Windchill vs Epicor PLM

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Our analysts compared Windchill vs Epicor PLM based on data from our 400+ point analysis of PLM Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

Product Basics

Windchill is a product lifecycle management and supply chain system that utilizes the latest developments in technology to optimize operations. Automation and AR capabilities are some of the modern technologies that can be included in the system. The program increases the visibility of product concepts as they move throughout the lifecycle by collecting real-time CAD data.

Its automation capabilities also allow for changes made downstream to be reflected in other areas, such as in technical documents and promotional materials. These changes can also be reflected in graphical representations of a product to ensure accuracy. Windchill works to reduce duplicate work and communication errors as a product moves throughout the lifecycle.
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Epicor PLM is a software solution designed to streamline the entire lifecycle of a product, from conception to manufacturing and beyond. It caters to mid-sized and upper mid-sized manufacturers, providing them with a centralized platform to manage product data, CAD designs, and technical documents.

This translates into several benefits, including improved collaboration between engineering, design, and manufacturing teams. Streamlined change control processes help ensure everyone is working on the latest version of a product. Additionally, Epicor PLM integrates seamlessly with Epicor ERP (formerly Kinetic), creating a unified system for product development and enterprise resource planning.

When compared to similar PLM products, user experience highlights of Epicor PLM include its ease of use and intuitive interface. Furthermore, its tight integration with Epicor ERP is a major advantage for manufacturers who already use that system.

Pricing for Epicor PLM is typically based on a per-user, per-year subscription model, with costs varying depending on the specific features and functionality required.


Pros
  • Easy use
  • Central data
  • Change control
  • ERP integration
  • Collaboration
Cons
  • Customization cost
  • Limited integrations
  • Scalability concerns
  • Learning curve
  • Subscription cost
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$1,000/User, Monthly
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$1,000 Monthly
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Product Assistance

Documentation
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Live Online
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Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support
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24/7 Live Support

