{"id":17744,"date":"2024-05-07T20:17:42","date_gmt":"2024-05-08T00:17:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/teamcenter\/?p=17744"},"modified":"2026-03-26T09:00:42","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T13:00:42","slug":"customization-heavy-equipment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/teamcenter\/customization-heavy-equipment\/","title":{"rendered":"Streamline heavy equipment design for customization"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The landscape of heavy equipment manufacturing is evolving, with increasing demand for customized solutions driven by specialization and customer preferences. Accelerating heavy equipment design to meet these demands means manufacturers are turning to innovative approaches like product lifecycle management (PLM) systems to stay competitive.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:35px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Challenges of heavy equipment customization<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Longevity and adaptability<\/strong>: Heavy equipment often operates for decades, necessitating frequent upgrades and retrofits. Compatibility between OEM configurations and service upgrades is crucial, leading to field adjustments.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Retrofitting for connectivity<\/strong>: The rise of connected and autonomous fleets requires retrofitting field equipment for compatibility, ranging from simple fixes to complex component replacements.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Globalization complexities<\/strong>: Designing equipment for diverse markets presents challenges due to regional differences. OEMs must navigate decisions on assembly locations and parts sourcing.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Knowledge management for customization<\/strong>: Delivering customized products efficiently requires effective knowledge management to align with customer specifications and engineering standards.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:35px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>PLM-based heavy equipment variability management approaches<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>To stay competitive and profitable, heavy equipment manufacturers with highly configurable product lines are seeking flexible, scalable platforms that can help them deliver more product variants, drive commonality and re-use, and integrate with their overall product development process and business systems. These are the primary <a href=\"https:\/\/plm.sw.siemens.com\/en-US\/teamcenter\/solutions\/product-configuration-management\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">variability management<\/a> approaches that manufacturers deploy:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Configure-to-Order (CTO):<\/strong> Based on design selection at the time of order, maximizing re-use of existing parts and components. Heavy equipment manufacturer JCB has used a CTO approach to manage their 200,000+ possible product variations. Check out the <a href=\"https:\/\/resources.sw.siemens.com\/en-US\/case-study-jcb?bc=eyJwYWdlIjoiNUM0RGFORnFXY1ZBMVAwMkxmMFlSSyIsInNpdGUiOiJkaXN3IiwibG9jYWxlIjoiZW4tVVMifQ==&amp;pk_vid=b131ae6b059d025d4e4fde91a18fcbc5171414723156cdf4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">JCB case study<\/a> for more details.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:35px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-video\"><video controls src=\"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2024\/04\/A6.-HE-Configuration-Management.mp4\"><\/video><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:35px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>In the above video, you can see how <a href=\"https:\/\/plm.sw.siemens.com\/en-US\/teamcenter\/solutions\/product-configuration-management\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Teamcenter Product Configurator\u2019s<\/a> intuitive and simple UI helps users manage configured products and create custom variants. Drawing from a single repository, all product variability data is externalized from the structure. The user can easily create and filter variant conditions for a structure within a grid-based view, then visually configure the product based on these established rules.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Engineer-to-Order (ETO):<\/strong> Involves design creation at the time of order, aligning complex products with detailed customer specifications. Companies like <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/teamcenter\/rulestream-mhi-compressor-testimonial\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Mitsubishi Heavy Industries<\/a> have utilized the ETO approach to deliver unique specifications to their customers.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:35px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-video\"><video controls src=\"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2024\/04\/Sales-Configuration-HE.mp4\"><\/video><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:35px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>This video shows a sales configuration management workflow using Siemens\u2019 ETO solution, <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/teamcenter\/rulestream-configure-complex-products\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Rulestream<\/a>. You can manage multiple configuration domains under the same solution, which helps streamline processing and enables reuse of customized products and best practices. The solution allows you to select from a list of sellable configurations and visualize it in 3D, retrieve the costs for the customized product from ERP, and automatically generate a custom quote.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Hybrid CTO\/ETO Process Environments:<\/strong> Many products have elements of both approaches, requiring integrated solutions to drive and support variability management.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:35px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Best-practices for heavy equipment variability management<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>CTO and ETO variability management can help companies address a variety of fundamental business needs. Below, you\u2019ll find a list of common business needs and how CTO\/ETO help address those needs.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Respond to customer preferences:<\/strong> Establish a central repository for all product variability data and use automation to capture engineering rules efficiently.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Manage complexity of multi-domain systems:<\/strong> Provide a single, consistent definition of variability across all domains and offer change control for effective product features.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Offer product variety without driving up costs<\/strong>: Drive part re-use, prevent duplication, and automate creation of fixed assemblies.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Visualize specific customer orders:<\/strong> Generate 100 percent buildable end products and streamline visual validation of configurations.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Teamcenter helps customers define and manage their product variability under a single integrated definition, allowing them to implement these best practices. Ultimately, this common digital variability infrastructure helps them reduce costs and increase efficiencies, regardless of the degree of customization.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:35px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"680\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2024\/04\/sfs-excavator_original-1024x680.jpg\" alt=\"customization\" class=\"wp-image-17747\" style=\"width:840px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2024\/04\/sfs-excavator_original-1024x680.