High-Velocity Product Lifecycle Management Engineering

The Fireant Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) system is a configurable, API-first digital platform engineered to manage product data, engineering changes, approvals, and cross-functional collaboration from concept through retirement. It serves as the single source of truth for product structures, specifications, revisions, documents, and engineering workflows.

Unlike generic PLM offerings designed primarily for large global enterprises, Fireant PLM is optimized for manufacturers of all scales, especially those seeking agile process control, seamless integration with shop-floor systems, and a user-centric experience that engineers actually use.

Core Architecture Objectives

  • Single Source of Truth (SSoT)
    Consolidate disparate CAD data, PDFs, and spreadsheets into a unified, version-controlled relational database.
  • Zero-Latency Change Control
    Automate the Engineering Change Order (ECO) lifecycle, ensuring that updates in design are reflected on the shop floor in real-time.
  • Cross-Functional Interoperability
    Break down silos between R&D and Procurement through "Context-Aware" UI and UX designs, showing only the data relevant to the user’s specific role.
  • Compliance-by-Design
    Embed ISO, SIRIM, or industry-specific guardrails directly into the workflow, making audits a byproduct of the process rather than a separate chore.

The User Ecosystem

  • Engineering & R&D
    Automated BOM management and seamless CAD integration.
  • Product Management
    Real-time visibility into "Time-to-Market" and development bottlenecks.
  • Quality Assurance
    Full traceability of revisions, testing logs, and non-conformance reports.
  • Ops & Production
    Direct access to the latest approved specs, reducing scrap and rework.
  • Procurement/Suppliers
    Secure, restricted access to RFQs and technical data packages (TDP).

Why Fireant Outperforms "Off-the-Shelf" Systems

Manufacturers frequently struggle with traditional or generic PLM systems due to:

  • Over-Complexity
    Commercial PLM products embed decades of modules and options, resulting in bloated UI and confusing processes that frustrate users and slow adoption.
  • Poor Fit to Actual Factory Workflows
    Rigid workflows and hard-coded change processes don’t adapt to the real-world engineering change requests (ECRs), engineering change orders (ECOs), and product variant structures typical in discrete manufacturing.
  • High Cost Barriers
    Upfront licensing, recurring fees tied to user counts, plus high professional services costs for customization make traditional PLM economically prohibitive for small and mid-sized manufacturers.
  • Integration Challenges
    Legacy PLM systems rarely integrate cleanly with modern MES, ERP, or shopfloor data collection tools, resulting in inconsistent BOMs, version drift, and manual workarounds.
  • Low User Adoption
    When users find systems confusing or irrelevant to daily tasks, they default to spreadsheets, email, or shared drives—creating data sprawl and compliance gaps.

Our Engineering Approach

At Fireant, we don’t build software for “users”. We build system architecture for engineers. Our PLM architecture is centered on the harsh realities of the modern factory floor: shifting requirements, multi-tier supply chains, and the need for absolute data integrity.

Design Principles

  • API-First Advantage
    Legacy PLMs are "digital silos" that require expensive middleware to talk to other tools. Fireant PLM is built on an Open-API Mesh. Whether you are pushing BOM data to an ERP, pulling real-time telemetry from an MES, or triggering automated alerts, our system treats integration as a native capability, not an afterthought.
  • "Just-in-Time" Modular Scalability
    We believe in lean implementation. You shouldn't pay for an entire forest when you only need three trees. Fireant’s modular architecture allows you to deploy the Core Vault & BOM Engine first. As your digital maturity evolves, you can "hot-plug" advanced modules like IoT Shop-Floor Sync, Automated Compliance, or Supplier Collaboration Portals.
  • No-Code Logic Engine
    Operational agility shouldn't require a software developer. Our Configurable Workflow Engine empowers your Lead Engineers to define approval hierarchies, automated escalation paths, and release criteria through a visual interface. Change your process in minutes, not months.
  • Human-Centric UX (The "Three-Click" Rule)
    Most PLMs are designed by consultants for managers. Ours is designed for the people doing the work. We prioritize Information Density over Menu Depth. By reducing UI friction, we ensure high adoption rates and eliminate the "shadow Excel sheets" that typically plague engineering departments.

