Here’s why every manufacturing company should be considering product lifecycle management applications.
Expand PLM software usage throughout your enterprise with PLM apps
Let’s face it, no company uses a single product data management system (PDM) or a Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) system for ALL of its organization’s needs.
Your organization likely uses an abundance of different technology software to collect and store data. These technologies can include customer relationship management (CRM) systems, quality management system (QMS) software, enterprise relationship planning (ERP) systems, application lifecycle management (ALM) systems, and so many more.
If your organization currently uses a PLM system, odds are you most likely paid a pretty penny for it. So why not make the most of that product lifecycle system investment and use your system’s complete functionality?!
Product lifecycle applications support, enable, and enhance the value and footprint of PLM software. PLM Apps go a long away to assist and ensure consistent access to up-to-date product data. They can help expand controlled access to valuable content and give functional groups a single simplified view of files, data, and content all within a single browser-accessible screen.
You’re going to want to invest in these kinds of advanced technology solutions that simplify data gathering processes and expand the value of your PLM investment. PLM apps are meant to help you find data easier which reduces user frustration and helps take productivity to new levels within your organization.
PLM applications, also referred to as PLM system plugins, deliver on the dreams of many organizations. They are a simple solution that drastically increases enterprise PLM usage.
PLM apps integrate siloed data from disparate systems
With the use of multiple complex enterprise systems, your organization’s data is most likely held captive in siloed systems. Many PLM applications help connect these disjointed enterprise systems using common application programming interface (API) connection abilities.
PLM apps simply pull data from other enterprise systems into a new user-interface through API integrations. They don’t rely on interface features from other enterprise platforms or systems (besides the data and information they extract), therefore, they are less likely to be affected by a new release of the underlying enterprise systems!
PLM apps simplify searches for the occasional PLM software user
PLM apps change the user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) of your PLM system so that it’s easier to use. This can be useful for occasional or novice users who can feel overwhelmed by the complexity of their PLM system compared to those that use their PLM system on a daily basis.
PLM applications offer user-friendly interfaces that simplify the complexity of PLM systems and make it easier to search, find, locate, and understand product information. In fact, many of these tools even allow organizations to adjust settings for specific users (such as purchasing, marketing, accounting, etc.) so they can access the direct information they need.
PLM apps Many customers we work with use complex product lifecycle management systems such as PTC Windchill or Siemens Teamcenter. Due to the robust capabilities of these enterprise systems (and other PLM systems), many users find product data hard to navigate – especially if they aren’t daily users within these systems.
PLM apps speed up product development processes by providing users with complete access to real-time complex enterprise data.
Product lifecycle applications really do make PLM easier – see it for yourself by watching this short PLM applications video.
Customize PLM apps without disrupting your PLM software
PLM applications and system plugins offer simple and easy ways to customize enterprise product data systems. A PLM Administrator can customize the apps to conform to their company’s goals and prioritization of tasks without disrupting the PLM software itself.
Time after time, we see organizations add PLM customizations to their mainframe PLM software, only to wind up facing dozens of challenges as new system software versions get released. Because PLM apps are an extension of PLM software systems, they are minimally affected by upgraded software versions and updates (if at all).
PLM apps provide organizations with the ability to easily custom tailor simplified product lifecycle management interfaces or mashups. This functionality provides additional value and integration capabilities with other enterprise systems.
PLM Applications offer a brand-new UI for your intricate product data management system; enabling a fresh and simple user experience. They also have started to help organizations solve problems easier and faster with direct, accessible, and instantaneous insights from data.
Your systems are only as good as how you use them. If employees struggle to navigate your product lifecycle system interface, PLM apps are definitely something you should be looking into!
How PLM apps drive flexibility within your organization
PLM applications provide access to PLM information to employees outside of engineering such as marketing, sales, finances, and procurement.
Access to PLM system data provides another way for teams to identify the broad scale of their day to day activities and information. This can help teams understand and prioritize tasks to be more efficient and productive.
This flexibility allows teams to work the way they want. By enhancing a complex system and tailoring each end-user experience, it’s easy to see how these PLM system plug-ins can drastically improve productivity and drive value across an organization.
