Aras vs Upchain

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

Upchain Software Tool

Product Basics

Aras enables efficient control of the entire product lifecycle. It contains change management tools that can provide notifications to relevant users when adjustments are made to ensure consistency throughout the lifecycle. It also accounts for a variety of regulatory standards to help with product compliance.

The included visibility capabilities are robust, and user access is definable based on what’s relevant to each individual person. Multiple sources can be leveraged to develop insights, and multi-level bills of materials can be created as well.
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Upchain is a cloud-based product management solution that superintends every stage from start to finish. Gain efficient operational modules to streamline production. Leverage three modes such as professional, team and participant.

Its main inclusions are CAD storage, revision control, comparison overlays, change management and automated part numbers. Access required information, compare two file versions and automatically track revisions.
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$2,500/User, Monthly
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$150/User, Monthly
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Product Assistance

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Product Insights

  • Control of Entire Lifecycle: Aras gives users control of the entirety of the product design lifecycle, from the time a product idea is conceptualized to final delivery. 
  • Adaptability: Users can tailor business processes within the system to adhere to their company’s unique requirements. 
  • Consistency: Information is centralized in Aras, making it easier for users to see the most up-to-date product specifications. This allows business processes and product development to become more consistent. 
  • Collaboration: With this program, users can track and manage changes while retaining visibility of product status. 
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  • Merge CAD Tools: Integrate with existing CAD accessories to streamline designing and simulation processes. This integration saves money on buying a brand-new compatible system and keeps everything digital. 
  • Maintain Product Development: Obtain complete product visibility during all stages to stay in the loop and catch bottlenecks early. 
  • Smooth Collaboration: Perform hassle-free collaborations by reducing hurdles and strengthening productivity. 
  • Easy Stakeholder Relaying: Provide stakeholders with up-to-date information and the relevant context details without disturbing engineers. This feature keeps everyone on the same page without delays. 
  • Efficient Feedback: Allow others to mark up and comment on CAD designs to avoid allocating multiple licenses to access these files. 
  • Three Versions: Choose from three different versions of this solution. Professional caters to project managers and engineers to establish operations. Team mode is for creators and those offering feedback to comment CAD files. The participant mode serves followers and information seekers to see workflows, dashboards and other files. 
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  • ALM Integration: Aras can be integrated with existing ALM environments to develop a singular visualization of a variety of products. This feature is also connected to processes such as change management and BOM. With this connectivity, the source code is managed within the ALM program. 
  • Bill of Materials: The program controls the bill of materials across the entire supply chain. Aras Innovator provides visibility in a centralized location and leverages information from multiple sources to aid in the development of insights. With this tool, users can develop structured, multi-level bills of materials associated with each product lifecycle stage. The system also syncs with MBOMs and EBOMs to give users visibility of cross-disciplinary change statuses. 
  • Change Management: This tool controls assessments, change requests, orders and plans. It gives all users throughout the supply chain visibility of engineering change status through the automatic capture and recording of change histories. The program also contains automated impact analysis, group voting, escalation, delegation, standard best-practice templates created using CM2 principles and more. 
  • Component Engineering: The component engineering feature streamlines the approval, selection, compliance and sourcing workflows for electronic components. The program offers real-time technical data. It contains information on obsolescence and compliance from millions of board-level components gathered from global manufacturers as well. The system includes basic and parametric search functionality along with color indicators, alerts for aspects such as EOL and PCN, IPC 1752A material declaration and compliance with RoHS and REACh. 
  • Configuration Management: The system maintains a hierarchical set of data from the entirety of a product or system’s lifecycle. The program contains configuration identification, status accounting, control and verification. It can also track baselines at different lifecycle stages, including as-built and as-designed. It also sends users email notifications and reminders to keep them updated and on-track with product developments. 
  • Document Management: Aras stores all important documents in a centralized location that is both searchable and secure. The system supports multiple file formats, and version and change control are included for all documents. Some supported file types include PDF, Microsoft Office and TIF. Full-text search mode makes finding relevant information simpler, and user access can be restricted on a user level. 
  • Manufacturing Process Planning: This solution supports MBOM, graphical and concurrent process plans and work instruction authoring. It also offers automatic real-time reconciliation of EBOM/MBOM. Process plans are version-controlled through this tool and contain information regarding parts consumed, steps, skills, resources utilized, etc. MBOMs and process plans for specific plants are available as well. 
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  • Multi-CAD Data: Implement systems that work efficiently without giving up features or keeping suppliers in the dark. 
  • CAD Software Plugins: Ensure developers keep innovations with assorted product information integrated into their preferred solutions. 
  • Revision Control: Trace all changes as they occur and keep up with who made them, when they made them and why. Revert to original designs as necessary. 
  • Rapid Upload and Download: Input and export information via the cloud swiftly. 
  • Secure CAD Storage: Protect data and avoid building and maintaining a hardware stack. 
  • File Import and Export: Input and download all files, including Excel, XML, PDF and images. 
  • Comparison Overlays: Conduct two-file version comparisons effortlessly. 
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Product Ranking

#3

among all
PLM Software

#18

among all
PLM Software

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Analyst Rating Summary

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Bill of Materials Management
Compliance Management
Deployment Options
Design Management
Document Management
Change Management
Document Management
Platform Capabilities
Platform Security
Project Management

Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

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Upchain
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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 93 100 100 100 91 91 83 98 100 100 100 100 100 87 100 94 95 100 5 98 100 100 89 43 100 92 100 0 25 50 75 100
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Analyst Ratings for Technical Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

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User Sentiment Summary

Good User Sentiment 29 reviews
Great User Sentiment 61 reviews
74%
of users recommend this product

Aras has a 'good' User Satisfaction Rating of 74% when considering 29 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

88%
of users recommend this product

Upchain has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 88% when considering 61 user reviews from 2 recognized software review sites.

