PLM Compliance Tips

PLM continues to get high marks as a compliance management solution, but it is only a tool and it needs comprehensive backup to meet regulatory objectives, says Michael J. Zepp, director of materials compliance solutions at ENOVIA MatrixOne, a Dassault Systemes organization.

Zepp sees materials compliance data management as a new business requirement. "It must involve the entire corporate organization since it impacts every department's ability to be successful. Not only do you need a broad understanding of departments, but you also need these new business requirements built into business procedures, legal contracts, and employees' job descriptions."

1. No involvement from the purchasing function
2. No executive support
3. Missing information in Bill-of-Material data systems
4. Not part of product design reviews
5. Not built into business process procedures
6. Not listed as requirement on contracts, drawings or statements-of-work
7. Not a requirement for an engineering or manufacturing change
8. Not part of employee's goals and performance reviews
9. Not part of a supplier's performance metrics
10. Not understood by marketing -- "Don't sell what you cannot make!"