Electronic & Electrical Product Lifecycle Management
Managing electronic products from concept to end-of-life disposal
No longer is it enough to view design, manufacturing and other business processes in isolation. A successful business must integrate these processes into a streamlined method of Product Lifecycle Management. For electronic engineering products, we call this e-PLM. Removing duplication of effort, improving communications between business processes and boosting productivity and profits are essential if businesses are to survive in a globally competitive economy.
Zuken begins each project with a structured process analysis, process re-engineering, and system design. Only through a complete understanding of a company's process, needs, and problems, can Zuken provide a real solution to solve those challenges. After successfully performing these steps for dozens of the world's leading electronics companies, Zuken has the experience and knowledge to understand and solve the problems our customers face.
A typical project begins with careful analysis of a company's business processes related to engineering, manufacturing, and product lifecycle. No stone is left unturned as the process is carefully gathered, documented and verified. Problems and bottlenecks are identified and discussed. The result is a fully documented process with the problems identified.
Next, Zuken helps the customer through the creation of the ideal business process within the scope of the project. During this phase, software solutions are not considered, only best-practices business process solutions that support the needs of the company and it's industry segment. Are electronic components single-sourced or multi-sourced and how should they be managed? Where do the thresholds of hazardous substances need to be identified and reported? What standards should be in place to assist engineers in making the best component selection? How do product variants need to be managed and documented? The result of this phase is a fully documented process that solves the problems and streamlines the business.
Software solutions are now carefully designed to fit the new process. Workflows, inputs, outputs, and dataflows are designed and documented. Attributes with appropriate unit definition and conversion factors are defined and cataloged. Information is centralized and shared rather than recreated. Zuken's experience in the electronics industry produces unparalleled results in tying conceptual design through physical design through product reviews, manufacturing, test, and out to market. Zuken blends packaged software, optimized for the electronics industry, with needs-specific tailoring and setup to define the most efficient, cost-effective, most easily maintained system available.
Finally, the physical IT requirements are defined, server sizing and distribution recommended, legacy data migration planned, and a detailed implementation schedule and plan created. Zuken systematically guides the customer from first installation, testing, and review through implementation and live cutover, never loosing sight of the fact that the customer must continue to do business, without interruption, throughout the entire implementation. Zuken's experience ensures the most effective solutions and smoothest transition possible.
