Aras Announces Latest Open Release of Advanced PLM Platform

Press Release | Aras | June 29, 2011

Aras, the leading provider of enterprise open source Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) software solutions, today announced download availability of the latest release of the Aras Innovator PLM platform and solution suite. The release includes a wide range of corporate contributions and enhancements for large-scale global PLM deployments where secure collaboration and federated integration are important. Enterprise production-ready PLM software download with unlimited user access is available online.

The release incorporates a broad series of new innovations that include numerous contributions from Xerox, Textron, ITT Defense, Lear Corporation, Xyratex, Carestream Health, ECCO, Freudenberg, Spartan Chassis, DIEHL Metering HYDROMETER, and other corporate community members. Direct influence over the roadmap and the ability to drive the direction of the PLM platform and solutions represent a significant advantage that global companies achieve with Aras.

Release Highlights

The latest open release introduces new out-of-the-box functional enhancements, features and capabilities including:

Standard CAD Integration Platform
Ideally suited for global companies that operate a large scale multi-CAD environment, the new standard CAD integration platform includes a common data model, open APIs and business logic for CAD connectors including CATIA, NX, Creo & Pro/ENGINEER, SolidWorks, Solid Edge, Inventor, AutoCAD and more, as well as, EDA systems such as Allegro, OrCAD, DxDesigner / DxDatabook, PADS, Expedition, Altium, Zuken CR-5000 and others.

High Performance Multi-File Check-out
Parallel asynchronous streaming technology moves sets of files across the WAN significantly faster than previously possible with other PLM systems. High performance multi-file check-out is for large file sets such as the MCAD assemblies, EDA designs and simulation files generated in Aerospace & Defense, Shipbuilding, Automotive, Industrial Equipment and High Tech Electronics.

Dynamic Team Collaboration Security
Collaboration teams can be defined on-the-fly for any item or group of items in the system such as a Bill of Materials Configuration and its related MCAD, EDA and software / firmware files, or a Technical Data Package for a supplier, or a Failure Mode & Effects Analysis (FMEA) for new product risk management. Extended enterprise collaboration is secure and easy because specific permissions, access rights, workflow assignments and more are all determined by team membership.

Additional highlights include:

  • Out-of-the-box capabilities to run multiple different change management workflows concurrently
  • Simplified scenario for enterprise changes that involve the release of a large group of affected items
  • New visual impact matrix for change management
  • Workflow process enablement of cross-generation on items which simplifies collaboration on versionable business items
  • New single sign-on capabilities for workflow authentication
  • Introduction of express Document Change Order (DCO) workflow
  • Enhanced configuration management capabilities for configuration baseline history
  • Improved multi-level Bill of Materials (BOM) view
  • Expanded International time zone functionality
  • Improved system tracking for special security scenarios
  • New vault replication enhancements
  • Thumbnails saved as vaulted items
  • Support for Internet Explorer 9

“This open release brings together a number of significant contributions from companies around the world, and it demonstrates how corporate participation drives the Aras roadmap,” said Peter Schroer, President of Aras. “The rate that capabilities are being introduced to the Aras Innovator platform establishes a new standard for the global PLM market and the pace of our advancement continues to accelerate.”

Companies with an Aras subscription package receive free upgrades to the latest release regardless of the amount of customization in their current system. Subscribers should contact Aras support or their certified Aras partner to schedule the upgrade process.

About Aras

Aras (aras.com) is the leading provider of enterprise open source Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) software solutions. Freedom from licensing eliminates up-front expenses and per user costs while superior technology makes Aras the most advanced enterprise PLM solution suite available. Customers include Motorola, Rolls-Royce, Freudenberg, Lockheed Martin, Ingersoll Rand, Klöckner Desma, Hi-P and ACCO Brands. Aras is privately held with global headquarters in Andover, Mass. For additional information visit the website or follow us on Twitter @aras_plm

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