Launch of Vizola

Vizola streamlines New Product Introduction for the Electronics Industry

• Product data management streamlines design-to-manufacture process
• Reduced costs and timescales for New Product Introduction
• Collaboration tools aid concurrent engineering
• Better management of complex supply chains
• Automated change control processes

London 12th February 2001. The launch of Vizola heralds new solutions for all companies designing electronics-based products. Vizola's Documentor system shortens product development timescales, reduces introduction costs and minimises manual effort.

Documentor provides the framework for integrating and automating many processes between design and manufacture for the electronic engineering industry. By reducing costs and timescales for new product introduction Vizola is providing the driving force to increase profit potential whilst achieving higher standards of quality.

Chris Cohen, Managing Director of Vizola comments – “Documentor is the first PDM (Product Data Management) product to come within reach of all electronics firms. Rapid implementation and a shallow learning curve mean any company is going to get a quick return on their investment, and enormous benefits down the line”.

Documentor provides the baseline and tools for managing design, production engineering and logistics support information — including Approved Vendor Lists (AVL), Bill-of-Materials (BoMs) and even production build schedules.

Taking input from schematic capture systems, Documentor facilitates maintenance of master design BoMs, supported by integral change control embracing Change Requests (ECRs), Notes (ECNs), Orders (ECOs) and Concessions. Changes are notified by email and authorisers respond with a 'virtual signature' indicating their approval or otherwise.

Uniquely, Documentor also has an integrated simple MRP (Materials Requirements Planning) module. This means that in addition to exporting released BoMs for a factory system, they can be used internally to forecast materials requirements. This module supports build and purchasing schedules, costing and multi-location stock control.

Cohen concludes – “With increasing competition, shorter product lifecycles and more complex supply chains there is a compelling need to streamline the design-to-manufacture process, facilitate concurrent engineering and reduce NPI (New Product Introduction) costs.

We have developed an integrated solution to bridge between these different environments based on 'real world' needs. Engineers can spend more time creating innovative products and less on maintaining product data and documentation. Ultimately this means shorter time-to-market and improved competitiveness and profitability”.