Autodesk PLM 360 is now available as Software as a Service

Autodesk PLM 360 is the latest of Autodesk's cloud-based offerings. Unlike traditional PLM systems - which have historically been expensive and complicated - Autodesk PLM 360 is said to be instant-on and easily configurable to meet customer-specific product lifecycle process needs across the enterprise. It is also claimed to be the first cloud-based PLM system focused on business applications beyond engineering and bill-of-materials management. As a result, employees in a range of roles - from planning and product development to quality and compliance, to service and more - can better access product and project-related information that helps them continuously improve the products they design and manufacture.

Robert 'Buzz' Kross, the senior vice president of Design, Lifecycle and Simulation at Autodesk, states: "Our customers deserve modern technology to help solve the needs of their increasingly complex and global businesses. Autodesk PLM 360's simple, flexible, cloud-based approach will radically improve the ability for companies to gain the full benefits of PLM, helping them to become more competitive and grow their business."

Rob Ferber, the CEO at Electron Vault, a clean-tech energy-storage provider, comments: "We have found Autodesk PLM 360 to be a welcome expansion of our Digital Prototyping workflow. Given the high costs and expertise associated with traditional PLM, we just did not want to go there until now. Autodesk's accessibility, rapid deployment and ease of use reduce the complexity of managing PLM processes across our global teams."

Franke Foodservice Systems Inc, a division of Switzerland-based global manufacturer Franke Artemis Group, which employs around 10,500 staff worldwide and is established in over 40 countries, has adopted Autodesk PLM 360 to improve its product management, enhancing collaboration through product conception, realization, deployment and use. Duane Brown, the ccompany's Product Data and CAD Operations manager, says: "No two restaurant customers are identical, and we have many staff in the field doing surveys of customer sites to customise equipment for a new menu item or coffee system. Having a global, cloud-based application to track every step and all our major product milestones with instant sharing of all field and engineering notes in a secure application is incredible."

No programming

In addition to offering an attractive, modern look and feel for a superior user experience, Autodesk PLM 360 takes a highly configurable no-programming approach to system configuration that eliminates the need for expensive programmers and consultants. Dozens of pre-installed apps automate business processes across the lifecycle. With intuitive drag-and-drop functionality, users can easily tailor apps or build their own to meet specific needs and without having to purchase additional modules.

Autodesk PLM 360 is described as a true multi-tenant cloud application. Users and managers will never again have to worry about upgrades and broken customisation; the application is always up-to-date and compatible with any customer-specific configuration. IT managers are freed from non-strategic system management since users access Autodesk PLM 360 from a fully managed data centre that provides security, high performance and disaster recovery. Additionally, the cloud-based foundation offers users anytime, anywhere access, from virtually any mobile device or web browser.

Autodesk PLM 360 also features integration and interoperability to on-premise systems including Autodesk Vault product data management (PDM) software. Vault enables workgroups to organise, manage and track their engineering CAD data, manufacturing bills-of-material, and change processes from a centralised location.

Pricing and availability

In contrast to legacy PLM industry licensing matrices, Autodesk PLM 360 has an easy and affordable subscription model that simplifies purchasing. Full function access for the first three professional users is free, with each additional user priced at US$75 per month on an annual contract basis. This is said to represent roughly one-tenth of the cost of comparable functionality from legacy PLM providers. Availability varies by country. Visit www.autodeskplm360.com for additional information about how to purchase Autodesk PLM 360, and take a look at the Autodesk PLM 360 YouTube Channel.