3.9 (11)
4.4 (60)
3.43 (7)
n/a
4.0 (5)
4.0 (1)
3.4 (6)
n/a

Awards

SelectHub research analysts have evaluated Aras and concluded it deserves the award for the Best Overall PLM Software available today and earns best-in-class honors for Bill of Materials Management, Design Management, Quality Management, Recipe and Formula Management, Requirements Management and Deployment Options.

Analysts' Pick Award
Bill of Materials Management Award
Design Management Award
Quality Management Award
Recipe and Formula Management Award
Requirements Management Award
Deployment Options Award

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Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Centralized Platform: Aras provides a single, unified platform for managing all product data, eliminating data silos and ensuring consistency across the organization.
Customization and Flexibility: Aras's modular architecture allows users to tailor the system to meet their specific needs, providing flexibility to adapt to changing business requirements.
Enhanced Collaboration: Aras facilitates collaboration among cross-functional teams by providing a shared workspace for real-time communication and document sharing.
Traceability and Compliance: Aras's robust traceability features enable users to track changes and maintain compliance with industry regulations, ensuring product safety and quality.
Scalability and Performance: Aras is designed to handle large volumes of data and complex workflows, providing scalability and performance to meet the demands of growing businesses.
Intuitive User Interface: Aras's user-friendly interface makes it easy for users to navigate and access product information, reducing training time and increasing productivity.
Open Architecture: Aras's open architecture allows for seamless integration with other enterprise systems, such as ERP, CAD, and CRM, streamlining data exchange and eliminating manual processes.
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Unified Platform: Streamlines data management, eliminating silos and enhancing collaboration among engineering, manufacturing, and supply chain teams.
Agile Workflow Management: Facilitates efficient project execution with customizable workflows, automated notifications, and real-time progress tracking.
Enhanced Product Traceability: Provides a comprehensive history of product development and manufacturing processes, enabling quick identification and resolution of issues.
Robust Data Analytics: Delivers insights into product performance, quality, and supply chain metrics, empowering data-driven decision-making.
Flexible Customization: Allows businesses to tailor the software to their specific needs, accommodating unique processes and industry best practices.
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Complexity: Aras can be complex to implement and use, especially for large organizations with complex product development processes.
Cost: Aras can be expensive to implement and maintain, especially for organizations with limited budgets.
Limited Integration: Aras may not integrate well with other enterprise systems, such as ERP or CRM systems.
Lack of Flexibility: Aras may not be flexible enough to meet the specific needs of all organizations.
Steep Learning Curve: Aras can have a steep learning curve, which can make it difficult for users to get up to speed quickly.
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Limited Integration: Upchain's integration capabilities with other enterprise software, such as ERP and CAD systems, can be limited, requiring additional effort and resources to establish and maintain seamless data flow.
Steep Learning Curve: Some users report that Upchain's interface and functionality can be complex, requiring significant training and onboarding time for users to become proficient in utilizing the platform's features.
Data Security Concerns: Concerns have been raised regarding Upchain's data security measures, with some users expressing skepticism about the platform's ability to safeguard sensitive product and business information.
Limited Customization Options: Upchain's customization options may be perceived as restrictive, limiting users' ability to tailor the platform to their specific business processes and workflows.
Pricing Model: Upchain's pricing structure may not align with the budget constraints of some organizations, especially for those with complex or large-scale PLM requirements.
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Aras is a cloud-based PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) software solution that is trusted by users for its ability to connect people, processes, and data across the entire product lifecycle. Users rave about its strengths, such as its adaptability, ease of use, and robust capabilities. Aras outshines similar products with its ability to be customized to fit specific business needs, making it an ideal choice for companies looking for a tailored solution. It also offers a user-friendly interface that simplifies adoption and training, reducing the time and effort required for implementation. Additionally, Aras's comprehensive capabilities cover the entire product lifecycle, from design and engineering to manufacturing and service, providing a single source of truth for all product-related information. These strengths make Aras a valuable asset for businesses looking to improve collaboration, streamline processes, and drive innovation. However, some users have expressed concerns about the complexity of the software, particularly for users with limited technical expertise. Additionally, the cost of implementation and maintenance can be a barrier for some businesses. Despite these drawbacks, Aras remains a top choice for companies seeking a powerful and flexible PLM solution. Its ability to connect people, processes, and data, combined with its adaptability and robust capabilities, make it an ideal choice for businesses looking to optimize their product lifecycle management. Overall, Aras is best suited for medium to large-sized businesses with complex product lifecycles and a need for a customizable and comprehensive PLM solution. Its ability to connect people, processes, and data, combined with its adaptability and robust capabilities, make it an ideal choice for businesses looking to improve collaboration, streamline processes, and drive innovation.

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Users have praised Upchain's robust feature set, which includes a wide range of tools for product development and management. These tools have been lauded for their ease of use, even for non-technical users. Additionally, Upchain's ability to integrate with other software programs has been a major selling point for users who want a comprehensive solution. However, some users have noted that Upchain can be expensive compared to similar products, and its reporting capabilities have been criticized for being somewhat limited. In comparison to similar products, Upchain is often praised for its ease of use and its wide range of features. Users have also noted that Upchain's customer support is excellent, which is important for businesses that need help getting started or troubleshooting issues. However, some users have found that Upchain's reporting capabilities are not as robust as those of other products, and its pricing can be a deterrent for some businesses. Overall, Upchain is a powerful PLM software solution that is well-suited for businesses of all sizes. Its ease of use, wide range of features, and excellent customer support make it a great choice for businesses that need a comprehensive solution for product development and management. However, businesses that need robust reporting capabilities or are on a tight budget may want to consider other options.

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