PLM Interest Group

Product Structure Standard

The Product Structure Standard is a neutral, accurate and robust standard that follows the natural rules of PDM.  It is therefore easy for large corporations to align with their own in-house structures.  Because it is simple and concise, it provides an effective template for SMEs to set up their PDM architecture.

Product Structure is an area of massive complexity for many companies, and it may be hard to imagine how a single standard could apply throughout PLM.   The key to finding a standard is to set aside the "product shape" or "product configuration" viewpoint and to focus instead on the fundamental rules that apply to products in an industrial or commercial environment. These rules apply to every product type, in every industry.

The Product Structure Standard is a 31-page document that now stands at Version 3.0.

The Contents include:-

• Terminology
• Product Fundamentals
• Types of Product Structure
• Configuration Rules
• Product Structure Phases
• PDM Rules
• Documentation Rules

Despite its unglamorous title, the Product Structure Standard resolves some of the most important issues in PLM:-

• How should the data within PDM be structured?
• What level of manual structuring is allowable?
• Rules that apply to variants and substitutes
• What data should be in PDM, and what should be in ERP?
• What kind of structures are not allowed?

At the highest level, the Product Structure Standard provides the rules that enable you to define the borders between PLM and ERP.

When used in detail with the PLMuERP Handbook, it enables you to fully understand and map the "Bridge" {see Section 15} - to manage the unilateral and bilateral data flows between the PLM platform and the ERP system.

The PLM Product Structure Standard is provided with Q&A support to PLMIG Members, so you will receive a copy if you join with any class of Membership.

Alternatively, you may buy hard copies from Amazon or electronic copies from the Store.

For more information about PLM Product Structure, or the Standard itself, contact productstructure@plmig.com.

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