What is better than providing every department with product information that they want and need to do their job?!
Want to learn more about PLM Applications and how they could pair up with your current enterprise systems? Let’s have the conversation!
If you have Windchill, a PLM (product life cycle management system from PTC), odds are it’s where your organization stores a lot of really great product data and information. It also means there’s a high likelihood many employees in your organization need access to that valuable product information.
But what happens when people within your organization need to access valuable product information, but they aren’t necessarily veteran Windchill (or PLM system) users? What happens when your ‘casual Windchill users’ only want to quickly get to the information but simply don’t want to be “Windchill users”? 90% of the time this scenario involves your experienced Windchill users being disrupted by requests to pull product information.
Right at this point – exactly when people in your enterprise need access to information in systems they don’t use on a daily basis – is when you lose efficiency, productivity, and revenue. This cross-departmental disruption leads to wasted time, and wasted time leads to wasted money. PTC realized these challenges and created a solution to combat complicated enterprise system interfaces, varying user needs, and disparate enterprise data sources – It’s called Windchill Navigate.
To make Windchill PLM, or any PLM information more accessible and solve disruption challenges, PTC designed Windchill Navigate role-based applications (apps) that allow users to easily access and consolidate information from secure systems like ERP, MRP, CRP, and PLM systems like Windchill. For instance, by using these applications, a tool designer could call up drawings without having to go through the whole interface of Windchill. The applications pull up windows to look directly into systems, without forcing a user login in and navigate complex product design or enterprise planning systems.
For example, by using PTC’s Windchill solution, a tool designer could simply type in a drawing number he or she was looking for on the PTC Windchill Navigate application, and the drawing files would pop-up instantly on the screen. These simple product data navigation features also work with product information that purchasing, quality, or any other departments might need access.
PTC’s Windchill Navigate applications make it easy for anyone…ANYONE in an organization to obtain product information without having to be a Windchill system expert. One of the great things about these role-based applications is – depending on who you log in as – the apps can be set up to determine what type of information access someone has, as well as what types of product info an employee can access.
For instance, someone on a shop floor could access Windchill Navigate applications, and with a simple click in a window would display all the information they need about a drawing. Or perhaps someone only needs to see bills of materials, they could do that in one location by accessing a Windchill Navigate application. Just like PTC Windchill, PTC Navigate is a web-based application. This means all an organization really needs is a web browser and a login and instantly anyone can start working.
Windchill Navigate applications are also completely customizable. This allows your organization to control exactly what displays on the search screens, as well as, how that information would be delivered to your users. In fact, PTC even created a Windchill Navigate Productivity calculator to demonstrate how much money enterprise collaboration can save a business. It even lets you estimate your exact company’s potential annual productivity savings!
Bottom line, there really are a lot of great benefits that come along with being able to easily deploy Windchill access throughout an enterprise in a unique and stress-free way. And remember, Windchill Navigate also integrates with other enterprise systems, not just Windchill.
But wait…there’s more!
You can make the user experience even better by implementing Windchill Navigate and extending functionality and configurability with EAC Productivity Apps. In case you are not familiar with us, our company (EAC Product Development Solutions) specializes in transforming the way companies design, manufacture, connect to and service their products.
One of the ways we do this is through implementing, maintaining, and helping customers with PTC Windchill product lifecycle management systems. Being the Windchill experts that we are, with extensive years of experience (over 23 years to be exact), we work with hundreds of organizations and their PLM systems. This is precisely how we know the need many manufacturing organizations have to extend enterprise system data and capabilities even further!
Working with our Windchill customers over the years, we recognized patterns of system requests and capabilities that just didn’t seem to be specifically addressed by existing solutions. We recognized and researched system challenges that many organizations tended to face with their PLM systems and realized the need to help organizations quickly deploy Windchill, increase user adoption, and capitalize on system functionality. After all, we live in a world obsessed with speed and efficiency. So, to quote the wisdom of Daft Punk, we needed to make complex PLM systems Better, Faster, and Stronger.