Product Insights

  • Increased Visibility: Look at products as they move from one aspect of the lifecycle to another. Components of this include the ability to look at quality aspects and feature changes. 
  • Boost in Productivity: Boosts productivity among workers. Centralization and a single view of data can reduce the amount of time that employees spend looking for information. 
  • Use the Latest Tech: Can integrate with Vuforia, an AR tool. This allows users to look at their designs in a real-world setting and to use that information to inform aspects of a product. As technology advances and more features become available, it can be helpful to stay up-to-date on the latest and greatest tools. 
  • Reduced Costs: Cost is an essential factor to consider when looking at different software solutions. Reduces costs through the efficient creation of product variants, which is typically time-consuming and costly. 
  • Automation: Leverages automation to help update content and users as features and definitions are altered. This ensures consistency and reliability of information. 
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  • Improved Collaboration Across Teams: Break down departmental silos by providing a single platform for engineers, designers, and manufacturing personnel to access and share product data. This fosters better communication and avoids errors caused by working with outdated or conflicting information.
  • Streamlined Change Control Processes: Effectively manage revisions and modifications throughout the product lifecycle. Epicor PLM allows you to track changes, gain approvals, and ensure everyone is working on the latest version, preventing costly mistakes and delays caused by implementing unapproved changes.
  • Enhanced Product Quality and Consistency: Ensure consistent quality by establishing clear design specifications and revision control. Epicor PLM facilitates the creation and adherence to design standards, minimizing errors and ensuring all manufactured products meet the required specifications.
  • Reduced Time-to-Market: Shorten the time it takes to bring new products to market by streamlining development workflows. Centralized data access, automated processes, and improved collaboration all contribute to a faster and more efficient product development cycle.
  • Boosted Productivity and Efficiency: Free up valuable resources by eliminating time-consuming tasks like searching for documents or manually tracking revisions. Epicor PLM automates repetitive tasks and centralizes information, allowing teams to focus on higher-value activities.
  • Informed Decision-Making: Gain valuable insights into the product development process with improved data visibility. Epicor PLM provides centralized access to product data, allowing for informed decision-making throughout the lifecycle, from design choices to material selection.
  • Lower Overall Costs: Reduce waste and minimize errors through improved product data management. Epicor PLM helps to avoid costly mistakes caused by using outdated information or miscommunication between departments. Additionally, by streamlining processes, it can lead to reduced labor costs.
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  • Product Design and Visualization With AR:  Offers integration with Vuforia, an augmented reality (AR) platform. Design 2D and 3D objects not only on a screen, but also in a real-world setting. Collaborate with others across the world on these designs. 
  • Change Management: The change management can make alterations during the product life cycle in a centralized location so that other users can access the most up-to-date information. This tool also provides visibility of how change impacts an organization throughout the product life cycle. 
  • Product Quality Monitoring: Integrates quality measures into product development. This allows employees to see what type of quality issues occur and to work to solve them for future and ongoing iterations of a product. 
  • BOM Management: Digital Bill of Materials (BOM) is provided through this system. A parts-centric approach to BOM is available with a single source of truth for all organizational product data. This program is closed-loop throughout the entire lifecycle from conceptualization to product release. 
  • Product Variation: Developing a product variation can be time-consuming and expensive. This system works to assist in the complete production process of product variants to ensure customer satisfaction and cost-effectiveness. 
  • Unified Data: Windchill centralizes data from multiple aspects of a business into a single view to make access easier and less time-consuming. Real-time CAD and product data are some of the sources included in this feature. 
  • Automatic Content Updates: When changes are made to a product during the development phase, Windchill allows for the automatic update of content in accordance with these changes. This tool can also manage content that is gathered from multiple sources. 
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  • Product Data Management (PDM): A central repository for storing and managing all product-related data, including CAD drawings, bills of materials (BOMs), and technical documents. This eliminates the need for scattered files and ensures everyone has access to the latest information.
  • Change Order Management: A streamlined process for tracking and managing revisions throughout the product lifecycle. This includes creating change requests, obtaining approvals, and automatically updating relevant documents like BOMs, ensuring everyone is on the same page.
  • Bill of Materials Management (BOM): Create, manage, and revise product structures with ease. Epicor PLM ensures BOMs are accurate and reflect the latest product configuration, which is crucial for accurate production planning and cost estimation.
  • CAD Integration: Seamless integration with popular CAD software allows for efficient data exchange between engineering and product lifecycle management teams. This eliminates the need for manual data entry and reduces the risk of errors.
  • Workflow Automation: Automate repetitive tasks such as document approvals, change notifications, and status updates. This frees up valuable time for teams to focus on more strategic activities.
  • Document Management: Securely store, manage, and control access to all product-related documents. Epicor PLM allows for version control and facilitates easy retrieval of past revisions, ensuring traceability and historical record-keeping.
  • ERP Integration (Epicor Kinetic): For companies using Epicor Kinetic ERP, Epicor PLM integrates seamlessly to create a unified system for product development and enterprise resource planning. This eliminates data silos and streamlines communication between departments.
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Product Ranking

#2

among all
PLM Software

#53

among all
PLM Software

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Analyst Rating Summary

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71
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66
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Bill of Materials Management
Change Management
Compliance Management
Design Management
Document Management
Deployment Options
Document Management
Platform Capabilities
Reporting and Dashboard
Part Management

Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

Windchill
Epicor PLM
+ Add Product + Add Product
Bill Of Materials Management Change Management Compliance Management Design Management Document Management Packaging And Label Management Part Management Platform Capabilities Project Management Quality Management Recipe And Formula Management Reporting And Dashboard Requirements Management Supplier Management 100 100 100 100 100 8 100 100 100 100 57 100 92 99 70 90 66 92 100 31 95 100 94 74 9 100 53 66 0 25 50 75 100
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90%
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92%
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Analyst Ratings for Technical Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

33%
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User Sentiment Summary

Good User Sentiment 112 reviews
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78%
of users recommend this product

Windchill has a 'good' User Satisfaction Rating of 78% when considering 112 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

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4.8 (8)
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3.8 (61)
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4.0 (30)
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3.4 (13)
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Awards

SelectHub research analysts have evaluated Windchill and concluded it earns best-in-class honors for Bill of Materials Management, Design Management and Quality Management.

