IBM, Dassault Announce PLM Solution For Auto Industry

Generative Car, a product lifecycle management (PLM) solution from IBM Corp. and Dassault Systemes, aims to reduce design cycle time on all facets of automotive development processes, including body, interior and exterior trim, chassis, powertrain, electrical, and vehicle synthesis and assembly by enabling simultaneous engineering, fast design change, and seamless processes from early styling to final manufacture, say the two companies. The Generative Car solution consists of a set of integrated products from CATIA, ENOVIA and DELMIA, combined with a set of IBM best practices and Dassault Systemes PLM practices developed for the automotive industry. The solution uses computer models to incorporate component and knowledge rules that reflect design practice and past experience. Dubbed "intelligent templates," the models adapt to new products or their corresponding manufacturing processes, and evolve dynamically as those requirements change. "IBM has been working hand-in-hand with leading automotive manufacturers and suppliers to provide specialized IT solutions for vehicle development," says Jean-Marc Deshays, worldwide automotive business leader, IBM Product Lifecycle Management. "This industry-specific solution will help automotive OEMs and suppliers cope with the evolution of the automotive market." Adds Pierre Moreau, vice president PLM Automotive Solutions, Dassault Systemes, "The Generative Car solution enables carmakers to optimize their business processes in order to reduce the time between styling freeze and start of production. The knowledge reuse capabilities in the solution give automakers the means to leverage their intellectual capital and speed development of new models while reducing costs."