consider establishing lines ofcommunication or involvement in the Digital Engineering Working Group. Finally CERDECshouldconductbriefingswithdirectorateleadsandCECOMontheePDMefforttoobtainbuy-inandpotentiallyidentifypartners.

A-1

APPENDIXA:CERDECEPDMSURVEY–FEBRUARY&MARCH2016

Directorate/Division DateofInterview Notes

I2WD

Deputy 18-Feb-16

ProvidedbackgroundonePDM.Deputymentionedthathehadameetingwiththe

I2WD Division Chiefs and they talked about storage of technical data. Sent an

overviewemailthatheforwardedhisDivisionChiefstopreparethem.

Operations 19-Feb-16

Agreed that I2WD needs a better way to organize and retain data. He gave an

exampleofhowhetransitionedoutofa jobbuthissuccessorsmisplacedthedata

and it's now lost. He suggested that I attend one of the I2WD staff calls with a

coupleof slides to reinforce theneedand capabilitiesofWindchill. He suggested

thatIcallI2WDITPOCtoseeifthere'sawaytohandleclassifieddataonWindchill.

Cyber/Offensive

EWAir/Grnd 19-Feb-16

AlotofinfokeptonSharePoint.ClassifieddatakeptonSIPRversionofSharePoint.

Otherdatakeptonlocalcomputers.PointedoutthatalotofI2WDdataisclassified.

Windchill isn'tmeant for classifieddata so the systemmightbeof limiteduse for

I2WD.

CERDECFlightActivity 19-Feb-16

TheCFAstoresdataonSharePoint,sharedharddrives,andstillhasa lotofpaper

fromolderprojects.WouldbeinterestedingettingademonstrationofWindchill.I

senthimadraftSOPandwillcoordinateavisit.

IntelSys/Proc

Radar/CmbtID 18-Feb-16

Has a release process for paper reports, briefings, etc. Digital data is mostly on

SharePoint-meetingminutes,etc.HesaidI2WDwastalkingaboutaconsolidated

Share Point structure for the Directorate but hasn't been implemented yet. That

would be a place for Project Plans and ProgramReview info. His lab has its own

storagesystemforfielddataandresearchresults-hedidn'tknowiftherewassome

A-2

softwarepackageforthatsystembutwillaskhisbranchchief.

SIGINT/QRD 28-Mar-16

Most of the branch chiefs use SharePoint, however, the FIFF uses another ePDM

system.Hecouldn'trememberthename-hesentanemailtooneofhisfolksand

they responded, "Sir, TROJAN utilizes the ePDM vault through I2WD as described

andalsoSharePointlibrarysites."

Exploitation 19-Feb-16

SharePointforunclassifiedstorage.Theyhaveseveralnetworks-NIPR,SIPR,DREN,

JWICS.There'snoremovablestorage(USB,etc.)intheSCIF.Theyalsostorethings

onshareddrivesintheSCIF.HadnotheardofWindchill.


S&TCD

Deputy 19-Feb-16

OK to call the Div Chiefs. He thinks S&TCD also primarily uses Share Point and

shareddrives. He thoughtheprepared abriefing forVella beforehe retired. He

founditandsentittome.

Antennas/Spectrum

CommNetwork 28-Mar-16TheyhavenoePDManduseSharePointand laptopharddrives to store theirS&T

data.HadneverheardofWindchill.

CyberSecurity

SATCOM

A-3

SEAMS 28-Mar-16

His Architecture Branch uses ArCADIE (Architecture Development and Integration

Environment)fortheirdata. This isanArmy-widearchitecturedatabase. Reports

andbriefingsareonSharePointandlaptopharddrives.AnotherbranchusedATGR

but this was replaced with ArCADIE in the past two years. His modeling and

simulation branch uses the Modesta tool with simulates networks and has a

commondatamodeldatabasetoolassociatedwithitfordatastorage.Thisishosted

on a server in theDCAMSbranch.His CERDECGroundActivity Branch atDix uses

SharePointandlaptopharddrives.Windchillusedinapastjobandthoughtitwas

verygoodforstoringtechnicaldata.IgavehimanoverviewoftheRDECOMplanto

comeupwithalargeePDMfortheRDECs,LCMCs,andASALTcommunitiesandhe

thoughtitwouldbegood.He'sbeenfrustratedafewtimesabouttryingtodatathat

wasgeneratedinthepast.


CP&I

Deputy 18-Feb-16 OKtotalkwiththeCP&IDivisionChiefs

StratInitOffice 2-Mar-16

Officeuses SharePoint formostof their data. They'vediscussed thedata storage

situationwithinCP&I. Mentioned that they'vehad troubleputting theirhandson

information that they've generated in thepast. I suggested thatWindchill canbe

usedformanydifferentkindsofdata.Interestedingettingaquickdemo.Sentan

emailtoarrangeforaquickdemo.

Proto/Int/Test 24-Feb-16

TheCP&IPIFusesWindchillv10.1.They'regoingtoupgradetov10.2thisSummer.

TheirWindchillishighlycustomizedwithaworkflowtailoredtothePIF.Theystore

only their design, CAD, 3D technical data inWC. All their programmatic, budget,

admindataisstoredinSharePointorshareddrives.

Power 22-Mar-16Division uses only SharePoint for storing data. Asked if interested in a demo of

Windchill.Hesaidhe'dthinkaboutit.

MissionCommand

A-4

CompPlatform 19-Feb-16

Share Point is their major data storage vehicle. Aware of the PIF Windchill

instantiation.Engineerstypicallykeepworkinprocessontheirlaptopsandthenput

finalreportsanddataonSharePoint.