Furthermore, we realized valuable data our customers acquired from their other disparate enterprise systems never seemed to be tied together with product data from PLM systems. This was increasing our client’s risk of transferring obsolete inaccurate data. With that knowledge, we knew our solution needed to be able to connect multiple streams of data from different locations and enterprise systems, and even different databases.
All these reasons drove us to develop what we refer to as EAC Productivity Apps. They help organizations quickly advance and capitalize on Windchill PLM capabilities. Although EAC apps are different from Navigate applications in many ways, what I believe really sets them apart is how they use and leverage the concept of data mash-ups. Multiple sources of information brought together to simplify a role-specific workflow.
EAC productivity applications take product data and information from a variety of different systems and transform that data into an easily consumable visual dashboard for any user. Essentially, our apps create a way for organizations to easily connect data from multiple enterprise databases, bring it into one accessible location, and tailor it to the needs of a specific user. This allows any user to easily have all the information he or she could desire with a few simple clicks.
EAC apps also help users access product information, search for information, get bill of material reports, create and manage other related documents, and look at associated parts.
These days product data is everywhere. Everyone seems to collect it, have a lot of it, but the question remains; how exactly can you ensure your organization’s product data is being put to good use?
It’s time to take your product development one step further by providing role-based data access, connecting your enterprise systems, and learning how to make the most of your product data. I am going to explain exactly how easy that is to do.
The current state of product data
Companies today have many different roles that require access to product data. This may include people outside of the typical roles of which you may be thinking.
Departments such as engineering, manufacturing, that’s a given, but expand your thinking to include operations, purchasing, and marketing. They all need data access in order to edit and consume information. Think about sourcing…I’ll stop there, but you get the idea.
Let’s focus on the engineering department for a moment.
People could be involved from the mechanical side, the electrical side, or even a quality standpoint. Beyond that, people need to either contribute or consume information that could include manufacturing, service, sales, and more.
Product data game-changers
Product data silos limit productivity – PTC & EAC have the answer.
PTC ThingWorx Navigate was designed to address data accessibility problems by providing simple role-based apps that deliver just the right information to different groups (or departments) in the way that they need
When non-engineering colleagues need access to vital information, they typically interrupt an engineer or designer with a request. ThingWorx Navigate eliminates that distraction and “double-billing.” Through role or task-based self-service applications, data can be securely shared with a team. That way non-expert teams can use a simplified user interface to access the product data they need, right when they need it.
To help accelerate product development processes and take product data even further, our company (EAC Product Development Solutions) has also created what we call EAC Productivity Apps that work alongside ThingWorx Navigate apps.
So what’s the difference between ThingWorx, ThingWorx Navigate and our EAC Productivity apps?
This is a great question- I am going to try and paint the picture for you.
First, it’s important that you understand what ThingWorx is and how it is different from ThingWorx Navigate.
ThingWorx is the proper name of PTC’s Internet of Things (IoT) platform comprised of 5 components; foundation, industrial connectivity, analytics, studio,
The foundation component is the heart of the ThingWorx loT platform used to make connections to ‘things’ which could be machines, products or software systems or pretty much anything with an IP address and a communications interface.
User interfaces to the data coming from these connections are displayed on websites called ‘mashups,’ created with ThingWorx foundation. You might know these perhaps as ‘data mashups’ or possibly as ‘data dashboards’. Simply put, Thingworx is the IoT platform that makes everything possible. (Here’s exactly what makes Thingworx the leading technology for industrial IoT)
Then you have ThingWorx Navigate.
ThingWorx Navigate is the proper name of PTC’s applications that
ThingWorx Navigate Apps use a Windchill (PLM) connector to extract product data for presentation to Windchill Product Lifecycle Management users.
Fundamentally, ThingWorx Navigate Apps are all simply data and product information mashups created with ThingWorx. With ThingWorx Navigate you receive out-of-the-box apps that are instantly ready to be used with your PLM system. The idea behind these product lifecycle management apps is to ensure users can capture the complete functionality of their PLM (product lifecycle management) investment.
