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Autodesk introduces cloud-based PLM offering at Autodesk University 2011

Autodesk previewed a new solution designed to transform how manufacturers manage the entire life cycle of a product – from its conception, through design and manufacture, partner and supplier management, procurement, quality, compliance, service and more – at its Autodesk University 2011 conference in Las Vegas at the end of November.

Autodesk is tapping into the cloud to deliver a new approach to product life cycle management (PLM), which enables companies to capture and manage product information and processes to continuously improve the products they manufacture.

“Autodesk 360 for PLM will enable customers of all sizes to achieve the full promise of PLM with a scalable, configurable and intuitive solution. We believe it will help our customers achieve a measurable competitive advantage through better, more accessible collaboration and business information management,” the company said.

Autodesk’s new PLM offering, which is expected to be available in early 2012, is part of Autodesk 360 – a set of solutions developed to streamline product and project business processes. Autodesk 360 for PLM is for companies of all sizes, from small companies eager to deploy PLM for the first time to large enterprises that have become disenchanted by PLM, due to the complexities and high costs associated with traditional PLM implementations.

“Our approach to PLM is a sharp contrast to the decades old technology in the market today,” said Robert “Buzz” Kross, senior vice-president, Manufacturing Industry Group, at Autodesk. “Autodesk 360 for PLM will enable customers of all sizes to achieve the full promise of PLM with a scalable, configurable and intuitive solution. We believe it will help our customers achieve a measurable competitive advantage through better, more accessible collaboration and business information management.”

Building upon the company’s leadership with cloud-based solutions, Autodesk 360 for PLM is geared for manufacturers that need to manage business processes throughout the entire life cycle of a product – from the earliest concept to retirement. Autodesk 360 for PLM will comprise:

• Autodesk 360 Nexus – Autodesk 360 Nexus is a new, cloud-based solution that will anchor Autodesk 360 for PLM with affordable, easy-to-use and simple-to-deploy software as a service that helps make the benefits of PLM business applications available to users anytime, anywhere – with less cost and risk, the company explained.

• Autodesk Vault – Currently available, Autodesk Vault provides on-premise product data management software that enables engineering workgroups to organize, manage and track their entire designs, engineering bills-of-materials and change processes. Autodesk Vault will work seamlessly with the Autodesk 360 Nexus.

• Autodesk Buzzsaw – Enabled by Autodesk Cloud, Buzzsaw’s cloud-based supplier collaboration allows customers to securely exchange designs and documents with external partners and distributed teams, regardless of their location. Autodesk Buzzsaw Mobile ensures that users have the most up to date information, wherever it’s needed.

Now in its 19th year, Autodesk University is the annual series of Autodesk user conferences, including the flagship Autodesk University event in Las Vegas and associated virtual offerings online. More than 8,000 attendees from 80 countries attended this year’s conference at the Venetian in Las Vegas.

For a recap of Manufacturing AUTOMATION editor Mary Del Ciancio’s live tweets from the event, click here.

For more information about Autodesk, visit www.autodesk.com.