Research was commissioned by the Aerospace & Defense PLM Action Group in collaboration with Eurostep and other leading PLM solution providers.
CIMdata, Inc., the leading global PLM strategic management consulting and research firm announces the publication of a new eBook that summarizes the results of a multi-sponsor collaborative research program and highlights Eurostep’s perspective on the topic of digital threads. The CIMdata-administered Aerospace & Defense PLM Action Group commissioned the research in collaboration with Eurostep and four other leading PLM solution providers.
The concept of linking multiple representations of a product, each tuned to the needs of various creators and consumers along the lifecycle, is very powerful. Until recently, tracing these linkages has been primarily a manual process. But now, with recent advances in commercial PLM solutions, the digital thread, with automated linkages and traceability, has become a practical possibility.
Leaders in the Aerospace & Defense industry are starting to implement targeted digital thread solutions and envision expanding these solutions upstream and downstream throughout the product lifecycle. There is not much available historically in the way of lessons learned or actual value achieved, which represents a barrier to broader investments from within industry. The shared objective of this research was to gain understanding of needs and opportunities within industry that will inform digital thread solution strategy, roadmap planning, and guide industrial implementations.
The research findings clearly indicate that digital thread investment within the ecosystem of industrial users, their customers, suppliers, and solution providers is poised for rapid growth. Initial implementations of targeted digital thread solutions have provided proof points of value and essential learnings. Now rounds of investment are ramping up, guided by these early achievements and with expectations driven by the value potential revealed.
“The concept of the digital thread has been at the core of Eurostep's endeavors for over two decades, even before the term gained widespread recognition. We are delighted to witness the outcomes of CIMdata’s survey, highlighting the growing importance of this concept. Emphasizing lifecycle management, traceability, and collaboration, our standards-based software ShareAspace embodies the essence of the digital thread,” said Mr. Rob Bodington, Technical Fellow, Eurostep.
According to Mr. James Roche, CIMdata’s Aerospace & Defense Practice Director, “We know that investment in digital thread today is real and substantial, and the level of investment will continue to rise. That reality positions digital thread as an emerging strategic opportunity within the PLM ecosystem. Investing effectively in solution development as a software provider or solution implementation as an industrial user requires insight into current state enablers, barriers, and future investment drivers.”
To download a complimentary copy of the Eurostep eBook, visit www.CIMdata.com.