ThingWorx Navigate PLM Apps include:
View Design Files – A design file would be a format of a file that isn’t the native CAD format. This could be a staph or Induce or perhaps a 3D PDF
View Drawing – Allows you to look at just drawings. This application pulls drawings from your Windchill PLM system.
View Part Properties – This feature allows you to look at part properties- as if you were hitting the ‘Information button’ next to a file.
View Parts List – Allows you to look at bills of Materials (BOMs)
View Part Structure– With the View Part Structure App, ThingWorx is actually going into PDMLink and showing different aspects of a specific part instead of different ways of going at it (such as having to open several different tabs to get information). Using this application, you can get all your information together on one page. This feature also includes capabilities that cross-highlight part structures within your product. For instance, you could select a component and it would highlight that part and create a hyperlink that allows you to directly look at that specific part. This feature essentially creates a mash-up that takes information from different places inside of Windchill PDMLink and brings them together putting them on one screen, allowing you to have all your information at your fingertips.
View Document & View Document Structure
PLM Applications created by EAC
Our EAC Productivity Apps (also known as product lifecycle applications)
They allow departments to access content and perform common tasks through a very simple interface, versus having to use a complex product lifecycle management system (PLM) or Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system.
PTC Navigate Apps vs. EAC Productivity Apps
Our EAC Productivity Apps provide capabilities beyond that of the out of the box ThingWorx Navigate apps.
In short, ThingWorx Navigate applications allow you to securely access and present role-specific data from your Windchill system. They provide all of the power of a Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) system to someone who is not familiar with its ins-and-outs of product data management.
EAC Productivity Apps take it a step further by taking the underlying technology of ThingWorx Navigate, and the ability to get at the information in the PLM system and create even more complete applications that really give individuals instantaneous access to the information and product data they need to do their job. EAC’s PLM applications are created using PTC’s ThingWorx IoT platform, however, they can run independently of ThingWorx Navigate.
These apps are unique to EAC.
While built using the same ThingWorx foundation, ADK and [Windchill connector], they have their own look, feel and functionality. These mashups are packaged and sold together as a collection. EAC Productivity Apps created for Windchill promote user adoption and amplify the return on the investment you’ve made in your Windchill system, as well as extending role-based visibility into relevant product data and the impact PLM has on your organization.
Take your product data further with EAC Productivity Apps
Every subscription of EAC Productivity Apps includes free access to EAC Productivity Home. EAC Productivity Home is a proprietary framework, or launcher, for ThingWorx Navigate applications.
It sits on top of Windchill and
The EAC Productivity App, Quick Search, provides a simple way for users to find content in Windchill. It removes the need for users to apply an understanding of how Windchill objects are related in order to find the information needed to do their job.
The Quick Search PLM application also allows users to search for components and retrieve information and file formats. For instance, if you were to grab a drive system and do a quick search, it’s going to find product information such as parts, EMP like documents, CAD files and more. See EAC Productivity Application Quick Search in action here.
You can also learn more about the Quick Search features in this brochure.
The Quick Access EAC Productivity Application streamlines access to critical and select data sets. Simplifies downstream users feeding critical quality information back to engineering with minimal effort.
This EAC Productivity App allows downstream users to feed critical quality information back to engineering with minimal effort. The simplified interface and consolidated task workflows help users easily submit new problem reports, new change requests, and new variances.
For instance, you could select a component (such as a product), pick its name (the end item number), search for it, and you would get straight to assemblies. With the use of Quick Access users can easily submit new problem reports, change requests, variances and more.
You can learn more about Quick Access features in this brochure.
The Part Associations EAC application provides a “shortcut” for non-CAD users to access critical files and documentation associated with designs like drawings, parts, assemblies, and other documents associated with CAD files and part data.
You can learn more about Part Association features in this brochure.
BoM Reports App provides a visual representation of cost
This EAC Productivity App allows users to quickly assess a Bill of Material and ensure projects stay on-time and on-track. The simplified view helps ensure products are built with the appropriate design iterations. With the use of BoM Reports users can easily see BoMs, lists of unreleased parts, parts that have been created or modified by specific users and more.
