On Nov. 30 PTC detailed Windchill 11, the newest version of its product lifecycle management software, and the first to bridge the digital world and the physical world using Internet of Things technology.
“Products that once operated in isolation are now part of a connected ecosystem with extended interdependencies. PTC Windchill 11 is the solution for companies that are looking for improved and closed-loop product lifecycle management to thrive in this new era,” said Brian Shepherd, executive VP of PLM.
Kevin Wrenn, GM of PTC’s PLM segment, talked about three breakthroughs central to the new capabilities in Windchill 11. It includes role-based apps built with ThingWorx, which allow the user to mash up data from different equipment and make it more accessible to viewers including non-core or non-expert PLC users. ThingWorx also enables data to be used from either inside Windchill or from other systems. The new, simpler user interface is also designed to be easily accessible by the average user.
Updates to the user experience can now be introduced asynchronously through back-end updates through Windchill.
Wrenn said that the primary use case for Windchill from a product development standpoint seems to be connected quality – being able to understand what’s happening to the equipment that a company has deployed. Windchill 11 helps collect that data and take corrective actions, and can display live operating data as well as quality data at the same time.
PTC expected to be able to expand this into the relationship between PTC and their clients as well: live updates from devices in the field could assist in technical support and optimization.
Other new features in Windchill 11 include a search function for both all business attributes and a proprietary product classification scheme. In the earlier version, these were offered separately. The Bill-of-Materials transformation process has also been improved.
Windchill 11 brings “smart” technology to PTC’s product lifecycle management tools and is appropriate for businesses of various sizes and across various industries.
“At Lifetime we are very proud of our products and the impact they have on people’s lives. PTC Windchill helps us move these products rapidly from concept to production with standard processes and strong team collaboration,” said Dave Winter, executive vice president engineering and manufacturing, Lifetime Products, Inc., in a press release.
Winchill 11 was formally announced at LiveWorx 2015 in Stuttgart, Germany.
Filed Under: Rapid prototyping