I was recently interviewed on M2M Radio. This interview was conducted  by M2M Magazine editor Peggy Smedley. Peggy and I discussed factors  shaping the M2M market; topics covered ranged from the Manufacturing Insights M2M vendor selection framework to the manner by which the overall M2M ecosystem might benefit from the US Federal Government's American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

What's in a name?  Environment, Health & Safety, Carbon, Emissions, Energy, or Sustainability Management?  Take your pick.

The past couple months, I've been struggling through a multi-report research project that tries to achieve multiple goals, including mapping software applications that serve the spectrum of needs manufacturers have between environmental health and safety (EH&S) and sustainability.  I've also defined this as the range between regulatory compliance and voluntary stewardship.   (The first report from this research published August 18th:  Technology Selection:  Environment, Health, and Safety - A Necessary Foundation for Asset-Oriented Manufacturers.)

Last week I received an email  from one of the top PLM vendors with this question: "could PLM have prevented the recent recall of Toyota cars?"  Earlier today, I was interviewed by a top-tier business magazine, and, perhaps not surprisingly, one of the questions was: "why wasn’t simulation able to predict the increased friction in the accelerator pedal mechanism and prevent the failure?"

My response to both was that no, I did not think that PLM could have prevented the failure altogether.  It is my opinion, however, that when used effectively, PLM can reduce the likelihood of failures, expedite root-cause analysis, and the formulation of remedial steps.  In the case of a recall,  PLM, combined with other tools, can reduce the number of recalled cars, thereby reducing costs and damage to the brand image.

Before I discuss the rational behind my responses, I am interested to hear your opinions whether PLM could have / should have prevented this or similar product failures.   

See more on this recall here http://idc-insights-community.com/posts/073f490f43  

IDC Manufacturing Insights has just published a major new research report on Formula and Specification Management (F&SM) in brand-oriented value chains. Formula and specification management is an increasingly important issue forbrand-oriented value chain manufacturers, particularly those in the sub-segment of food and beverage where companies are experiencing the classic productivity "vise." They are expected to innovate better and faster, manage global and regional compliance obligations, and ensure the safety of their products and consumers – all with less resources.