PDM – improved information handling set to elevate MST to the next level

At MST, we’re continually seeking to improve every aspect of what we do, from project management, design innovation, precision manufacturing and seamless delivery, to high quality servicing, repairs and maintenance.

MST is proud to announce our Design and Engineering offices will be implementing a new product data management system ‘PDM’ during the coming months. The software will improve the way MST manage and collaborate on existing and future product design and development.

PDM is a step change which will centralise the storage of all MST’s engineering data and related files. Some key features include:

File Reference Management
Automatically maintains all file reference information, freeing engineers from the manual task of managing references between parts, assemblies, drawings, and other types of design data.

Revision and Version Control
Ensures that the appropriate personnel are always working with the right version of a design, saving time and eliminating errors by maintaining a complete document history. The software automatically creates a completely new version each time a document is checked into the vault, ensuring that files are not overwritten.

Audit Trail & History
Maintains a complete history of our product designs, engineering, and development activities for reporting and auditing purposes. With PDM we will be able to easily determine who made a change, what was changed, why was it changed and when did the change occur?

Whenever a design or document is modified, PDM maintains complete document control and tracks the entire history of the project, providing a complete audit trail and a history of product development.

Electronic Workflow
With PDM we will be able to create electronic workflows to formalise, manage, and optimise design development, document approval, and engineering change processes (ERs).

The system will automatically track, manage, and enforce our workflow, ensuring that the right people have access to the correct files at each process stage to make it progress more efficiently. Comprehensive reporting tools will show project status so issues and delays can be addressed quickly.

Electronic Signatures and Approvals
These tools coordinate the entire process electronically, instead of routing paper documents and drawings for signature and approval. The electronic workflow will circulate the appropriate files required for approval and send automatic notifications when approvals or rejections are executed.

What PDM means for MST customers
PDM will mean increased productivity through collaborative sharing of components and designs, reducing design duplication and the risk of making unregulated changes to existing designs.

Engineering processes and procedures will also be fine-tuned with customised workflows to tie in with MST’s ISO Quality system requirements.

These productivity savings and improved procedures will result in faster turnaround times, will minimise errors in the design process and improve and enhance MST’s already outstanding Design and Engineering offering.