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Siemens confident of a bright future for Product Lifecycle Management
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TONY Hemmelgarn is executive vice president of Siemens Product Lifecycle Management Software, a business unit of the Siemens Digital Factory Division.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Dayton in Ohio.
Shanghai Daily recently sat down with him to talk about the latest trend in digital manufacturing.
Q: PLM. Product Lifecycle Management. Could you explain to average people in simple terms what that means and what your division does?
A: Even to my own family, it’s sometimes hard to explain what we do. I say it’s a creation process where software takes ideas and helps engineers turn those ideas into reality. It’s the software, it’s the processes and everything associated with it that makes PLM.
Q: Could you give us a specific example of how your division has helped a particular business achieve those goals?
A: One great example is automotive. The first time you go to assemble a vehicle, you run into all kinds of issues: the door doesn’t open properly, the glove box hits something when opened. That’s not an issue anymore. We can simulate every part of that process. So we completely change the problems faced in the automotive industry. Today it’s more about the functionality of a vehicle: Will it handle the way I want it to handle? Is the acceleration going to be what I expect? Is fuel economy what I want it to be?
Q: How would you define “digital manufacturing” as a whole and how do you see its application in China?
A: Well, engineering problems are engineering problems, no matter where you go, even if you don’t speak the same language. So what I see in China is not much different from what I see in other places. I think the difference is that China is more receptive to learning. A lot of people here ask questions and want to learn more.
Q: In practical operations, do you have to adjust your way of doing things in China?
A: The biggest difference is just the area of focus. For instance, in some large companies that have been around for years using software in a very mature way, getting them to switch to something core in software is hard. Some of the companies we deal with here in China have an advantage; they don’t have so many legacy systems to worry about. They can move faster into new areas. Not that the Chinese market isn’t mature in engineering. It’s just usage of some software that may not be so mature. But again, once you peel it back a little bit, it’s the same problems. How are things going to fit together? How will they function? How can I reduce cost and improve my time to market?
Q: You are part of Germany’s Industry 4.0 project. Could you tell us what that involves?
A: Industry 4.0 is also a big term. It means a lot of things. In fact, in the US, most executives will give you all kinds of different answers of what it means. In my view, it’s the linkage of the physical and virtual worlds so that one can make decisions with confidence. Products are becoming so complex. Getting back to my example of the automotive industry, if you tweak something here, what does that do to my braking systems? What does it do to my acceleration? Fuel economy? Industry 4.0 takes it all to the next level. I can see how decisions affect my entire manufacturing process. It’s direct linkage between what’s happening in design and in manufacturing. We’re not just a software company. We take what we are doing in software and link it to the factory floor because Siemens is present in all those areas.
Q: How do you see future prospects of PLM in China?
A: You are never finished, you are always advancing. Every time I think we are close to having something that looks like it’s getting mature, some smart guy comes up with some new idea you never thought of. Even in 3D design. Some people say it’s a very mature market. Is it? I see things happening and I say: “Oh, I hadn’t thought about that.” The differentiator is when you can “out-innovate” your competition and how fast you can do that. I think PLM has a very big future for a very long time.
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