Multivac, a supplier of processing and packaging solutions for the food, medical device and pharmaceutical sectors, has selected Teamcenter software from the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio as its strategic product lifecycle management system. The solution is to serve as the central PLM backbone for managing product data, connecting various engineering disciplines with downstream manufacturing environments across the organization, and supporting the digital transformation of product development and lifecycle management processes. The implementation is intended to help the company further digitalize and integrate its development processes, while also increasing transparency, collaboration and efficiency across engineering teams. At the same time, Multivac aims to better address growing product complexity throughout the entire lifecycle and prepare its engineering organization for the use of data-driven processes, including applications related to AI-enabled engineering and analytics.
The company indicates that establishing a consistent digital thread backbone is intended to create the foundation for integrated product development processes. Teamcenter is to act as the digital core linking engineering data with manufacturing processes, which fits into the broader direction of building a consistent flow of information from product development to production. According to company representatives, the solution is expected to improve user efficiency and collaboration while at the same time preparing data-driven processes for future analytical applications and AI tools. Dr Christian Lau, chief technical officer and group president at Multivac, said: "With Teamcenter, we are improving user efficiency and collaboration, while preparing for the future by making our data-driven processes fit for AI-enabled engineering and analytics. By establishing a consistent digital thread backbone, we are creating the foundation for integrated product development processes and positioning our engineering organization to support future digitalization initiatives."
Integration of engineering and manufacturing
The decision to select Teamcenter reflects Multivac's focus on creating a consistent data flow from product development to manufacturing. The company already uses Siemens solutions such as Designcenter Manufacturing and Teamcenter Manufacturing Resource Library, which are used for tool management in production. Extending this cooperation with a central PLM system is intended to enable better linkage of engineering data with manufacturing processes and support a more integrated, digital approach to product development.
Multivac is also using Siemens solutions to manage CNC shopfloor operations, including tool management and, in the future, NC program handling as well. Integrating these functions within a broader digital infrastructure is expected to deliver greater consistency of manufacturing data, reduced errors and setup times, and increased operational efficiency. This connectivity between engineering and production is intended to increase process transparency and support more agile, high-quality manufacturing.
Support for digital transformation
As Siemens Digital Industries Software emphasizes, industrial machinery manufacturers are under growing pressure related to the need to manage complexity, introduce innovations faster, and connect engineering with manufacturing. Klaus Löckel, managing director for the DACH region at Siemens Digital Industries Software, stated: "Industrial machinery manufacturers are under growing pressure to manage complexity, innovate faster and connect engineering with manufacturing. This collaboration demonstrates how a scalable PLM platform can help companies establish a strong digital backbone and support long-term digital transformation initiatives."
In practice, Multivac's selection of Teamcenter means further structuring of its product and manufacturing data architecture toward a model in which information flows more continuously between the stages of design, production preparation and manufacturing execution. From the perspective of a manufacturer of packaging machines and systems, such a step is significant both organizationally and operationally, as it concerns the integration of engineering competencies, manufacturing environments and digital tools within one consistent PLM structure.