This app allows users to see the progress of a bill of materials, and apply filters to focus on parts that are not yet released. It is also useful for viewing all of the “make” parts or “buy” parts in a given BoM, or all parts created/modified by a particular user.
Get better access to your product data
See all the features of EAC P
In today’s fast-paced manufacturing environment, agility, accuracy, and collaboration are more essential than ever. Windchill, PTC’s powerhouse Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solution, delivers all three by providing secure, real-time access to product data across disciplines and locations. Companies stand to reduce costs, speed innovation, and enhance next generation products. PTC’s product lifecycle management (PLM) software, Windchill, lets you do just that. Designed to streamline product development from concept to service, Windchill empowers teams to work smarter, innovate faster, and maintain quality—no matter how complex the lifecycle. But let’s start by answering the basics first: what is windchill?
What is PTC Windchill?
PTC Windchill is a product lifecycle management (PLM) application suite that leverages a consolidated view of product information through multi-system data. It’s a systemic enterprise wide approach to maintaining product and process quality throughout the entire product lifecycle. Released by PTC in 1998, Windchill made its mark as one of the first internet-based PLM platforms. It has since become an industry staple across sectors—automotive, aerospace, electronics, medical devices, and more—supporting over a million users globally.
PTC Windchill PLM software provides a complete functionality dimension to help organizations capture product structures from computer-aided design tools, transform them into full engineering bill of materials (eBoMS), to manufacturing bill of materials (mBoMS), to service bill of materials (sBoMS) all while retaining the linkages between different perspectives on the product. Windchill solutions break down organizational barriers, allowing teams to work faster and more accurately all while reducing time-to-market and cutting costs.
Why Windchill Matters: Core Capabilities that Redefine PLM
When companies are juggling increasingly complex product designs, global supply chains, and regulatory demands, having the right PLM foundation is critical. Windchill provides the structure, visibility, and automation needed to handle this complexity without slowing innovation. Its core capabilities not only keep product data accurate and accessible but also empower teams to make faster, better decisions across the entire lifecycle.
Centralized, Secure Product Data Management
Windchill functions as a single source of truth—consolidating CAD files, BOMs, requirements, and supplier data—all housed in a scalable web architecture. Whether you’re working in engineering or collaborating with external partners, you’ll always have a current, secure view of product information.
Effortless BOM and Change Management
Windchill’s dynamic Bill of Materials (BOM) management enables inline editing, structural comparisons, and variant configuration for agile product planning. And with built-in Engineering Change Management (ECM) workflows, you can automate review processes, approvals, and compliance documentation to speed up time-to-market and reduce errors.
Workflow Automation and PLM Collaboration
With task and role-based apps, Windchill supports intuitive collaboration for both expert and casual users. From manufacturing to service teams, everyone can access relevant data through task-specific interfaces without over-customizing the system. This makes handoffs smoother and ensures alignment across functions.
Scalability and Deployment Flexibility
Whether deployed on-premises, in a private cloud, or via Windchill+ SaaS, the platform scales with your needs. Organizations benefit from streamlined upgrades, uptime, and strong compliance controls.
Elevating PLM: AI-Ready Product Development
Windchill isn’t just about data—it’s about intelligent data. By housing consistent, accessible product information, Windchill forms a foundation for AI-powered innovation. That means better decision-making, automated routine workflows, optimized resource use, and faster design improvements.
Key Benefits at a Glance
For many organizations, the true value of a PLM system comes down to the tangible benefits it delivers day-to-day. Windchill is designed to make collaboration easier, processes faster, and information more reliable, no matter how large or distributed your teams may be. By looking at its benefits side by side, it becomes clear how Windchill helps manufacturers overcome common product development roadblocks.
| Benefit | Why It Matters |
| Real-time Collaboration | Unified access enables cross-functional teams to deliver faster. |
| Data-Driven Quality | Reduced rework and improved product reliability. |
| Accelerated Delivery | Configurable workflows and automation streamline processes. |
| Agility & Resilience | Scalable deployments and open integrations help businesses adapt. |
| AI Readiness | Structured data enables machine learning for innovation. |
Core Windchill Capabilities
Beyond the big-picture advantages, Windchill delivers a deep set of tools that tackle the nuts and bolts of product lifecycle management. These capabilities are what allow engineering, manufacturing, and service teams to stay aligned—even when managing thousands of parts, configurations, or requirements. By exploring its core features, you can see how Windchill creates a connected, digital foundation for end-to-end product success.
