Procam Data Manager

From the content point of view...

the Procam-Data-Manager™ (PDM) is the communication center within the company and manages product data and knowledge sources for all people who are involved in the design- and product-development. It improves the product-related communication of these people, helping to avoid errors and unnecessary cost during the design-concept phase, thus shortening the project cycle. At each stage of the product development, your staff has access to technical data, product information or material, components or semi-finished products, parts lists and production data. Management can utilize PDM for analytical studies of the available data.

From the organizational point of view...

the Procam-Data-Manager™ is a software solution which organizes product-data and processes within the company. Unlike comparable solutions, within PDM the process - or better the organization - starts with the first idea for a new product even before the prototype phase. Whether it is a sketch, an image or a design proposal of the sales department - all information is available. In addition, PDM also offers several interfaces for analyzing tools (e.g. business intelligence software) which can be used to analyze the results in detail. A mobile client (mPDM) is available on request.

From the technical point of view...

the Procam-Data-Manager™ consists of a client - server architecture, based on Microsoft®.NET and Windows™ Presentation and Communication Foundation. The use of these new technologies ensures that PDM is prepared and tuned for new generations of development tools in the information technology (cloud computing, mobile devices, etc.) The software itself is modular and highly scalable. The solution can therefore be adapted to any size of business. The server + its database is the heart of the PDM where all product-related data is collected and managed. Industry specific standard settings form a starting point for any customization needed – this drastically shortens the implementation time. A built-in form designer and administration tool (modeler) offers a professional way of construction or customization of all company-specific forms, development and definition of processes and work flow functionality, user- and permission handling and security settings.

Procams`s objectives in the development

When designing the software, Procam’s primary objective was to develop a system and user interface that is "personal", “beautifully designed” and "efficient", because software solutions are only successfully introduced if they are accepted by employees and actively used. To achieve a maximum efficiency of a system the highest possible level of acceptance among the staff is required! The deep integration with the existing Procam products like Dimensions!™, Procost™ or GDM was of utmost importance. Thus, lasts, design-, construction- or costing-data are automatically transferred and processed. Finally, the Procam-Data-Manager™ does not only store and organize its “own” data collection or -acquisition, but also offers integration with existing ERP and PPS solutions, i.e. a link to existing systems is provided. This data exchange and the consequent avoidance of multiple entries – or better data redundancy, is a guarantee for highest efficiency!

The following key factors in product development are taken into account:

  • All team members work on the digital prototype without overwriting their colleagues’ data. "Check-In Check-Out"
  • The development processes are not only accelerated and optimized; they also ensure a complete documentation of all intermediate states.
  • The version history of all files and product information can be centrally checked, recorded and managed. With a secure data-release and data-tracking, access to the correct versions is ensured thus design- and manufacturing errors are reduced to a minimum.
  • The question, which version of the data is the current or correct one, belongs to the past! Especially with Engineering- or CAD data, the risk of having different information at partner or supplier is huge. The history of each design and all its variants is perfectly stored - the latest version always active and clearly recognizable!
  • Standardized search-tools offer fast data access and effective data-management. The <strong>Procam-Data-Manager™</strong> noticeably accelerates and eases the search for relevant information.
  • Manual release and changes of a process may lead to project delays and production errors. <strong>Procam-Data-Manager™</strong> supports standardized and configurable processes for release- and change management to avoid costly mistakes and delays.
  • The <strong>Procam-Data-Manager™</strong> provides advanced features for creation and management of the bill of materials (BOM). The tight integration with production-systems establishes earliest possible collaboration across several departments. The optionally available ability to easily compare different versions of BOM and to quickly gain an overview of the different results is very important and a competitive advantage.

Information is not only managed. By intelligently linking and networking information knowledge is created and increased. This knowledge is accessible to as many people in the organization as you wish. The Procam-Data-Manager™ is highly scalable and thus can be implemented in companies of every size. The software itself consist of a server based application to be combined with various modules like.

  • Storyboard
  • Business Process Manager
  • Universal File Manager
  • Odata Connector

Storyboard™

The Storyboard™ supports the design team to systematically develop ideas, new products or entire collections, without limitations of the designer’s creativity. Images and sketches are archived and stored in a separate gallery long before a first step of product development is defined. The images are saved with key-words or information, which helps filtering and to able to rapidly find them at any time. Simple image editing tools allow rotation, mirroring, cutting and modification of color and appearance. So called brainstorming pages which describe a new product, are stored in digital folders. The previously stored images are used to complete the collection of the first set of information for a new product; this set of data and images provides a reliable basis for the decision on whether a prototype should be manufactured.

Storyboard™ - Benefits

  • Full Transparency
  • Knowledge Management
  • Teambuilding
  • Intuitive Usage
  • Mindmap® Technology

Storyboard™ - Key features

  • Management of collections
  • Handling of picture material
  • Visual simulation
  • Version handling
  • Visualization and presentation of ideas
  • Collecting notes
  • Sharing of knowledge and information
  • Workbooks for Designers

BPM™ - Business Process Management

The Business Process Manager (BPM™) module helps to design and control business workflows. It was developed with the objective to better structure product lifecycle processes, but also to manage day-to-day business process requirements of any kind. The BPM™ – module is about delivering improved business performance, easily automating processes, measuring their impact, and upgrading them in response to new ideas or external business events.

A wide range of customer-specific functions allows flexible operation for management and its teams. Selective supervision of mapped projects, and easy integration in the IT and corporate environment, lead to new, structured work, a powerful use of time and all other resources.

BPM™ - Benefits

  • Transparency
  • Collaboration
  • Analysis & Control
  • Process Improvement
  • Database Connectivity
  • Integration

BPM™ - Key features

  • Escalation routines
  • Multilingual Team building
  • User/Alias group management
  • Permission Management
  • Traffic Lights
  • Task delegation
  • Smart PDF-Packaging
  • Signature List
  • Data Validation
  • Individual user controls
  • Web-Service Interface

Universal File Manager

The Universal File Manager™ module is a unified interface which enables the user to manage various kinds of files that are used during the product development process of a business and it was specifically made for the needs of leather-processing industry.

The module can be used as a standalone application, but a seamless integration with many existing PROCAM products is also provided. Additionally, due its open concept and flexibility, almost all 3rd party software applications that are document oriented and support scripting with COM automation (e. g. Excel, Word, various graphics software, etc.) can be linked with the Universal File Manager module.

Typical features of the Universal File Manager module include permission-based handling of different styles, handling of different file formats of the same style, easy integration of file-based systems that have been used as stand-alone applications, all within an easy to use and customizable graphical user interface.

OData –Connector™

The OData Connector™ is based on OASIS standards and allows the creation and consumption of data via a RESTFul API and JSON. The OData – Connector™ offers a data structure in form of metadata and allows clients to interact with server in an powerful generic way. It will make it easy to analyze Procam Data Manager™ business data with MS® Excel Power Pivot or allows 3rd party applications to consume information from Procam Data Manager™.