Introduction to Practical PLM

Product Lifecycle Management (PLM)

Hello from your hosts Luke & John!

About Us

Luke’s background is mechanical engineering and he currently is a project engineer in the fluid systems space, typically working with analytical instrumentation, gas distribution and other bespoke products. His responsibilities include managing design projects and ensuring products meet client requirements.

John’s background is also mechanical engineering and currently is a senior mechanical design engineer. John works in a fluid transfer and fluid power business. His responsibilities include designing, maintaining, servicing products and managing the PLM software for the company.

Our Journey

Though we had different paths, a common trigger brought us to working with a PLM approach: reading Michael Grieves’ first book, “Product Lifecycle Management: Driving the Next Generation of Lean Thinking” (2005). This inspired Luke to promote and improve processes within his workplace, aligning them with a PLM framework. It also motivated John to introduce PLM in his company, focusing on implementing the necessary software, processes, and team collaboration.

Birth of the Channel

The idea for this channel was born in 2024 when we purchased Michael Grieves’ second book, “Virtually Perfect: Driving Innovative and Lean Products Through Product Lifecycle Management” (2011). To help each other apply the principles at work, we decided to read two chapters a month and record a video podcast discussing the key points that stood out to us. On 16th April 2024, we registered practicalplm.com and shortly after, created this Substack.

Our Mission

We hope this channel inspires you on your PLM journey as it does for us.

Core Concepts of PLM

For those just starting or new to PLM, here are a few points to get you going:

• Definition:

  • Product lifecycle management (PLM) is an integrated, information-driven approach comprised of people, processes/practices, and technology to all aspects of a product’s life and its environment, from its design through manufacture, deployment and maintenance—culminating in the product’s removal from service and final disposal.

• Drivers:

  • External: scale, complexity, cycle times, globalisation, regulatory and legal compliance

  • Internal: productivity, innovation, collaboration, quality

• Concepts:

  • We trade information for wasted time, energy and materials

  • We trade bits for atoms; doing as much as we can virtually before building physically

  • We want to increase efficiency and innovation

• Product lifecycle

  • Create

  • Build

  • Service

  • Dispose

• PLM model:

  • Requirements & analysis planning

  • Concept engineering & prototyping

  • Product engineering

  • Manufacturing engineering

  • Manufacturing & production

  • Sales & distribution

  • Maintenance & repair

  • Disposal & recycle

Please note that the thoughts shared on this channel are our own and do not represent the views of the companies we work for.