Windchill’s robust feature stack supports even the most intricate development environments:
- BOM Management – Central views, variants, and CAD integrations
- Collaborative Product Development – Enterprise-wide visibility into planning, shop floor, service context
- Change & Configuration – Automated workflows, traceability, and compliance
- Manufacturing Process Management – Digital twin visualization, plant-specific BOMs, and digital quality tracking
- Parts Classification & Variability Management – Efficient search, sustainability handling, and product customization
- Product Data Management (PDM) – CAD data control, versioning, multi-CAD support
- Quality Management – CAPA, audit trails, regulatory oversight
- Supply Chain Collaboration – Real-time supplier workflows and transparency
Windchill also supports industry-specific packages—PDMLink, MPMLink, ProjectLink, Compliance, Cost, FRACAS, FMEA, and more—so your team can tailor the platform to its use case, from reliability analysis to technical documentation.
Example Use Case: Digital Thread with IoT Integration
PTC’s integration of Internet of Things (IoT) with Windchill closes the loop between product data and actual performance in the field. That enables real-time error reporting, role-based insights, and proactive maintenance or design improvements—putting reliability right in your development cycle.
What problems does Windchill solve for engineering and manufacturing teams?
Windchill addresses persistent issues like data silos, manual hand-offs, and version confusion by providing a single source of truth for product, CAD, BOM and change data. This unified platform helps engineering and manufacturing teams reduce errors, minimize rework, and accelerate time-to-market. By enabling concurrent workstreams and real-time visibility, Windchill supports efficient collaboration across disciplines.
Who uses Windchill and what industries benefit most from it?
Windchill is widely used by discrete manufacturing enterprises including automotive, aerospace & defense, industrial equipment, high-tech electronics and medical device companies. These industries benefit most because they deal with complex product structures, rigorous compliance requirements, and long lifecycles. In these areas Windchill excels. The solution supports both global, multi-site deployments and intricate configurations, making it a strong fit for manufacturers handling complexity and scale.
Is Windchill only for large enterprises, or can small-to-mid-size companies use it too?
While Windchill is known for enterprise-scale capabilities, its modular architecture and cloud delivery options make it accessible to small and mid-sized manufacturers as well. Smaller companies can leverage core functionality like product data management, version control and change workflows without the overhead of full enterprise deployment. As their needs grow, they can incrementally add modules and scale into broader PLM roles.
What are the main components or modules in Windchill?
Windchill consists of foundational modules such as product data vaulting, BOM & change management (PDMLink/PDMLink+), manufacturing process management (MPMLink), quality and compliance (QMS), service information management, and variant/configuration management. Additional modules include extensions for aerospace & defense data, risk & reliability analytics, and digital thread interoperability. These components allow organizations to tailor their PLM deployment to specific functional needs while leveraging a unified platform.
How does Windchill support digital transformation initiatives?
Windchill acts as the backbone of the “digital thread,” connecting engineering, manufacturing and service systems by enabling consistent, trusted product data across the lifecycle. It links to ERP, MES, CAD, IoT and analytics tools, enabling companies to move from isolated applications to integrated, data-driven workflows. By unlocking real-time visibility and enabling downstream usage of design data (such as in service or production), Windchill helps manufacturers transform operations and accelerate innovation.
What are the key features of PTC Windchill?
Key features of Windchill include a central data repository for CAD and business objects, automated workflows for change management, BOM management across engineering/manufacturing, variant/configuration support, role-based access and real-time collaboration. The platform also offers advanced visualization, reporting, document control and integration APIs for enterprise systems. These features combine to reduce errors, improve productivity and enable more agile product development.
How does Windchill improve collaboration across engineering and manufacturing teams?
