Quick-Start Checklist for PLM Integration in Aerospace Manufacturing in India

Quick-Start Checklist for PLM Integration in Aerospace Manufacturing in India

Aerospace manufacturers in India face a reality no one can ignore—complex designs, stringent certifications, long development cycles, and heavy compliance pressure. Teams often work in silos, version control breaks, engineering changes get delayed, and suppliers struggle to keep up. According to multiple industry studies, over 35% of aerospace program delays stem from poor data management and disconnected engineering systems.

For many organizations, PLM is the missing link. Yet PLM integration often feels overwhelming—Where to start? What to prepare? How to avoid costly mistakes?

This quick-start checklist breaks it all down.
And as Sumedhas Tech Solutions—an authorized PTC PLM license reseller and PTC-authorized partner for PLM software services and system integration—we help aerospace teams adopt PLM with confidence, clarity, and minimal disruption.

1. Identify the Root Cause of Engineering Delays

Before jumping into PLM, aerospace teams must understand why processes break.
Common pain points include:

• Design files spread across disconnected folders
• No clear authority on “latest revision”
• Teams relying on manual tracking for ECNs/changes
• Supplier communication gaps leading to rework

A 2024 industry study reported that engineering teams lose up to 20% of productive hours due to poor version accuracy.
Use this insight to map your current engineering workflow—and note every area where data gets duplicated, delayed, or lost.

2. Define Certification and Compliance Data Needs

Aerospace manufacturing in India is heavily driven by compliance—DGCA, AS9100, and customer-specific requirements.
The biggest challenge? Ensuring every part, process, and change has complete traceability.

This is where PLM creates real value.
With certified tools like PTC Windchill, companies gain:

• Complete digital traceability
• Documented history of design changes
• Centralized compliance records
• Faster audit readiness

This single shift reduces certification delays significantly.

3. Prepare Your Engineering Data for Migration

A pain point we see in almost every aerospace organization: unorganized CAD and document repositories.
Missing metadata, duplicate models, and uncontrolled naming conventions slow down PLM adoption.

Before integration, ensure:

• Duplicate CAD files are cleaned
• Assemblies and part structures follow a consistent naming policy
• Revision history is documented
• Legacy design data is sorted into product families

Sumedhas Tech Solutions supports aerospace teams with data readiness assessments, making migration smoother and reducing downtime.

4. Establish Change Management Rules

Aerospace production suffers the most when engineering changes lack structure. Delayed updates ripple through suppliers, tooling, and production lines.

Define:

• What triggers an Engineering Change Notice (ECN)
• Who approves changes
• How digital workflows move across departments
• Supplier notification process

With PTC Windchill, these workflows become automated and fully trackable—ensuring the right people act at the right time.

5. Align Your Teams With a Clear PLM Roadmap

Another common pain point? Teams not knowing how PLM will affect their daily work.
Successful aerospace PLM projects involve:

• Early stakeholder alignment
• Defined roles and responsibilities
• Cross-department onboarding
• Clear communication about new processes

Real-world example:
An Indian aerospace supplier adopting PLM without team alignment saw a 3-month productivity drop because engineers weren’t trained on new workflows.
When the roadmap was revised with clear training modules, productivity improved and change adoption stabilized.

6. Choose a Trusted PLM Partner for Implementation

The final checkpoint—and often the most important—is selecting the right implementation partner.
Aerospace integration requires:

• Deep domain knowledge
• Experience with engineering workflows
• Strong understanding of certifications
• Proven PLM deployment success

Sumedhas Tech Solutions, as an authorized PTC licensed reseller and PTC-certified partner for PLM software services and system integration, specializes in:

• PTC Windchill deployment
• CAD–PLM integration
• Multi-site collaboration setups
• Lifecycle automation
• Supplier portal enablement

This ensures faster go-live without operational disruption.

Your PLM Journey Starts With One Step

PLM integration in aerospace doesn’t have to be complicated. When you start with the right checklist and the right partner, the transformation becomes structured, predictable, and beneficial across engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, and compliance.

If you’re evaluating PLM or preparing for your first integration, Sumedhas Tech Solutions is ready to help.

We provide hands-on PLM training, user adoption workshops, and role-based onboarding for aerospace teams—ensuring everyone moves together.

Book a free PLM readiness consultation or request a PTC Windchill demo today.