As part of a partnership to explore the cloud as platform for PLM, the pair is leveraging Microsoft Windows Azure to run the DPV quality management solution that's part of Tecnomatix.

Beth Stackpole, Contributing Editor, Software/Hardware -- Design News, July 15, 2010

Siemens PLM Software has taken what appear to be its first steps to put PLM in the cloud. The company announced a joint project with Microsoft to leverage the Microsoft Windows Azure cloud computing platform to run its quality management solution.

Specifically, the project will let customers securely run Siemens' Dimensional Planning and Validation (DPV) application, which is part of the company's Tecnomatix digital manufacturing solution.

Tecnomatix DPV facilitates the collection, management, analysis and reporting of quality measurement information.

DPV is a closed-loop system that facilitates the collection, management, analysis and reporting of quality measurement information tied directly to real-time production results. Tecnomatix DPV leverages the Teamcenter PLM backbone to meld as-built production information with real-time production quality data in the same environment used to manage the product, process and manufacturing data.

The project is aimed at exploring how a cloud platform could enable organizations like remote manufacturing locations or outside suppliers to tap into a sophisticated quality management application without having to make a full investment in a PLM infrastructure, according to company officials.

"One area where the cloud could offer value is in situations where a company or organization could benefit from an enterprise-level PLM capability, such as our Tecnomatix DPV quality management solution, but don't have access to the full PLM IT infrastructure," says Eric Sterling, senior vice president of Global Marketing, Siemens PLM Software. "Offering this solution in the cloud would enable the organization to experience the benefits on-demand and without the overhead associated with implementing a full PLM solution."

In addition to the DPV-Azure project, Siemens PLM Software is working with Microsoft on several other ways to effectively leverage cloud computing. The pair recently demonstrated product development collaboration in the cloud utilizing the Windows Azure platform to securely and automatically share 3-D product information using the JT data format and PLM XML data format, between an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and its suppliers.