Windchill enables cross-functional teams to access the same up-to-date product data, drawings, BOMs and workflows regardless of geographic or functional boundaries. With change notifications, task management and configurable role-based portals, manufacturing, sourcing, and service can work in parallel with engineering. This shared visibility and process alignment reduce delays, mis-communication and hand-off errors, enabling faster and more synchronized product delivery.
Does Windchill support document and version control?
Yes, Windchill provides comprehensive document management and version control capabilities, enabling controlled access, historical tracking, check-in/check-out workflows and secure archiving of product documents, CAD files, specifications and more. These capabilities ensure that all stakeholders are working from the correct version of data, audit trails are maintained and regulatory requirements around document governance are supported.
What security features does Windchill offer to protect product data?
Windchill includes role-based access controls, permissions model, encryption in transit and at rest, audit logging, and customizable security policies to protect sensitive product information and IP. Multi-site deployments are supported with secure federated architectures and authentication mechanisms (such as SSO and LDAP) to maintain governance across global teams. These features help ensure that only authorized users can view or modify data and all changes are tracked.
How does Windchill enable compliance and traceability in regulated industries?
Windchill provides traceable process management and audit-ready records of engineering changes, version histories, approvals, manufacturing effectivity and document revisions. Modules such as QMS and audit management support corrective and preventive actions (CAPA), non-conformance tracking and regulatory reporting. All of these outcomes are critical in industries like medical devices, aerospace or defense. By capturing who changed what, when and why, Windchill supports downstream compliance with standards such as ISO 9001, FDA 21 CFR Part 820 and AS 9100.
What APIs or data exchange capabilities are available in Windchill?
Windchill offers REST and SOAP web services, a comprehensive connector suite (ERP Connector, MES integration), configurable workflows, and open APIs to import/export data, integrate with enterprise systems and automate processes. These capabilities enable companies to connect Windchill with ERP, MES, IoT platforms and analytics tools. This ensures product data flows seamlessly across the enterprise ecosystem.
Getting Started with Windchill
Adopting a new PLM system can feel overwhelming, but Windchill is built with flexibility in mind. Whether your business is just beginning to formalize its processes or scaling globally, the platform can be tailored to fit your immediate needs while leaving room to grow. Getting started is about choosing the right deployment model, identifying quick wins, and building momentum for long-term digital transformation.
Here’s how you can begin:
- Define your deployment preference: on-prem, cloud, or hybrid.
- Identify key use cases—change management, BOM governance, quality processes.
- Engage implementation experts (like EAC) to configure, integrate, and train your team.
- Leverage SaaS tools like Windchill+ for faster time to value with built-in cloud benefits.
Next Steps with Windchill
So, what is Windchill? It’s much more than PLM—it’s the digital backbone that unifies product data, processes, and people across your organization. With modern deployment options, robust feature breadth, and readiness for AI, PTC Windchill equips manufacturers to innovate confidently, reduce cost, and accelerate delivery—all while maintaining quality and control.
Want to see an example of how Windchill software is used? See how Virnig Manufacturing uses PTC Windchill to change the way their data is delivered within their organization.
Already using Windchill and need help with admin and support? Check out our Alliance Program, provided to our customers for on-going technical support, business process consulting, and mentoring services on a monthly basis.
Explore what Windchill can do in our webinar, “Go Beyond Data Management with Windchill“.
PTC Windchill saves ALM Positioners 4 hours per project
If you are trying to confidently make a smooth transition from paper files to digital files with a complete PLM solution, you should contact us to learn more about PTC Windchill. Read on to learn more about a business who succeeds in digital transformation to reduce time-to-market, decrease costs, and increase collaboration.
Business Overview
ALM Positioners, Inc. is a manufacturing and assembling facility for state-of-the-art positioner lifts located in Rock Island, Illinois. Myron Pundt, VP of Engineering at ALM said, “We build positioners that lift, rotate, and turn machinery in the manufacturing industry. The positioners allow our customers to put their parts at the right elevation and rotation for their operators to build things efficiently.” Their business eliminates the need for straps, chains, and slings and instead allows the operator to raise and position weldments and assemblies to the necessary height and working position.
