- SAP Managed Tags
The future will be shaped by those who effectively integrate design and supply chains. Seamless Integration and collaboration are not just choices but the cornerstones of success in the evolving landscape.
Introduction:
While writing this blog, I am in the SAP services team responsible for North America's PLM integration services & Business development. The views expressed are per my experience working with customers in various industry types like Aerospace & Defense, Hi-tech, Medical/Pharma, Space launch, Automotive, etc.
There is already a considerable amount of valuable information from my colleagues on SAP PLM System Integration (PLMSI) solutions, e.g., videos, blogs like here (new features for the release), or here (architecture principles). This blog will briefly overview the PLMSI product, focusing primarily on its key capabilities that drive innovation and efficiency for our customers.
My primary intent in this blog is to educate you and save you from the pitfalls of custom PLM-SAP product offerings.
Topics covered in this blog:
- Overview of PLMSI
- Architecture
- Key Capabilities – with examples
- Best Practices
- Myth buster
- Key message – Differentiator
- Helpful links
1. Overview:
SAP PLMSI is a standard integration solution that connects an external PLM system (Like Siemens Teamcenter, PTC Windchill, 3DX Dassault, or AutoDesk Vault) to SAP for seamless Design to Operate processes, eliminating data silos and increased efficiency.
I want to stress the word "Standard" again, as it is critical to understand its impact & value before any deep dives. As an out-of-the-box (OOTB) solution, it enables synergy between SAP and external PLM systems to enable efficient product data flows and ease collaboration.
Simply put, it saves time and money for your project and Business! Gone are the days of expensive and time-consuming custom PLM-SAP integrations. Not to mention, all the custom PLM add-ons or Project-specific solutions are based on older tech, like RFC calls. They are also not ready for the next-gen SAP business transformations, whether for SAP ECC to S/4 transformations (Private or Public cloud) or even Business AI (what is AI? I never heard the word before 😊).
2. Architecture:
PLMSI is neither a static point-to-point nor a traditional multi-point architecture, which leads to high TCO and deprives customers of quickly adopting the latest innovations, which is a fundamental problem of staying behind.
At SAP, the strategy used for PLMSI is bound to Process level integration- as you conduct different processes in the PLM system, depending on the maturity of data, it will be sent like processes of NPI or Change Management, ultimately driving process & operational efficiency.
As mentioned in the introduction section, I will not focus this blog on architecture; instead, a high-level overview. For those interested in the architecture details, kindly refer to the product site here or blog here.
3. Key Capabilities:
PLM system integration embeds all dimensions of the "Digital Product " from product Eng., Manufacturing engineering, or even Master Data Governance (MDG). Let me help you Zoom into some key master data that makes this OOTB integration unique.
You can refer to the list of supported object entities on the product site here.
OOTB Configuration control:
Installing the PLMSI component will enable a robust configuration control to manage various settings, including 1:1 mapping, default settings, and even rule-based conversion options.
No single integration product in the market lets you do that, OOTB!
Let me split the PLMSI-supported business capabilities into two categories:
3a. Foundational Master Data:
Fundamentally, there are specific master data that are critical for the product design, and handover to the downstream ERP system (SAP) is vital for enrichment/or consumption. For example, Material Master & Product Structure (BOM).
To understand the power of SAP PLMSI, let us look at the integration transfer and an example of the underlying SAP PLMSI configuration control power.
Material Master (MM):
- SAP Material master is represented by different names in an external PLM system, e.g., "Product Version" in Siemens Teamcenter & "WTPart" in PTC windchill.
- In the SAP ERP system, the Material master is more than just an engineering part; it's a financial object holding key information driving different processes around it like warehouse management, Material Requirement Planning, or accounting.
MM transfer example: Below, you see an example of two kinds of attributes:
- Mapped 1:1, highlighted(yellow) are attributes mapped from the PLM system (e.g., Siemens Teamcenter) to SAP
- Defaulted in SAP, highlighted(blue) are attributes controlled in SAP (Via SAP PLMSI configuration). This does not require any development of the PLM system. Having control of these within SAP is critical specially for master data governance (MDG Link here).
- Type and Material Master views, both the type of material (Finish Product- point 6 in screen below) and various views (Basic Data, Storage – Point 8 in screen below).
Product Structure (Bill of Material-BOM):
- SAP Bill of Material (BOM) is represented by different names in an external PLM system, e.g., it's called "Structure Version" in Siemens Teamcenter & "WTStructure" in PTC windchill.
