In the last 2 blogs, we discussed some of the new features available with Mathcad Prime 2.0. In today's blog, the focus will be on the increase in performance that will be a major feature of the product's release.
Dont forget to follow us on Twitter @concurrenteng and @PTC_Mathcad for more updates and information!
Engine Improvements in Mathcad Prime 2.0!
One of the most important features of the Engine Improvement, is that the previous version of the Intel Math Kernel library, has been upgraded from 7 to 10.2.
Anna Giangregorio from PTC's marketing team discussed the new improvements in performance with Chahid Ghaddar, a Software Development Engineer, and Senior Technical Consultant at PTC.
Ghaddar explained, "The MK Library will automatically detect the users architecture and grab the suitable number of free cores on multiprocessor machines to provide the best performance."
Speed Gained when running Mathcad Prime 2.0 on multiple processors, for 2 large computational tests...
In Mathcad Prime 2.0, users have the option of changing the number of threads from a default of 2 processors. With linear algebra functions, numerical tests have shown that running on 2-4 processors will always show the best improvements.
64 Bit Architecture...
Improvements accross the technology industry have resulted in most computers having 64 bit architectures. Mathcad Prime 2.0 works with this architecture, allowing for work with larger applications and more memory than ever before!
Mathcad's solve blocks will also benefit from increased performance and robustness due to the new licensed and integrated optimization solver from KNITRO.
All of these features combined provide you with a huge upgrade in performance and technology, to accelerate your calculation processes!
Take advantage of these features by renewing your Maintenance Support, or clicking below to get a quote!
When Mathcad Prime 1.0 was announced by PTC back in December 2010, its release was hotly anticipated. However the absence of some capabilities present in Mathcad 15.0, such as the Symbolic Calculation Feature, raised a lot of criticism from loyal Mathcad customers.
With Mathcad Prime 2.0, this has all changed!
Explicit Evaluation along with Numeric and Symbolic Calculation Integration is back!
Through the use of patented Integration Technology, the new and improved symbolic calculation capabilities seamlessly integrates with numeric calculation.
This new functionality automates the process of altering formulas before applying to specific cases, allowing users to set up the right form of the formula before entering the numbers.
PTC's Software Development Manager Ken Pitman, oversees work on the calculation engine for Mathcad, and shared his views with Anna Giangregorio from PTC's marketing department. He looks specifically at 4 of the most interesting aspects of symbolic calculation in Mathcad Prime 2.0, namely:
- Explicit Evaluation
- Integration between Symbolics and and Numeric calculations
- Using Lagrange notation (F') for derivatives
- Using Leibniz notation for derivatives
To read the full in-depth discussion from Ken, read Anna's
blog.
Performing day to day tasks involving Engineering calculations, such as transferring knowledge, setting up standard calculations, or verifying and validating a design— are all made easier, more effective and less prone to error, when using documents with explicit derivation and calculations.
Mathcad Prime 2.0 provides the solutions to do this!
Click the button below to get a quote, or to receive regular updates about the new features and Functionality of Mathcad Prime 2.0!
With the release of Mathcad Prime 2.0 scheduled for 22nd February 2012, customer queries around the new functionality and features have soared! This Blog post will take a quick look into what to expect from the new version!
In manufacturing today, it is still common to find that Engineers spend too much time documenting and performing non-engineering work. Examples of this inlude formatting pages, rewriting equations, managing headers and footers, positioning regions, etc.
Mathcad is already the industry standard software for solving, documenting, sharing, and reusing vital engineering calculations. However, by combining the clean and easy to use interface and environment of Mathcad Prime, with more advanced functionality than any other Mathcad product, PTC have reached a new level!
Everything about the Mathcad Prime 2.0 UI has been redefined to enhance usability and efficiency!
Top 3 New Features of Mathcad Prime 2.0
Mathcad Prime 2.0 includes various important computational improvements which enable users to better leverage large amounts of data and memory, at faster speeds. Follow the links below to read further articles and Blogs from PTC about the functionality improvements in Prime Mathcad 2.0.
To take advantage of these new features on the release in February, be sure to renew your annual Maintenance Support when you receive your renewal proposal through!
For Inactive Maintenance Support customers, please click the "Get a Quote" button at the bottom of this Blog, to receive a quote to reactivate your Maintenance support, and Upgrade free to Mathcad Prime 2.0!
Although the definition of PLM will still cause a lot of debate, we believe that there's little doubt about the exact components that make up a successful PLM solution. A PLM solution that lacks even one of these critical capabilities should be questioned as a viable option.
- Document Management
- Embedded Visualisation
- Workflow
- Distributed Collaboration
- Multi-CAD Data Management
- Complete BOM Management (MCAD, ECAD, and software content in a single structure)
- Change and Configuration Management
We will discuss each of these seven capabilities in a little more detail over the current and next couple of blog posts.
