Web Document Management and a PDM Interface For Better CAD File Management

Web document management may seem new todocument management system;
many medical device companies--it is certainly worth- Automatically edits PDF copies in the web
the consideration of all medical devicedocument management system when changes are
manufacturers--but for those medical devicemade to the original CAD file in the PDM solution;
companies that have already implemented web- Allows engineers to continue using the native PDM
document management software in their ownsolutions they are familiar with while simultaneously
regulated environment and seen the benefits of acontrolling CAD files in conjunction with all other
healthy ROI, the question arises as to what ITdocumentation for best compliance results;
solution will hold the next competitive edge in the- Publishes CAD files automatically (to PDFs) and
race for the biggest slice of the industry's revenueautomatically routes and sends these PDFS for
and profits.approval to pre-approved users;
A New Competitive Edge- Automates the routing and approval of the PDFs,
For medical device companies that have alreadywhile the updating the PDM solution;
invested in web document management, what is the- Allows for the tracking of CAD creation and
next step?modifications and automatically archives the CAD PDF
Start by asking yourself (or your software vendor)files when appropriate.
whether your current web document managementFind What's Right for Your Company
solution can interface with your PDM solution (e.g.The list of features mentioned above is by no means
SolidWorks' PDMWorks, Pro/INTRALINK from PTCconclusive. Every medical device company has its
and Windchill). If you don't currently have a webown agenda and corporate personality. After
document management solution, refer to the rest ofchecking to see if a solution provides the features
this article for features that you should consider.mentioned above medical device companies should
Web Document Management + PDM Solution = Moreconsider features they would find useful to their own
Powercompany and look for that type of product as well.
When a web document management solution canSome software vendors may even agree to build
interface with a PDM solution the possibilities forand customer software requests and/or upgrades.
better control, better compliance and easier productConclusion
turnaround may astound even the most believing ITThere are a variety of additional products that may
enthusiasts.prove to be the "next-in-line" competitive edge
CAD File Managementproducts for life science companies. For the
CAD drawings are not likely to be categorized aspharmaceutical industry a start-to-finish eCTD solution
flexible digital documentation any time soon. CADscan provide a very significant ROI especially
seem almost impossible to manage in a generic webconsidering the fact that a marketing delay of a year
document management solution but can easily beor even 6 months can result in millions of dollars lost.
managed if your web document managementFor medical device companies another product that
solution interfaces with your PDM solution.offers a competitive edge are BOM or Bill of Materials
The Hunt for the Right Interface Connectorsoftware solutions. Keep in mind however that a
When searching for the right interface connector,BOM solution should provide ERP system integration.
medical device professionals should look for a systemFor blood/tissue companies, a sophisticated training
that does the following:learning management solution might be the next
- Allows users to collaborate and redline on the PDFcompetitive software tool. One thing is sure
version of CAD files;however...competition and technology are both of the
- Ensures that all PDF versions of CAD files areutmost value for any life science company.
automatically stored in the corresponding web