BostonLogix, Inc. Product Information (A single source of the truth) IFT 2009

BostonLogix, Inc.

Product Information (A single source of the truth)

IFT 2009

Agenda

• Introduction

• Evolution of Process PLM

• The Challenge – Documents and Data

• The “Whole Solution”

• BLX Publisher

• Questions

Introduction• Craig Piekarz - BostonLogix

– 22 Years Designing & Building software solutions for Process Manufacturers • Chemical, Pharmaceutical, Food & Beverage,

Consumer Packaged Goods

• Process ERP Design & Development– Datalogix / Oracle – GEMMS / OPM - Oracle Process

Manufacturing

• Process PLM Design & Development– Formation Systems/ Infor – Optiva PLM

• BostonLogix– Integrating & Interfacing Enterprise Solutions– Building the missing pieces

What is PLM?

• Product Lifecycle Management– The Management of Product information

throughout the Entire product lifecycle from concept through obsolescence

Product Lifecycle ManagementProduct Information FlowBusiness Processes / Ad-Hoc Applications

(Everyone Else)

PLM Application(R&D)

R&D ResearchNew Technology

(Lab Notebooks)

R&D Request

Formula / Product Development

Regulatory

TestingLabeling

ERP Application(Manufacturing)

Manufacturing

Scale-UpProduction

Sales & Distribution

Packaging

Marketing

Concepts / IdeasMarket Trends

Customers/Consumers

Suppliers / Vendors

Customer Service

Customer Feedback

Evolution of Process PLM

• PDM Initiatives fail– Don’t address question: “What’s in it for me?”

• “Niche” applications in NPD&I category– Formulation Tools (Flavor, Fragrance, Color)– Document Management applications– Specification Management applications

• PLM (Product Lifecycle Mgt.) Emerges– Discrete PLM has many CAD-based options– Process PLM is still evolving

Evolution of Process PLM• Formulation & Recipe Mgt Tools expand

– Optiva – Formation Sys. (acquired by Infor)– DevEx – Selerant– . . .

• Enterprise Application Vendors extend– Oracle – PLM for Process / Prodika– SAP – Process PLM– . . .

• Platform Players seek vertical depth– Matrix One – PLM– Siemens/UGX – Teamcenter– . . .

The Challenge – Documents and Data • Product information is a combination of:

– Highly structured data– Documents, Files and Unstructured data

• Commercial PLM applications alone do not handle the unstructured information

• Document Management / Platform applications alone do not have critical PLM capabilities

• Critical Product Lifecycle information includes feedback from ERP system

PRODUCT

Bulk Formulated Product

SKU – 001Packaged Product

All ApprovedContext:End UsesEnd UsersMfg. Locns.

Etc.

Formula Process

Intermediate(Formulated)

SpecificContext 1:

End UsesEnd UsersMfg. Locns.

Etc.

Package BOM

Packaging Process


SpecificContext 2:


Etc.

Package BOM

Packaging Process


SpecificContext 3:


Etc.

Package BOM

Packaging Process

Formula Process

Intermediate(Formulated)

Formula Process

Product Object with Unstructured Data

The “Whole Solution”

• A Whole Process PLM Solution is a tightly integrated combination of:– A robust commercial PLM application– A Process ERP application– A Document/File Management System

The BLX Publisher provides:

“A Comprehensive Approach to Managing Product Information (Data, Documents and Files) throughout the Product Lifecycle”

BLX

Publisher

BL

X-P

ub

lish

er

Document Management - (Microsoft Sharepoint, e.g.)

PLMDatabase

Library

Ingred Specs

PLM Application

XMLRpt 1

Library

ProductSpecs

Working / ValidationXML Files

File Attachments

Form

Test Request

Form

‘Publish Function’(Workflows)

XML

Lists(for Tabular Information, Searching and Cross Referencing)

Alert / Notification

Interactive Publishing

Form

ERP Application

Library

Batch Certs

Library

LotCOAs

XML

‘Publish Function’(Workflows)

Import / ChangeObject

Import / ChangeObject

ERPDatabase

XML Converter

XML Importer & Updater

Rpt 1

Interactive Publishing

Form

XML

File Watcher

Product Request

Form

Met

adat

a

Met

adat

a

Image

The BLX Publisher• Configurable Middleware between

– PLM, ERP & Document Management applications

• Automates– Publishing Documents from Data Sources

– Data Transformation (XML)

– Document Version Control

– Metadata loading (for robust searching)

– Logical Linking of Documents/Files to Data Objects

• Enables native Doc Management capabilities– Notifications (for subscribers)

– Business Process Workflows

– Role based Collaboration

Questions ??

• Contact:

Craig Piekarz

BostonLogix, Inc.

Phone: (508)272-9036

[email protected]

• Thank you for your time!