Product Data management revision

Definition - Product Data management is an information system used to manage the data for a product as it passes from design to manufacture.

Advantages:

• It centralises all data related to the design, including CAD files, materials and change histories.

• It improves communication and collaboration between all aspects of the product’s design team, from engineers, manufacturers and designers.

• It reduces the risks of errors and confusion because all versions of the project are kept up to date.

• It improves tracability and quality assurance as all areas of the production is accounted for.

• It enhances efficiency and reduces administrative workloads through file naming, organisation, storage and approval processes, ensuring more time is dedication to the product’s innovation and creation rather than the logistics of the communications between teams.

Disadvantages:

• It can be costly to establish and time consuming.

• It can be disruptive to the originsl workflow and cause delays as it is time consuming.

• The system may require more team training because certain employees may not be familiar with the system’s process and functions.

• By having a digital footprint of the product’s production, it may pose more of a risk to the project’s security during the early designing stages, meaning that it is potentially more likely that it could be compromised.