Bill of Materials Management Award
Design Management Award
Quality Management Award

SelectHub research analysts have evaluated Epicor PLM and concluded it earns best-in-class honors for Deployment Options.

Deployment Options Award

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Integrations: All reviewers who mentioned integrations said that the system has robust integration options with a helpful set of integrated tools.
Functionality: Approximately 90% of users who talked about the system’s overall functionality noted that its suite of features and automation tools were stable and capable of handling critical daily processes.
Searching Tools: About 66% of reviewers who referred to search features noted that they were intuitive and helped find specific documents quickly.
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Centralized Data Management: Eliminates scattered files and ensures everyone has access to the latest product information, reducing errors and rework caused by outdated data.
Improved Collaboration: Breaks down departmental silos by providing a single platform for engineers, designers, and manufacturing to collaborate on product development, fostering better communication and streamlining workflows.
Streamlined Change Control: Tracks revisions and change orders efficiently, preventing costly mistakes caused by implementing unapproved modifications and ensuring everyone is working on the latest version of a product.
Enhanced Efficiency: Automates repetitive tasks and centralizes product information, freeing up valuable time for teams to focus on higher-value activities like design innovation.
Integration with ERP Systems (Epicor Kinetic): For companies using Epicor Kinetic ERP, Epicor PLM integrates seamlessly to create a unified system for product development and enterprise resource planning, eliminating data silos and improving communication across departments.
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Ease of Use: Nearly 60% of reviewers who mentioned the system’s usability noted that the system required a steep learning curve with training requirements to master.
Support: Complicated issues took long periods of time to solve, with the overall support process being hit or miss, according to all reviewers who mentioned support.
Customization: All users that talked about customization said that customizing the system wasn’t easy and there wasn’t much room for customization in the first place.
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Customization Cost: Extensive customization to fit unique workflows or complex product structures can be expensive, potentially outweighing the benefits for some users.
Limited Integrations: While it integrates well with Epicor ERP (formerly Kinetic), Epicor PLM's integrations with other business systems can be limited, creating challenges for companies reliant on third-party software.
Scalability Concerns: Some users with very large enterprises or intricate product lines report concerns about Epicor PLM's ability to handle the size and complexity of their data, potentially leading to performance issues.
Learning Curve: New users might find the initial setup and learning curve steeper compared to simpler PLM solutions, requiring additional investment in training and user support.
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Windchill’s PLM and supply chain management features are robust and help optimize and streamline daily operations. Powerful integrations with popular applications like CAD boost efficiency and add value to the product as a whole. Its automation features help users overcome manual tasks and streamline their tasks. While its features are impressive, it required significant time and training investments to familiarize users with the system. Customization options are available, but customizations were hard to implement without help. Support was often described as slow, especially when more complex problems occurred. Some reviewers also mentioned that the monthly maintenance costs were on the high side.

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Recent reviews of Epicor PLM highlight its strengths in centralizing product data and streamlining workflows, especially for users in complex manufacturing environments. One key advantage is its ability to manage revisions and modifications effectively, preventing costly errors caused by outdated information. This is particularly valuable in industries like aerospace, where even minor design tweaks can have significant consequences. However, some users with very large or intricate product lines mention concerns about scalability, suggesting Epicor PLM might be a better fit for mid-sized manufacturers. Another common theme in reviews is the ease of collaboration fostered by Epicor PLM. By providing a central platform for engineers, designers, and manufacturing personnel, it breaks down departmental silos and improves communication. This can significantly reduce rework caused by miscommunication or conflicting information. However, some users found the initial setup and learning curve steeper compared to simpler PLM solutions. This highlights the importance of considering the technical expertise of your team when choosing a PLM system. Overall, Epicor PLM appears to be a well-regarded solution for mid-sized manufacturers seeking to improve collaboration, manage complex product data, and streamline product development processes. However, its cost of customization and potential scalability limitations for very large enterprises are important factors to consider before implementation.

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