NVESD

Deputy 25-Feb-16

Requested that I not talk to each of his Division Chiefs individually. He said that

mostof theirdata (technical,programmatic,etc.) isbeingstoredonshareddrives.

They supposedly don't use Share Point much at NVESD. Asked his Systems

Engineeringguytocontactme.

AirSystems Seeabove.

Countermine Seeabove.

GrndCombat Seeabove.

Model/Sim Seeabove.

Science/Tech Seeabove.

SpecProd/Prot Seeabove.

SystemsEngineering 26-Feb-16

SystemsEngineeringguysaidthatARDECnowusesTARDEC-ACE. Hedoesn'tthink

the RDECOM ePDM will ever happen. NVESD has its own local servers. Shared

workspaces.Heworkswiththeirheadofnetworkingtoensureenoughsecurespace

isavailable.


SED

Deputy 17-Feb-16 OKformetocalltheSEDDivisionChiefs

A-5

Aviation/ForceProtection 17-Feb-16

Theyputa lotofdocumentationonboththeSECandCERDECSharePointportals.

They use the SCRO and R-DIT. They have some systems that require massive

distributions.HeardmentionofWindchillinthepastandisinterested.Invitedhim

togetaquickdemonstrationofWindchill.

SatelliteMgmt 17-Feb-16

Different developers use different systems.GDused a server system called "Clear

Case" where programmers could access a cloud whereas others used dedicated

machines.SaidfinalsoftwarepackagesaresenttotheSCROandfieldingcopiesare

madeattheR-DIT.

TacticalCommunications 17-Feb-16

Software is developed on separate machines. It's "checked out" from central

repository to maintain Configuration Control. When final software is ready for

fielding, a completepackage (software,VDD, SRS,manuals, etc.) is brought to the

SCRO. CopiesofthesoftwarepackagesaredoneattheRDIT. Informedaboutthe

Windchillsystemandhewasinterested.Wetalkedaboutcloudsecurityissues.He

saidthereareblackprogramsusingthecloudverysecurelyandsuccessfully.

BattleCmdSolutions 17-Feb-16

Developmenthappenson thedevelopernetworkon the SECportal. It uses aMS

productcalled"SourceSafe"whichprovidesforfileandconfigurationcontrol. The

coderepositoryisalsoonSS.They'vebeentalkingaboutputtingadevelopersLAN

on the DREN. Amazon gave SED a briefing on cloud storage but there was no

accountability and no assurances of security so it probably won't happen.

MentionedtheR-DITforreplicationandduplicationservicesbutdidn'tmentionthe

SCRO for long-term storage. He noted that SED/SEC needed a better system to

download software to field units. They tried AKO years ago but it became too

crowded.WetalkedaboutWindchill.Hedidn'tseemveryinterested.

A-6

CyberSecurity 18-Feb-16

Commentswere similar to theother SEDDivChiefs. Healso sentmea follow-up

email which read, "Sir, Aswe discussed,we put all the software artifacts such as

sourcecode,projectplan,schedule,designdocuments,etc...toacdandprovideto

theSCROteamwhenreleasingsoftwareforbackuppurpose.Forthedevelopment,

weusesourcecoderepositorysuchassubversionandtheserver is inthelab. For

reimbursable projects, the development environment may be located at the

customersiteand/ordatacenter.Pleaseletmeknowifyouneedanythingelse."

IEWSupport 17-Feb-16

IEW stores some data on Share Point. They use the SCRO (Software Control

Reference Office) for their systems. IEW systems are typically low density so

distribution isn'taproblem. Developmentdone in labsbycontractors.Theyusea

databasecalledMSSSEMtotracksoftwareversionsandfieldingstatus.FortheIEW

lowdensityitems,WCprobablywouldn'tbemuchofabenefit.

B-1

APPENDIXB:RELATEDREFERENCES

GartnerInc.(2009,June).ArmyMaterialCommandProductLifecycleManagementAnalysisofAlternatives(FinalReport).

Kraft,E.(2013).ExpandingtheDigitalThreadtoImpactTotalOwnershipCost[PDFdocument].Retrievedfromhttp://www.nist.gov/el/msid/upload/1Kraft_DigitalThread.pdf

DepartmentofDefense(2016,February).ProductSupportManagersGuidebook.Availableat:https://acc.dau.mil/adl/en-US/440507/file/81611/PSM%20Guidebook%20Update%202016%20%282-24-16%29.pdf

Defense Acquisition University (2011, December). Integrated Product Support ElementGuidebook. Available at: https://acc.dau.mil/adl/en-US/486198/file/74709/IPS_Element_Guidebook_final_Dec%202011.pdf

CIMdataInc.(2012,November).PTCWindchillProgramReview–TransformingHowCompaniesCreateandServiceProducts.

Kultyshev,A.Y.etal.,(2013).TheExperienceofImplementingandUsingtheWindchillProductLifecycleManagementSystemattheEnergyMachineBuildingEnterprise.ThermalEngineering,60(8),pp.559–566.Availableat:http://link.springer.com/10.1134/S0040601513080065.

KarlsruheInstituteofTechnology.(n.d.).ProductLifecycleManagementlecture.Retrievedfromhttp://www.imi.kit.edu/english/209_368.php.

Product Life Cycle Management. (2013). Elements of PLM. Retrieved fromhttp://productlifecyclemanagement.com/productlifecyclemanagement/plm-models.asp.

“ProductLifecycle.”Wikipedia:TheFreeEncyclopedia.WikimediaFoundation,Inc.,3Sep.2016.Web.5Sep.2016.

Documents

Electronic Product Data Management (ePDM) MPTs to Improve … · 2019-08-23 · tasks. The system should support technical data management, its analysis, and usage across all CERDEC