What is Digital Thread?
A digital thread is a data-driven architecture that links information generated throughout a product’s lifecycle, from design and manufacturing to service and disposal. This interconnected flow of data provides a holistic view of a product’s journey, enabling real-time decision-making and seamless integration across various systems and stakeholders.
The role of the digital thread
The digital thread provides a unified framework for data management. It connects disparate systems and processes, ensuring that accurate and up-to-date information is available to all stakeholders. This integration facilitates better collaboration, reduces errors, and accelerates innovation.
In product development, the digital thread allows engineers to access historical data, design specifications, and performance metrics, enabling them to make informed decisions and optimize designs.
During manufacturing, it ensures that production processes are aligned with the design intent, reducing the risk of defects and rework. The digital thread also supports maintenance and service activities by providing detailed information on product usage and performance, helping to predict failures and schedule preventive maintenance.
Additionally, the digital thread enhances traceability and compliance by maintaining a comprehensive record of all changes and updates made to a product throughout its lifecycle. This capability is particularly valuable in regulated industries, where stringent documentation and reporting requirements must be met.
What are the benefits of developing digital thread?
Improve quality assurance
Enable real-time tracking and monitoring of materials, components, and products throughout their lifecycle. This ensures that quality standards are consistently met, reducing waste and material losses due to faulty parts or components.
Streamline design and development
Enable design engineers to rapidly develop new products using existing components. This reduces time-to-market and prototyping costs, enabling companies to test different design concepts quickly and efficiently.
Enable cross-functional collaboration
Support collaboration across different departments by providing real-time access to product data at every stage of development and manufacture. This transparency improves communication and eliminates duplication of efforts, ensuring that all stakeholders are aligned.
Reduce risk and cost overruns
Connect all stages of the production process so that you can identify potential problems early on, allowing them to be resolved before they escalate. This proactive approach reduces cost overruns and improves resource management.
What’s the best way to get started with digital thread?
Implementing a digital thread requires a structured approach to ensure success. Here’s an overview of the process. For more detailed guidance or to get started, reach out to us for a free consultation today.
A robust PLM system is the cornerstone of a digital thread, storing all product and process information. High-performance enterprises are more likely to use PLM as the foundation for their digital thread.
Ensure that your data is accurate, up-to-date, and well-organized to create a single source of truth that supports all aspects of your process.
Keep BOMs current to ensure that downstream operations align with design intent. This helps maintain consistency and quality throughout the product lifecycle.
Store production plans in your PLM to facilitate harmonious planning between design engineers and manufacturing teams.
Use your PLM as a database for parts, enabling rationalization and reuse of components. This improves efficiency and helps engineers find the parts they need quickly.
Connect quality processes and information to your design data to reduce reworks and ensure compliance with industry regulations.
Use the digital thread to streamline change management by linking changes to the necessary data.
Ensure that all employees understand how to use the digital thread and appreciate its benefits. This will maximize the value that comes from the digital thread.
Need help with Digital thread?
Matthias Hogberg and team are on-hand to provide tailored guidance and support with a deep knowledge of the full Dassault Systèmes portfolio. Reach out for a free consultation today.
Essential software for digital thread
For complex engineering design and assembly modeling.
For virtual testing, analyzing, and optimizing product performance.
For optimizing manufacturing processes, improving operational efficiency, and enhancing product quality.
For robust product data management, business analytics, and decision support.
View our extensive range of software solutions