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2024\/04\/sfs-excavator_original-600x399.jpg 600w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2024\/04\/sfs-excavator_original-768x510.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2024\/04\/sfs-excavator_original-1536x1020.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2024\/04\/sfs-excavator_original-2048x1360.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2024\/04\/sfs-excavator_original-900x598.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Excavator<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:35px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Accelerate heavy equipment design<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sw.siemens.com\/en-US\/digital-thread\/design-engineering\/heavy-equipment-design\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Accelerating heavy equipment design<\/a> is mandatory to deliver the complex, customized products your customers demand today.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you start from the early stages of design with an integrated multidisciplinary design approach, you can more effectively meet all requirements and deliver what your customers demand faster at a lower cost. Take control of your heavy equipment design process with fully integrated solutions. Our comprehensive end-to-end integrated solution helps break down silos by connecting teams and tools. Reduce time to market while improving quality and meeting regulations.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:35px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/trials.sw.siemens.com\/en-US\/trials\/teamcenter-x-cloud-plm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2024\/04\/image.png\" alt=\"Instant-on SaaS Cloud PLM: Try Teamcenter X\n\" class=\"wp-image-17745\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:33px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Check out more related heavy equipment content on this topic:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Video: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/resources.sw.siemens.com\/en-US\/video-heavy-equipment-product-variability-configuration-design\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Rethinking variability management for heavy equipment<\/a>&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>On-demand webinar: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/webinars.sw.siemens.com\/en-US\/heavy-equipment-plm-software-to-boost-product-development\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Overcome product variability challenges with PLM software<\/a>&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>White paper: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/resources.sw.siemens.com\/en-US\/white-paper-managing-variability-with-heavy-equipment-plm-software\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Managing variability with heavy equipment PLM software<\/a>&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-teal-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-teal-background-color has-background is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\" style=\"font-size:21px\"><strong>Start fast and grow with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.siemens.com\/en-us\/products\/teamcenter\/teamcenter-x-cloud-plm\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Teamcenter X<\/a>   |   Make smarter decisions with <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/teamcenter\/tag\/artificial-intelligence\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">AI-powered PLM<\/a> <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-teal-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-teal-background-color has-background is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons alignwide is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-16018d1d wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button has-custom-width wp-block-button__width-50 is-style-fill\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-cyan-background-color has-text-color has-background has-text-align-center has-custom-font-size wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/plm.sw.siemens.com\/en-US\/teamcenter\/\" style=\"border-radius:57px;font-size:30px\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Teamcenter Solutions<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-button has-custom-width wp-block-button__width-50 is-style-fill\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-cyan-background-color has-text-color has-background has-custom-font-size wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/plm.sw.siemens.com\/en-US\/teamcenter\/trials\/\" style=\"border-radius:57px;font-size:30px\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>30-day trial<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The landscape of heavy equipment manufacturing is evolving, with increasing demand for customized solutions driven by specialization and customer preferences&#8230;.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84758,"featured_media":17746,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spanish_translation":"","french_translation":"","german_translation":"","italian_translation":"","polish_translation":"","japanese_translation":"","chinese_translation":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[31488,4,31485,31486,31484,23254,31487,31489,23252,20469,31431],"industry":[106,104],"product":[31435,23255,357],"coauthors":[20988],"class_list":["post-17744","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-accelerated-equipment-design","tag-bom-management","tag-configure-to-order","tag-cto","tag-customization","tag-engineer-to-order","tag-eto","tag-product-configurator","tag-rulestream","tag-teamcenter","tag-variability","industry-heavy-equipment","industry-industrial-machinery-heavy-equipment","product-product-configurator","product-rulestream","product-teamcenter"],"featured_image_url":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2024\/04\/sfs-uk-Construction-veichle-image_original-scaled.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/teamcenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17744","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/teamcenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/teamcenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/teamcenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/84758"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/teamcenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17744"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/teamcenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17744\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17768,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/teamcenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17744\/revisions\/17768"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/teamcenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17746"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/teamcenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17744"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/teamcenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17744"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/teamcenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17744"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/teamcenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=17744"},{"taxonomy":"product","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/teamcenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product?post=17744"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/teamcenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=17744"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}