Research on PLM multidimensional data model

In today's challenging global market, companies are embracing PLM (product lifecycle management) as an important information strategy to achieve their business goals of T (time), Q (quality), C (cost), S (service), and E (environment). Based on the discussion on the connotation of PLM, the author deems that for product users, the core of PLM is provide powerful data support for fast and precise data query or capturing. Through analyzing on the product structure and production process of manufacturing enterprises, this paper points out that the traditional BOM data model, owing to its own limitation, can no longer meet the need of PLM. The only way for enterprises to walk out the dilemma of manufacturing information is finding out a proper product structure and production data model. To the problems encountered in the course of implementing PLM, a multidimensional data model is presented in this paper. Its definition and expression is detailed, its realization technology is studied, and its data structures are designed with UML (Unified Modelling Language) class diagram. The presented model is unified, holonomic and dynamically extensible, thus addresses the need of PLM very well.