Customer background and project summary
Our customer is a single-site airframer engineering team based in U.S. that inherited a failed Teamcenter installation from a previous vendor. They contacted Applied CAx to stabilize and recover their PLM environment. This engagement had a limited module deployment scope, focusing on NX and CAM rather than a full PLM scope. The client had approximately 80 users (61 authors and 20 consumers).
Summary
Challenge:
- Current Teamcenter environment is a failed installation
- Support for industry and company specific needs including TPS design and manufacturing, NX and CAM integrations, and Haas machine integration
- Significant number of users needing to be trained on system
Solution:
- New Teamcenter
- NX CM workflows for TPS tile machining
- Custom release workflows to streamline design iteration
- Hands-on training for users
Impact:
- Rescued a failed PLM deployment and established a stable, functional environment
- Delivered training, CAM automation, and NX support aligned with company’s unique aerospace needs.
- Provided strategic guidance on how to expand Teamcenter usage as organizational readiness improves.
- Built a foundation for future digital thread integration across mechanical and electrical domains.
Project objectives
The client had several top-level goals. The first was to stabilize and deploy Teamcenter as a controlled, proof-of-concept system to manage CAM workflows and key NX data. They also needed to implement the support of thermal protection system (TPS) design and manufacturing, including integration with Haas machines. Additionally, they wanted to expand document management maturity over time, especially for specification and verification files
Highlights:
- Stabilize and recover the PLM environment from a failed implementation.
- Deploy Teamcenter as a controlled, proof-of-concept system to manage CAM workflows and key NX data.
- Support thermal protection system (TPS) design and manufacturing, including integration with Haas machines.
- Expand document management maturity over time, especially for specification and verification files.
Project activity highlights
In just a few months the Applied CAx team rebuilt their Teamcenter environment into a lean proof-of-concept instance tailored to the company’s needs. The implementation focused exclusively on NX, bypassing SolidWorks data management to streamline operations. Core NX CAM workflows were enabled to support TPS tile machining, ensuring precision and efficiency in manufacturing. Additionally, custom release workflows were developed to accelerate design iteration and improve handoff of production, enhancing overall agility and throughput.
Highlights
- Rebuilt Teamcenter into a lean proof-of-concept instance within months.
- Enabled core NX CAM workflows for TPS tile machining.
- No SolidWorks data management; focused exclusively on NX.
- Delivered custom release workflows to streamline design iteration and production handoff.
- Fully integrated Siemens Capital (ECAD) with Teamcenter
- Strategic foresight and planning when implementing Teamcenter to maximize growth potential.
Impact
This project had a major impact by turning around a failed PLM deployment and delivering a stable, functional Teamcenter environment. The engineering services team provided training, CAM automation, and NX support tailored to the company’s specific aerospace needs. They also offered strategic guidance to help expand Teamcenter usage as the organization grows in readiness. Most importantly, the project established a solid foundation for future digital thread integration across mechanical and electrical domains, enabling long-term innovation and collaboration.
Highlights
- Rescued a failed PLM deployment and established a stable, functional environment.
- Delivered training, CAM automation, and NX support aligned with company’s unique aerospace needs.
- Provided strategic guidance on how to expand Teamcenter usage as organizational readiness improves.
- Built a foundation for future digital thread integration across mechanical and electrical domains.