PLM Capability #1: Document Management
As a "must have" PLM component, Document Management provides the capabilities to store, track, control and share information - whether represented as drawings, graphics, or text - and deliver it as final documentation in any format such as downloadable designs and manufacturing specifications, printed product guides, web based training manuals, and interactive service information.
Document Management Technology within a PLM solution enables stakeholders to:
- Quickly and easily search/retrieve critical, up-to-date product information electronically via a centrally located data repository, by applying multiple categorisations; information can be stored in a single instance and referenced in a multitude of ways
- Achieve better control of document distribution; information-profiling enables automatic notification when desired automation is located, and provides access to authorised users only
- Improve security and disaster-recovery operations; central-system storage with backup and archiving functionality protects information from inappropriate user access or disaster-induced damager
- Enhance regulatory compliance; security controls, audit trails, archiving functionality, and disaster recovery operations ensure that the authenticity of stored information can be verified and validated to meet government and industry based requirements.
PLM Capability #2: Embedded Visualisation
Effective management and development of a product's BOM throughout its lifecycle requires that design-related content always be readily accessible. Since cost and time-to-market are largely determined relatively early in the product development process, it's vital that the digital data and product representations be reviewed and approved by all stakeholders before committing to tooling and prototype development.
To make this happen, a PLM solution must provide generous visualisation capabilities that enable collaboration on a multitude of centrally organised product information types (e.g. CAD files, PDFs, and MS Office documents) across both mechanical and electrical disciplines.
Embedded Visualisation capabilities must allow all stakeholders to easily access digital product content - WITHOUT requiring the native authoring application. An underlying, web based, scalable environment must support a range of customer needs, spanning simple desktop viewing single CAD models to interactive evaluation of massive digital mockups. In addition, visualisation capabilities, must enable stakeholders to markup the content and collaborate on it in real time, as well as accurately measure, section, and compare 3D models, and assemble parts and complex product structures.
By sharing visual information throughout the company and leveraging it in these ways, stakeholders can gain insights that foster earlier, more effective decision-making for improved organisational productivity and reduced process cycle times.
In light of the growing awareness and adoption of PLM, it's interesting to note that while there is a good consensus on the benefits of PLM, there is still some debate on its precise definition.
Although introduced in the late 1990s, PLM still lacks a consistent definition. This may stem from the initial, commonly accepted belief that PLM represented a conglomeration of functional disciplines - analogous to how ERP has unified finance, HR, manufacturing, and warehouse systems. Originally PLM was perceived to encompass mechanical computer-aided design (MCAD), computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), and computer-aided engineering (CAE), as well as product data management (PDM) solutions. However, that view has proved somewhat erroneous over the past decade, as PLM has evolved into a more comprehensive, company wide, global solution.
Being respectful of its success to date, PLM's potential cannot be fully realised as long as there is confusion regarding its essential capabilities and functionality. Manufacturers need to understand all that PLM can do for them - and all that it makes possible to achieve. This knowledge will enable manufacturers to leverage the technology in ways that can yield product development efficiencies that were previously considered unattainable or make improvements in areas that would previously not even have been considered.
A Comprehensive Definition of PLM
So what exactly is PLM? PLM is software designed to enhance process efficiencies related to a product's bill-of-materials (BOM) - the core information that tells manufacturing companies how to design, manufacture, and support products. Specifically, PLM software enables manufacturers to optimise the management and evolution of a BOM throughout a product's entire lifecycle - from concept to retirement. Any and all activities that affect, change, influence, or finalise a BOM are factors that will drive a manufacturer's overall operational effectiveness and as such are considered to reside underneath the PLM umbrella.
For clarity's sake, it's important to note that it is our perspective that PLM does not include the technologies used to author the information that populate a product's BOM - such as MCAD/ECAD files and engineering/design calculations.
To be assured of successful management and evolution of a product's BOM - that is, a successful return-on-investment (ROI) - manufacturers must implement solutions that at a minimum, feature the following:
1. A foundation set of "must-have" capabilities, delivered through seven distinct PLM components (see Table below)
2. A single scalable system architecture characterised by high performance, effective data replication, and robust security to support the modern geographically disparate company. The system should be integral, Internet based, and interoperable with other company systems.
