Canvas Envision: Perspective and Confessions of a Recovering Plant Manager

Canvas Envision: Perspective and Confessions of a Recovering Plant Manager

I’m writing this blog as a former plant manager for an automotive supplier.  I spent 30 years in the auto industry with my last 5 years running a manufacturing facility in Mexico.  As I’m sure you are all aware, product quality is NOT an option in the auto industry.  It is a must.  Suppliers are on the hook for years after their products are shipped to the OEM.  

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Discover the CM2 Difference in PLM with IpX and vdR

Discover the CM2 Difference in PLM with IpX and vdR

vdR Group is thrilled to be participating in the International CM2 Congress, hosted by our partner, IpX. The multiple one-hour sessions explore the seamless integration of CM2 best practices across leading PLM platforms including Aras Innovator. Ben Desmarais, Senior Manager of Aras Services at the vdR Group, will be guiding the the demo portions of these session.

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Autodesk Revit Integration with Aras Innovator - Japanese Version

This video presentation provides an overview of vdR’s Integration between Autodesk Revit and Aras Innovator. This Revit to Aras integration highlights the various triggers and transaction templates available in the integration and illustrates the powerful business use case for pursuing tighter BIM and PLM integration.

This presentation has Japanese narration over English slides. A full English language version of the presentation will be available soon.

To learn more about Revit and Autodesk’s Suite of Industry solutions visit: https://www.autodesk.com/industry

New Demo of our Nexus Integration Between Aras and D365

Nexus Demo of a PLM to ERP Integration Between Aras Innovator and Microsoft Dynamics 365

Nexus Integration Profile

Application Connectors

  • Primary - Aras Innovator

  • Secondary - Microsoft Dynamics 365 (D365)

Transaction Templates

  • Release PLM Part/Assembly to ERP

  • Retrieve ERP Data for a Part in PLM

Case Study - Innovation Through Connectivity in the Energy Industry

Company Background

Caltex Oil Tools is a product and services company with over 30 years of experience in the on-shore and offshore oil and gas industry. Recently, however, the company underwent an ownership and leadership change that led to a strategic shift toward a focus on highly specialized engineering capabilities and solutions—specifically on equipment used between the water line and mud line in the deep-water space. A typical engagement might involve oil well ‘production enhancement,’ where specialized equipment is used to make a well more productive. This involves developing machinery that gives the field team access to the well bore to deliver chemical packages that increase oil production.

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Making Sense of Unstructured Data

Making Sense of Unstructured Data

Over the past several years, vdR has sought to represent the Aras Innovator solution to companies in the engineering, construction and manufacturing space.  Along the way, it is becoming clear that relevant data has settled into three categories … unstructured, legacy applications and database-oriented applications such as home-grown Access apps, PDM and even PLM.  Of course, Aras Innovator offers a breath of fresh air to the weary workers trying to corral the data and establish repeatable processes.

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Can PLM Measurably Increase Revenues?

Can PLM Measurably Increase Revenues?

As a business owner for 30 years, I’ve developed a few guiding principles about making business decisions.  One of these principles is based on understanding the impact of a decision on the P&L, and visa-versa, identifying what proactive steps I can take to affect changes to the P&L.  A recently published white paper by Accenture parallels this idea (see next article below).  It speaks to the benefits of PLM by highlighting its effect on time to market, reuse, scrap, quality, etc.  It is informative, yet it prompted me to be more definitive.  Can we map the contributions of PLM to the P&L … and what would that look like?  So, I decided to take a stab at this.

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What is CPQ and Why Should it Matter?

What is CPQ and Why Should it Matter?

CPQ helps companies configure product offerings, price them and produce quotes and proposals.  It is functionality used by sales people and can be extended to customers via a self-serve portal.  Ultimately, it is about minimizing the quoting effort and accurately conveying the specific requirements for downstream processes.  As can be seen in the acronym itself, CPQ involves multiple disciplines.  The elements of a quote include …

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    A Review of My Aras Innovator Training Experience

    A Review of My Aras Innovator Training Experience

    by Martin van der Roest - January 18, 2016 - We have been an Aras PLM Software Partner for several years.  During the last year we have taken a more active role in business development and sales activities.  This is one of the key areas that I have been involved in.  I am very familiar with PLM solutions and relational data base management systems (RDBS).  RDBS’ have been basis for much of our work since the company got underway 30 years ago.  And over those years we have been involved with Autodesk’s Work Center, Motiva, SmarTeam, MatrixOne, Autodesk Vault, and through integrations touched numerous other PLM and even ERP type of solutions. 

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    Aras’ Community Event (ACE) 2015 Observations

    Aras’ Community Event (ACE) 2015 Observations

    Part of Aras’ mantra is “Aras is Different”.  As a long time participant in the PLM and engineering software space, this phrase should not to be dismissed as mere marketing hype.  It’s the real deal.  I used to think that Aras was playing catch up and slugging it out in the shadows of the long time established players such as Dassault, PTC and ...

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