A manufacturing leader moves to Autodesk Fusion Manage PLM in 90 days, without disruption
An HVAC&R manufacturer with more than 4,500 chillers installed worldwide had outgrown a patchwork of shared drives. With Autodesk's recommendation, it partnered with us to implement a tailored Fusion Manage PLM: customised, integrated and fully adopted in 90 days.
Product data had outgrown its home
Chillers are complex, long-lasting products. Making them well depends on precise data control and teams that work from the same information.
As the installed base grew past 4,500 chillers, product data grew fast. Engineering workflows became harder to track and design duplications became more frequent. The common data environment, a mix of SharePoint, Google tools and network drives, could no longer protect data integrity, security and product quality at scale.
Group-level systems such as SolidWorks EPDM and Windchill PLM existed, but the team wanted a faster, more business-aligned option that would not disrupt day-to-day work.
Islands of information: the same designs in many places, none of them the single source of truth.
Data spread across many sources was hard to share and needed extra effort to integrate, update and secure, which drove up costs.
Disorganised file structures and scattered design versions led to duplicated work and compromised product quality.
Each department worked with haphazard information, causing confusion and lowering productivity.
Without version control and search, engineers often lost time working on outdated designs.
Maintaining fragmented, isolated data took money and people, and pushed budgets over.
Complex engineering workflows caused delays, duplicate data entry and inefficiency.
Uncontrolled design duplication raised concerns over data integrity, governance and security.
Fusion Manage PLM, fitted to the way the business already works
Given the company's deep Autodesk ecosystem and the need for a quick implementation, Autodesk recommended Fusion Manage PLM for its out-of-the-box functionality and its room for customisation.
We kept the company's existing business practices and fitted the PLM around them: an automated lift-and-shift migration from on-premises and cloud sources, integrations mapped one way or both ways, and automated notifications that send sensitive data only to the right people.
Data moves into Fusion Manage PLM once, then stays connected.
- Understand
Worked closely with the client to understand its current processes and requirements: two workflows, with multiple custom product lines.
- Map
Evaluated the data, mapped one-way and two-way integration points, and identified the best triggers for a smooth migration.
- Fit
Found where the PLM needed adjusting and defined a transition strategy with as few process changes as possible.
- Plan
Designed a phased implementation plan with minimal changes, continuous feedback and tailored PLM adjustments.
- Deliver
Delivered continuously, with real-time feedback and a step-by-step integration and migration plan that kept the client's business process as it was.
- Migrate
Built an automated migration module for lift-and-shift from on-premises and cloud sources, preserving business logic.
- Notify
Replaced manual notifications to group owners with an automated system that sends sensitive data securely to the designated stakeholders only.
- Automate
Automated key PLM operations, optimised data access and streamlined workflows to match operational needs.
Live in 90 days, with nothing standing still
90-day go-live, zero disruption
The business kept running as usual through the move to the new PLM.
One source of truth
Centralised data with fast search and accurate versions. No more design duplication, and no time wasted searching for a part.
Faster development
Rapid adoption and configurable workflows streamlined product development.
Better collaboration and quality
Transparent collaboration across departments improved product quality, with a fully paperless process.
Fewer errors, more productive engineers
Automated operations reduced errors and improved accuracy from design to cost.
Ready for group-wide rollout
A robust, scalable PLM foundation that the wider group can build on.