ALM specializes in custom designs and manufacturing solutions for their customers who need positioners to meet specific requirements. Their unique selling proposition in the Industrial Automation Industry allows them to offer significant cost savings for equipment, improved safety for welders and operators, and increased manufacturing and assembly production efficiency to their customers.
Business Challenges
ALM was challenged by an increasing number of custom design requests. These requests increased product design cycle times. Inaccurate and inefficient information was finding its way to engineers and technicians because product data was stored in paper documents throughout the manufacturing facility.
Pundt reported, “We would have a lot of problems with not having the right prints, so something would end up being built wrong – requiring rework or just extra time to disassemble or reassemble it.” Modifications were being made to designs that weren’t communicated to other departments. This created a bottleneck in operations causing stalls in production and higher costs due to rework. “We’re looking to streamline our processes and get rid of the paper on our shop floor.”
To keep up with the demand of their customers, ALM knew they had to be able to securely store and access product information, Bill of Materials (BOMs), and design requirements all in one place to eliminate the bottleneck and to operate at maximum speed and efficiency on the shop floor. Kevin Toft, President at ALM, proclaimed, “Our company is growing at a fast rate. Last year we saw a forty-six percent growth in our sales revenue and we expect that we are going to double sales by the end of 2019. We need to have systems that work for us so we can continue to see that kind of growth. We have to be as efficient as possible.”
Solution
ALM Positioners turned to EAC Product Development Solutions to help solve their bottleneck problem. EAC helps companies optimize their product development systems so they can succeed in the market place. EAC is a PTC value-added network partner, offering the latest advancements in technology utilized by companies around the world, including PTC Windchill. EAC’s Solution Architects proposed PTC Windchill, a product life cycle management (PLM) tool that allows organizations to consolidate and manage product information into digital form.
Implementation
With the help of EAC’s implementation team, ALM incorporated Windchill throughout their organization so they could view, operate, and manage up-to-date CAD designs on computers throughout the shop floor. “Before we implemented Windchill we were running paper copies. Our ERP implementation was through exported BoMs in Microsoft Excel and we would import them back into the ERP system. It was very time consuming and inefficient,” Pundt explained. Windchill eliminated the obligation to use multiple systems to view product information, associated BoMs, and CAD designs.
Overall employee morale was up because there was less redundancy throughout the early design stages. Brydon Sanders, Product Design Engineer at ALM, reports, “Before Windchill we had an archive of data that was not necessarily 100% accurate. So, when we were sorting data that we thought was right, we’d find out there was a problem after we made changes to it. EAC helped us customize a life cycle specifically for how small of a company we are to help facilitate changes and make the correct revisions. Everything is much faster when designing and validating the product.”
EAC helped customize Windchill to optimize operational efficiencies specifically for ALM’s needs. Colten Brunenn, Product Manager at ALM, reported, “EAC’s implementation specialist was on site for several days at a time throughout the implementation process to help us customize the application to our needs. The specialist was giving us examples, walking us through the processes, showing us how it would work if we did it a certain way, and showed us how to make things easier. It opened our eyes to the capacity and abilities of what we could do with Windchill for our specific needs.”
Results
Compared to previous processes, ALM is able to more quickly and accurately meet their customer’s needs because of their Windchill implementation. “We save about four hours per job with just the front-end BoM load and getting the information into the ERP system – which has been huge,” Pundt explained. “Customers tend to want what they want and a lot of times we can get their order over our competition because we’re willing to customize it for them. Windchill and our new ERP system make it very easy to manage those customizations and helps us to make sure that we have materials in-stock and on-time to meet those needs.”
“With the implementation of Windchill, our manufacturing efficiency is greatly improved. Everything is live on the shop floor now, there are no more paper copies, no more prints getting lost, and nobody building something off the wrong or unrevised print. It has really improved our efficiency through the manufacturing process,” Pundt said. Transitioning into a digital workflow with Windchill allows ALM to reduce time-to-market, decrease costs, and increase collaboration throughout the organization.
