5.3 The Galaxia demo scenario

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5.3 The Galaxia demo scenario

Note 

In the scenario discussed in this section, the PDM system is ENOVIA VPM, the ERP system is SAP R/3, and the engineering release repository is Teamcenter Enterprise. Other equivalent products or solutions could very well have replaced these systems. SAP R/3 is a product of SAP AG. Teamcenter Enterprise, previously known as Metaphase, is a product of UGS PLM Solutions, an EDS company.

The demo showcases the ECR ^[26] process, which manages design-related engineering issues. This process involves many users and sharing of information that exists in multiple systems.

5.3.1 Steps in a typical ECR process

1. A typical ECR can be initiated by a request from the customer, supplier, partner, or just about anyone else involved with the product.

2. The project manager validates the ECR and approves the design change request.

3. The ECR is then sent to the design department to undertake the necessary changes. The engineering manager builds the context for analysis using the given details and approves an action using a PDM system. The action is then transferred to the designer to make the necessary design change.

4. The designer makes the proposed design and then sends the design details to the engineering manager for approval.

5. The engineering manager approves the design and sends it back to the project manager.

6. The project manager then reviews the design change along with his team. He may require additional information from other enterprise systems to make his decision.

7. If the design is approved, it results in an ECO ^[27] process.

This illustrates the general outline of an ECR process. Many businesses have some sort of custom-built application to manage and keep track of their ECRs, while others have a paper-based workflow to manage them. The potential pitfalls in such systems are:

• Long process cycle times

• Lots of paper and loss of valuable knowledge

• Lack of collaboration

• Missing information or lack of the data visibility required to make early decisions

• Information required to carry out the design change resides in multiple systems

• Collaborating and involving the partners and suppliers in the ECR may not be seamless

The demo shows the benefits of an On Demand Workplace using a portal as a single point of personalized interaction with the applications, content, processes, and people.

Table 5-2 shows the users and the applications they have access to.

Table 5-2: Applications and users involved in the scenario

Role	Designer	PM Assistant	PM Manager	Engineering Manager	Purchaser	Supplier	Client
Lotus Notes		X	X	X	X	X	X
Lotus Instant Messaging		X	X	X	X
WebSphere Portal		X	X	X	X	X	X
ePCM		X	X	X	X	X
ENOVIA VPM	X	X	X	X	X
ENOVIA 3d com Navigator	X	X	X	X	X
Teamcenter Enterprise		X	X	X	X
SAP/R3		X	X	X	X

5.3.2 Product mapping for the scenario

Product mapping shows the applications and the part they play in the scenario.

Figure 5-11: Scenario product mapping

The applications involved in the scenario are:

• ePCM— Business Process Manager and federator of enterprise applications

• ENOVIA 3d com Navigator//ENOVIA VPM— A VPDM system that manages the design contents and product definitions

• SAP R/3— Enterprise Resource Planning system

• WebSphere Portal— Unified and personalized workplace

• Lotus Instant Messaging and Web Conferencing— Collaboration through e-meetings and instant messaging

• Lotus Notes— Collaboration and e-mail

• Teamcenter Enterprise— PDM system used as an Engineering Release Repository

Note 

Figure 5-12 was adopted from Figure 5-13 on page 234.

Figure 5-12: Functional architecture

Figure 5-13: Dassault Systemes/IBM PLM architecture chart

Sidebar: CATIA ^[28]

CATIA is the product design solution in the PLM offering from Dassault Systèmes. It allows manufacturers to simulate all of the industrial design processes—from the pre-project phase through detailed design, analysis, simulation, assembly, and maintenance.

CATIA Version 5 is an integrated suite of Computer Aided Design (CAD), Computer Aided Engineering (CAE), and Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) applications for digital product definition and simulation. Modular in design, the CATIA product line adapts to all customer businesses—including style and form design, mechanical design, systems and equipment engineering, managing digital mock-ups, numerical control, simulation, and analysis—using an open and scalable V5 architecture.

5.3.3 Interactions between various applications in the scenario

Figure 5-14: Scenario overview ^[29]

5.3.4 ECR process scenario

The ECR process scenario has four phases, as shown in Figure 5-15 and described beginning with Table 5-3 on page 236.

Phase 1: Identifying the change proposal

1. Exchange with client—The Program Manager receives the client's request for change by e-mail or through an e-meeting. The Program Manager gathers the change proposal details to create an accurate ECR. The details collected may include a general description of the change request, the change priority, the change schedule, the change category, parts affected, and reference drawings.