Of importance to highly innovative, forward-looking manufacturers seeking to leverage the full potential and value proposition of PLM, we see that there are eight additonal PLM components that provide more extended and sophisticated capabilities.
| PLM Solution Capabilities |
Must-Have Capability |
Extended Capability |
| Document Management |
* |
|
| Embedded Visualisation |
* |
|
| Workflow |
* |
|
| Distributed Collaboration |
* |
|
| Multi-CAD Data Management |
* |
|
| Complete BOM Management |
* |
|
| Change & Configuration Management |
* |
|
| Manufacturing Process Management |
|
* |
| Requirements Management |
|
* |
| Program Portfolio Management |
|
* |
| Quality Lifecycle Management |
|
* |
| Product Analytics |
|
* |
| Component & Supplier Management |
|
* |
| Service Information |
|
* |
| Communities of Practice |
|
* |
We will investigate each of these points in more detail over the next set of posts.
Download "10 Questions to ask PLM Solution Suppliers" Whitepaper
In manufacturing today, product development processes and profitability are inextricably linked. There is a strong causal relationship, whereby such processes have a direct impact on manufacturers’ ability to generate sustained business growth. Fundamental in today’s global business environment – one that’s characterised by geographically dispersed workgroups, increased competition, and new customer requirements in emerging markets – product development challenges for discrete manufacturers are more complex than ever.
Since these challenges – which concern everything from having more project stakeholders, to managing disparate systems with incompatible data, to dealing with increased frequency of design changes and complying with stricter industry regulations – represent formidable obstacles to business profitability and success, it’s critical that organisations determine how to effectively address such issues.
(It’s important to note that while revenue improvement represents 80% of the profit opportunity and cost reduction represents the remaining 20%, industry leaders successfully adopt best practices in both areas.)
At an ever-increasing rate, manufacturers have come to regard Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) as the potential solution.
“Organisations implementing PLM can expect both top-line and bottom-line benefits that come from gains in time-to-market, operational efficiency, production costs and regulatory compliance.” – Forrester Research (1)
Likewise, IDC Manufacturing Insights’ assessment that PLM is assuming corporate-wide importance – ”PLM is slowly maturing into an enterprise decision-making discipline” (2) – reflects a growing consensus among analysts that PLM’s significance will one day rival well-established enterprise solutions like ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), CRM (Customer Relationship Management) and SCM (Supply Chain Management), and potentially offer even greater value. Gartner expresses this sentiment even more pointedly, by asserting: “In addition to PLM’s inherent value, PLM decisions have strong influence on the business model and benefits that can be realised by ERP, SCM and CRM applications in downstream business processes; in that sense, PLM is the most fundamental business application in manufacturing.” (3)
In short, the implications of adding a PLM solution are clear:
• Companies exist to make money for their shareholders by achieving sustained earnings growth
• Revenue growth and cost reduction are the only two ways to improve earnings – with revenue growth being the more sustainable, unbounded option
• Revenue growth is four times more influential than cost reduction, with regard to profit contribution
• PLM enables product-centric organisations to meet their bottom-line goals while addressing product development process challenges related to regulatory pressures, product complexity, and geographic dynamics
• Similar to the evolution of ERP, PLM is a consolidating technology that offers significant IT cost-of-ownership benefits
• Unlike ERP – which focuses on cost-reduction initiatives – PLM addresses both cost reduction and revenue growth
• PLM has reached a point in its maturity where its ROI potential is making it a top-of-mind business imperative for C-level executives
1. Forrester Research Inc., ROI of Product Lifecycle Management, February 2009
2. IDC Manufacturing Insights, Product Lifecycle Strategies Top 10 Predictions for 2010, Webcast, 2010
3. Gartner Group Inc., Brant, Kenneth F. and Halpern, Marc; Findings: PLM's Business Value is Fundamental, yet Still Not Well Understood, April 2010
Download the ROI of Product Lifecycle Management Whitepaper
Over the past ten years, more and more manufacturers have deployed Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions to optimise product development and enhance bottom-line performance.
However, there is still widespread confusion and disagreement concerning the essential capabilities and functionality of PLM. This is especially true in the small and medium business marketplace where company executives may still believe that PLM solutions are only relevant for the larger OEMs and that projects cannot realise a satisfactory return on investment in a sensible timeframe.
Ultimately, PLM’s potential as a competitive edge creating technology will never be fully realised until a single, comprehensive definition of PLM is formulated and universally accepted.
The fact is, manufacturers will only be able to experience the complete range of PLM’s benefits – and choose the best PLM solution, when they fully and implicitly understand what PLM is, and what it can (and should) do for them.
In this series of posts, we will provide a definitive explanation of PLM, based on a decade of experience building and implementing PLM solutions for numerous companies.
1. The Growing Importance of PLM
2. "Must have" Capabilities of PLM
3. "Extended" Capabilties of PLM
4. Critical System Architecture Considerations
5. Buyer's Checklist
This information will allow you to ensure you make the smartest possible investments in PLM technology.
Free Whitepaper Download
This whitepaper outlines 10 steps to assist Small and Medium Businesses select a PLM solution to support their product development efforts.
Download Now!