How is Autodesk Fusion 360 Manage Integrated with Upchain?
/How is Autodesk Fusion 360 Manage Integrated with Upchain?
Earlier this month we launched PLMConnect. Since then we’ve been working with Autodesk partners and started our “show and tell” activities. The reception has been fantastic and you can learn more about the connector on the PLMConnect product page or check out demo video.
As part of our briefings and demonstration to partners in the Autodesk community, we talk about how there are no downloads to support the integration. Literally, there is no code to install and setup. Invariably, we are peppered with the question “well, how do you do that?”
We designed the integration to take advantage of webhooks combined with encapsulated workflow processes that are modeled in the “middleware” component of PLMConnect.
In brief, webhooks allow web-based applications to automatically communicate with other web-based applications. The cool thing about webhooks is they can be activated based on predefined events that occur within an application. Upon activation, a signal is transmitted to a pre-configured endpoint. For example, if during an engineering change (EC) process, the “release” stage is reached (event), then the webhook transfers the information about the EC to an endpoint.
In the above example, that endpoint is the core of PLMConnect. It is referred to as Nexus. Nexus “wakes up” and activates a series of what are called “transaction templates.” The templates are encapsulated workflow processes that model common engineering/manufacturing data exchange processes such as part/BOM (bill of material) release, document release, change process creation and activation, approved supplier synchronization, inventory level checks, and many more.
REST (REpresentational State Transfer) APIs are an essential component of this architecture and enable the exchange of data between the various end-points. APIs support what are referred to as Create, Read, Update, and Delete (CRUD) data operations.
So, going back to the question of “how do you do that?” Webhook events in both Fusion 360 Manage and Upchain are the catalyst to exchanging data. These webhooks are embedded at the various workflow stages within both applications. As a result, the integration is ultimately based on the synchronization of workflow operations between Fusion 360 Manage and Upchain. All the processing of data and the bookkeeping required to transfer a BOM structure, create a corresponding change process, etc. are handled by the transaction templates of Nexus.
The industry is moving towards a software-as-a-service (SaaS) infrastructure. Fusion 360 Manage, Upchain and the core of PLMConnect, Nexus, are all SaaS solutions leveraging REST APIs. The benefit of course is that updates occur in the background and are non-disruptive to the existing processes. And by combining abstraction of the various processes to the middleware, no-code integrations can be established. PLMConnect truly embraces this next-generation approach to connectivity and we’re thrilled to be providing a solution that seamlessly connects Fusion 360 Manage with Upchain resulting in a best in class PLM offering!