   The Program Manager uses Lotus Instant Messaging Portlet to schedule e-meetings and Lotus Notes Mail Portlet to access e-mails.

2. Create an ECR—A Program Manager Assistant creates an ECR in ePCM by filling in the ECR details collected in the previous step. The Program Manger Assistant belongs to a role called Requestor. Any person belonging to the Requestor role can create an ECR. After creating the ECR, the Program Manager is notified via e-mail that a new ECR was filed and awaits his approval.

   Here access integration to multiple applications through the use of portlets is demonstrated.

3. Approve ECR—The Program Manager uses the Portal e-mail portlet to check his mail. The Program Manager verifies and validates the ECR filed in the previous step by browsing his worklist in the ePCM portlet. The Program Manager bases his decision to accept or reject the ECR based on information filed in the previous activity and coming from legacy applications. On approval, the ePCM ECR workflow triggers an equivalent workflow in ENOVIA VPM.

   This step demonstrates application integration using ePCM and WebSphere Business Integration framework.

Figure 5-15: Scenario phases

Figure 5-16: Create an ECR

Phase 2: Change Impact Analysis—Engineering

4. Engineering Manager—The ePCM ECR initiates an action flow in ENOVIA VPM. The Engineering Manager uses ENOVIA 3d com Navigator to access ENOVIA VPM and build a context for analysis. He attaches the relevant part, product structure, and drawings and approves the action. ENOVIA 3d com Navigator provides Web access of ENOVIA VPM data so that the manager can visualize affected part drawings and product structure.

   Action is automatically transferred to the Designer in ENOVIA VPM.

   This step demonstrates Web-based access to engineering data through an ENOVIA 3d com Navigator portlet.

5. Designer—Creates design proposal using native CAD applications and approves action.

   Action is automatically transferred to the Engineering Manager.

6. Engineering Manager—The Manager views the design changes via 3Dcom and approves the design proposal by completing the action.

   A trigger is sent to e-PCM to move on with the workflow in ePCM.

Figure 5-17: Change impact analysis—Engineering

Phase 2: Change Impact Analysis—Finance

7. Purchaser—Following ECR approval, ePCM sends ECR details to the purchaser for financial approval. The purchaser receives budget information for the change from SAP and sends a request to the supplier to get time and cost information.

   The ECR is automatically pushed to the supplier's worklist.

   This step demonstrates application integration capability with an ERP system.

8. Supplier—The change may be related to a part provided by a supplier. The supplier is notified of the change request. The supplier provides its information and approves the ECR.

   The ECR is automatically pushed to the Program Manager Assistant's worklist.

   This step demonstrates the inclusion of the extended enterprise in the ECR process.

Figure 5-18: Change impact analysis—Finance

Phase 2: Change Impact Analysis—Approval

9. Project Manager Assistant—The change may be related to a part supplied by a supplier. The supplier is notified about the change request. The supplier provides its information and approves the ECR.

   The ECR is automatically pushed to the Program Manager Assistant's worklist.

   This step demonstrates the inclusion of the extended enterprise in the ECR process.

10. Project Manager—The Project Manager has a meeting with the committee to review the change (designer + supplier). The Program Manager uses the Lotus Instant Messaging portlet to conduct the review meeting.

11. Project manager—Based on satisfactory results of the review meeting, the Project Manager gives final approval for the proposed change and releases the ECR. The ECR process automatically triggers the ECO process in ePCM.

    An ECO is automatically created when the ECR is released.

    This step demonstrates inter-process communication using ePCM.

Figure 5-19: Change impact analysis—Approval

Phase 3: Executing the change

12. Committee—Using Lotus Instant Messaging, the Committee discusses the plan for the ECO

13. Project Manager—Approves the ECO creation

14. Engineering, Manufacturing, Purchasing, Methods—Receive notification to perform the change, perform appropriate changes, and approve the change request.

15. Project Manager Assistant—Receives data and approvals from different groups

Phase 4: Final review and release

16. Committee and Client—Review the change in DMU

17. Project Manager—Approves ECO creation and forwards ECO details to Teamcenter Enterprise.

    Teamcenter Enterprise integration is not demonstrated in this scenario.

^[26]Engineering Change Request

^[27]Engineering Change Order

^[28]http://www.3ds.com/en/brands/catia_ipf.asp

^[29]Metaphase is now known as Teamcenter Enterprise

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