By deploying a Fireant-engineered PLM, you aren’t just installing an application. You are now weaving a Digital Thread through your entire organization.

This thread creates a live feedback loop: a design change in the R&D studio instantly updates the procurement budget and recalibrates the machine tolerances on the production line.

The Fireant Impact:

  • 25% – 40% Reduction in Engineering Change Order (ECO) cycle times.

  • Zero “Version-Error” Waste: Eliminate the costly mistake of manufacturing parts based on obsolete blueprints.

  • Real-time Audit Readiness: Every decision, approval, and revision is captured in a tamper-proof digital ledger.

The Transformation: Bridging the Gap in PLM

Industry Pain PointThe Fireant SolutionStrategic Business Impact
Data Silos & FragmentationUnified Relational Core: A single, authoritative database for Products, BOMs, and Revisions.Single Source of Truth: Eliminates "shadow data" and ensures cross-departmental alignment.
Opaque Change ControlDynamic ECO/ECR Workflows: Fully configurable digital lifecycles with real-time bottleneck tracking.Accelerated Time-to-Market: Reduces approval lead times by up to 40% through automated routing.
Document Version MismatchThe "Smart Vault": Strict revision control with automated watermarking and CAD integration.Zero-Error Manufacturing: Prevents the costly production of obsolete or unapproved designs.
System Isolation (ERP/MES)API-First Middleware: Bi-directional data sync that feeds engineering intent directly into production.End-to-End Visibility: Links "Design-to-Cost" and "Design-to-Manufacture" in one thread.
Manual Workflow FrictionAutomated Task Orchestration: Personalized dashboards, instant notifications, and escalation logic.Operational Efficiency: Removes the administrative burden from high-value engineering staff.
Audit & Compliance RiskImmutable Audit Trails: Forensic-level history logs for every change, approval, and user interaction.Instant Compliance: Reduces ISO/SIRIM audit preparation from weeks to minutes.

The “Fireant Difference” in Practice

Most off-the-shelf systems solve these problems by forcing you to change your company’s culture to fit their software. Fireant does the opposite. We look at your specific manufacturing constraints (whether it’s high-mix/low-volume production or strict regulatory oversight), and configure the PLM modules to automate the exact points where your team currently feels the most “friction.”

System Architecture & Technical Foundation

The Fireant PLM is engineered as a high-availability, distributed cloud-native platform. Unlike monolithic legacy systems, our architecture is decoupled, allowing each component to scale independently based on your factory’s data throughput.

While off-the-shelf products often require a complete “Digital Transformation” overhaul, our architecture is designed for Non-Disruptive Deployment. We wrap around your current processes, digitizing them without breaking what already works.

Structural Layering

  • Adaptive Presentation Layer
    A responsive, "Low-Latency" interface built for high-density data. Includes Role-Specific Dashboards, 3D Model Web-Previews (WebGL), and Mobile-First Task Panels for floor-side approvals.
  • Orchestration Services (Microservices)
    A suite of autonomous services—BOM Engine, Workflow Logic, and Vault Controller—that communicate via a high-speed message bus. This ensures that a heavy document upload in Engineering never slows down a BOM lookup in Procurement.
  • Elastic Integration Layer
    A "Developer-First" API gateway providing Secure REST/GraphQL Endpoints. It features built-in Webhook Triggers that push real-time events (e.g., "Part Approved") to external stakeholders.
  • Hybrid Data Persistence
    Relational Engine for complex, structured metadata and revision history, or Immutable Object Store for High-durability storage for CAD files and technical drawings with automatic geographic redundancy.

The Connected Factory

  • ERP / MRP (SAP, Odoo, Oracle)
    Automatic synchronization of Part Masters and Live Costing. Bridges the gap between "As-Designed" and "As-Purchased."
  • MES & Shop Floor
    Direct injection of Approved Revisions into production lines, ensuring CNC/PLC controllers always pull the latest configuration.
  • CAD / PDM Sync
    Deep-linking of metadata (Mass, Material, Dimensions) from tools like SolidWorks or AutoCAD directly into the PLM environment.
  • Quality Systems (QMS)
    Real-time linkage between Non-Conformance Reports (NCR) and specific part revisions for rapid root-cause analysis.

