Tecnomatix Quality Software Running on Windows Azure Platform is One of Several Joint Projects with Microsoft to Further Enhance PLM Customer Value Through Cloud Computing

WASHINGTON — (BUSINESS WIRE) — July 13, 2010 — Siemens PLM Software, a business unit of the Siemens Industry Automation Division and a leading global provider of product lifecycle management (PLM) software and services, today announced a joint project with Microsoft Corporation to create the PLM industry’s first cloud computing-based quality management solution. The solution will utilize Microsoft Windows Azure™ platform cloud computing services to securely run Siemens PLM Software’s Dimensional Planning and Validation (DPV) application, showing how cloud computing can enable a world-class quality management application to be cost effectively accessed and leveraged on an as-needed basis.

Today's announcement was made at the Microsoft World Partner Conference in Washington, D.C., and represents one of several projects being jointly pursued by Siemens PLM Software and Microsoft to test and validate how cloud computing can be successfully used with PLM to create value for the global manufacturing industry. On June 28 Microsoft conducted a separate PLM-based cloud computing demonstration involving software solutions from Siemens PLM Software in front of more than 1400 attendees at the Siemens PLM Connection User Conference in Dallas.

“Delivering world-class cloud computing solutions is an important part of Microsoft’s commitment to ensuring that our enterprise customers realize the maximum business value from their IT investments,” said Simon Witts, corporate vice president, Enterprise and Partner Group (EPG), Microsoft. “Our success in honoring this commitment is based not only on our ability to establish strong and lasting relationships with our customers, but also by partnering with respected industry leaders like Siemens PLM Software who share our dedication to customer success.”

World-class solutions from world-class partners

DPV – an integral part of the Tecnomatix® software suite of digital manufacturing solutions – is the industry’s first PLM-based closed loop quality system enabling the collection, management, analysis and reporting of quality measurement information tied directly to real time production results. Tecnomatix DPV leverages Teamcenter® software, the world’s most widely used PLM system from Siemens PLM Software, enabling the user to incorporate as-built production information, coupled with real time production quality data, in the same environment used to manage the enterprise’s product, process and manufacturing data.

Some organizations – such as remote manufacturing locations or outside suppliers – may not require a full PLM resource infrastructure, but can still benefit from this type of state-of-the-art quality management technology. Through their strong partnership, Siemens PLM Software and Microsoft have joined forces to create an environment in which Tecnomatix DPV and Teamcenter will run in the cloud with the Windows Azure cloud services operating system, and utilize the SQL Azure™ relational database. This will allow them to test and demonstrate scenarios, in which the power, flexibility and value of this PLM-based quality management solution could be securely delivered without the need for a full in-house enterprise IT system. Once validated, the result will dramatically expand the availability of world-class PLM quality solutions and enhance deployment options through an on-demand environment.

“Using the Windows Azure platform to harness the power of cloud computing provides organizations with the ability to significantly reduce in-house infrastructure and support costs,” said Sanjay Ravi, managing director, Worldwide High Tech & Electronics Industry, Microsoft. “We are proud of the work we are doing with Siemens PLM Software in this area, and look forward to exploring additional ways that cloud computing can securely and simply be applied to PLM.”

PLM in the cloud

In addition to the DPV-Azure project being announced today, the company is jointly engaged with Microsoft on several other ways to effectively leverage cloud computing. For example, the June 28 demonstration conducted at the Siemens PLM Connection User Conference, depicted product development collaboration in the cloud utilizing the Windows Azure platform to securely and automatically share 3D product information using the standard JT™ data format and PLM XML data format, between an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and its suppliers.

“We believe the power and potential of cloud computing, properly leveraged and deployed, can have a significant impact on the PLM industry,” said Chuck Grindstaff, executive vice president of Products and Chief Technology Officer, Siemens PLM Software. “That is why we are working closely with leaders in this area, like Microsoft, to explore a variety of promising applications for PLM in the cloud. We are proud that our strong relationship with Microsoft, which enabled Siemens PLM Software to be the first in our field to support SharePoint, has now made it possible for us to be the first PLM software supplier to demonstrate cloud computing concepts on the Windows Azure platform.”

About Siemens PLM Software

Siemens PLM Software, a business unit of the Siemens Industry Automation Division, is a leading global provider of product lifecycle management (PLM) software and services with 6.7 million licensed seats and more than 63,000 customers worldwide. Headquartered in Plano, Texas, Siemens PLM Software works collaboratively with companies to deliver open solutions that help them turn more ideas into successful products. For more information on Siemens PLM Software products and services, visit www.siemens.com/plm .