- In most straightforward words, a BOM is a list of components and materials required to make a product. BOMs are used in the SAP Production Planning module and other downstream SAP modules.
BOM transfer example: Refer to the below system screenshot
- Both Header and component attributes are mapped in default SAP PLMSI configuration as a 1:1 Mapping
- All the key features of BOM can be transferred, may it be BOM-specific component attributes like Production relevancy indicator, Reference designators, Substitutes, or Validity control (both Date and Model Unit Effectivity are supported)
The same concept applies to other foundational data. For examples:
Document Transfer:
Change control: Bi-directional support!
3b. Manufacturing Master Data:
Let's now see some of the Manufacturing relevant Master data needed in the downstream production planning areas. PLMSI supports both classic & version-controlled Master data. I will use the SAP MES system called Product Engineering and Operations (PEO) for this blog (product link here), which is focused on version-controlled data.
P.S. You do not have to have PEO for PLMSI
PLMSI enables seamless Integration into manufacturing areas through its OOTB capabilities. Below is a typical process flow needed for a complex assembly.
Transfer Example:
This example shows change Record and Routing-It's called the Bill of Process in Siemens Teamcenter and Process Plan in PTC Windchill.
The above system screenshot(Pic 07b) shows an example of manufacturing master data transferred to SAP via OOTB PLMSI involving a change packet with MBOM and routing.
From: PLM system | To: SAP S/4 | Relevancy |
Change Packet (MCN) | Change Record | It acts as a glue to hold all the key information together. One-stop shop for needed data and validity control. It also has a bi-directional support capability. |
Production BOM | M-BOM | Plant-relevant BOM linked to a process plan |
Bill of Process | Routing (via PEO Snapshot) | Production Planning-master data holding key information like Operations, work instructions, Inspection characteristics, PRTs, components consumed, etc. |
Supported objects:
Below is the total list of business entities supported by OOTB. SAP is invested in this & continuously releases more features. Refer to the roadmap.
Impressive, right? 😊
Takeaway for Key-Capabilities:
- PLMSI decouples the logic from the PLM system to that of SAP, meaning the system owning attributes controls its logic.
- It does not require any development on the interface to enable the non-PLM-owned attributes on SAP. This is traditionally different than any custom PLM-integration product in the market! A measure of high TCO on the customer.
- All dimensions of a digital product are supported by OOTB, ranging from Product Engineering to Manufacturing Master data.
4. Best Practice:
- Understand the objective - Always start with a clear understanding of business transformation strategy from key stakeholders. This lays the foundation for North Star Vision.
- Define clear goals and scope - At the end of the discovery phase, the most critical artifact is the attribute mapping file. This should be clearly documented for each in-scope item, laying the foundation for the to-be-built design.
- Data Quality – The customer should be very active in data for development or testing phases from the beginning. This is one of the primary culprits causing re-do of work.
- Project Team – This is a niche area; always ask about the team's project experience. I was called into numerous projects that were complicated due to the project team's lack of expertise.
5. Myth-Buster:
The table below captures lists of some of the most common myths & reality about PLMSI Integration.
6. Key message & Differentiator
- Infinite Process Integration – To enable a rapid time to market, processes need to be re-imagined end to end. Integration is no longer a limiting factor in developing more innovative processes within or outside the enterprise.
- Reduce Cost of Ownership – With an OOTB or simple-to-configure approach, the new Integration enables much less configuration effort and offers reduced complexity to support
- Flexibility – Enable processes, data models, and software versions to change without affecting the Integration by introducing the meta domain model abstraction layer between the integration components.
- Cloud Transformation - A technical architecture that supports any deployment model On-Prem, in the cloud, or even in Hybrid Scenarios, with a simple transition between models to allow transformation with significant reinvestment.
- Strategic – SAP is dedicated to develop more capabilities our customers need.
- Choice - With process flexibility and simple transformation, the new Integration enables a customer to choose where processes are executed and where Master Data should reside for the Company's overall benefit.
7. Helpful information:
PLMSI is an SAP product, and below are a few valuable pieces of information
Reach out to your SAP contact to learn more. Contact me for support in your current or future transformation project. To finish, I want to thank SAP's excellent Product development team for their sincerity and swift resolution of any deployment matters in current or past projects.
Comments or questions are welcome. Thanks for reading my blog. I hope this is worth your time!
| User | Count |
|---|---|
| 7 | |
| 5 | |
| 5 | |
| 4 | |
| 4 | |
| 4 | |
| 3 | |
| 2 | |
| 2 | |
| 2 |