Industrial-Grade Security

  • Granular RBAC
    Define access not just by "Who," but by "When" and "Where." Restrict sensitive drawings to internal IPs only.
  • AES-256 Encryption
    All technical data is encrypted both at rest (in storage) and in transit (during viewing/download).
  • Forensic Audit Trails
    An immutable ledger capturing every mouse-click, approval, and file-version change for 100% accountability.
  • Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
    Mandatory biometrics or hardware-key verification for critical Engineering Change Orders (ECO).

The Fireant "Rapid-Deploy" Implementation Framework

We don’t believe in “Big Bang” deployments that disrupt production for months. Our Phase-Gated Methodology ensures that your team sees value in weeks, not years, by digitizing high-impact workflows first.

Phase 1: Industrial Discovery & Process Mapping

We don’t just look at your software; we look at your shop floor and design studio.

  • The Goal: Reverse-engineer your existing “Manual Thread”, uncovering hidden bottlenecks in ECO approvals and document routing.

  • The Output: A Digital Maturity Roadmap and a formalized Schema for your Part Master and BOM structures.

Phase 2: Agile System Configuration

Leveraging the Fireant Modular Engine, we spin up your environment.

  • The Goal: Configure (not customize) the workflows, user roles (RBAC), and release criteria.

  • The Output: A functional prototype of your Product Vault and Change Management engine within a “Sandbox” environment.

Phase 3: The “Digital Bridge” (API Integration)

This is where Fireant’s technical DNA shines.

  • The Goal: Establishing bi-directional data flow. We connect the PLM to your ERP (for Costing), CAD (for Metadata), and MES (for Production Specs).

  • The Output: A synchronized ecosystem where a “Part Approval” in PLM automatically updates your ERP inventory records.

Phase 4: Data Cleansing & Migration

The “Garbage In, Garbage Out” rule applies here.

  • The Goal: We assist in scrubbing legacy BOMs and Excel-based change histories.

  • The Output: A clean, high-integrity migration of your active product portfolio into the new Relational Data Store.

Phase 5: User Empowerment & “Soft Launch”

We focus on High-Touch Training for Power Users and Low-Friction UI for casual users.

  • The Goal: User Acceptance Testing (UAT) using real-world engineering scenarios.

  • The Output: A confident, trained workforce ready for the Official Go-Live.

Phase 6: Post-Launch Optimization & Support

A PLM is a living system.

  • The Goal: Continuous performance monitoring and “Tier-1” responsive support.

  • The Output: Quarterly “Enhancement Sprints” to refine workflows based on actual user feedback and evolving manufacturing needs.

The Fireant Timeline Advantage

MilestoneTraditional PLMFireant PLM
First Functional ModuleMonth 6+Week 4-6
ERP IntegrationMonth 12+Month 3-4
Full Enterprise Adoption18–24 Months6–8 Months

Investment & Scalability Roadmap

Implementation costs are structured based on your current digital maturity and the depth of integration required. At Fireant, we prioritize a “Value-First” approach, ensuring you don’t pay for features that don’t serve your immediate production goals.

Budget Tier Comparison (Estimated in MYR)

Package TierEstimated InvestmentIdeal For
Starter (Core)RM 80k – RM 150kSMEs focusing on BOM control, document vaulting, and eliminating Excel-based chaos.
Standard (Integrated)RM 150k – RM 350kManufacturers requiring ERP/MES synchronization, multi-level approval workflows, and automated ECOs.
EnterpriseRM 350k – Complex operations with CAD/PDM integration, IoT shop-floor links, and cross-border supplier portals.

Key Investment Drivers

  • Workflow Architecture
    Total number of unique automated lifecycles (e.g., Prototype vs. Production).
  • Integration Density
    The complexity of "talking" to your specific ERP (Odoo, SAP, Oracle) or legacy CAD tools.
  • Data Legacy
    The volume and cleanliness of history logs and BOMs to be migrated.
  • SLA Requirements
    Custom support tiers, from standard business hours to 24/7 mission-critical response.