Altair HyperWorks vs. Aras PLM

Engineering firms and companies with needs for multiple disciplines of analysis capabilities on a regular basis will benefit from HyperWorks. Companies with short term engineering needs (less than 6 months) or who only need a particular analysis/simulation discipline may be better off using a consultant (who likely uses HyperWorks).

Incentivized

Aras PLM works for our company, yet I don't have experience with any other software system. The system does not refresh and update quickly. Often times users need to force a refresh or logout and logon to verify changes and updates. The Lock and Unlock feature needs getting used to.

Incentivized

• All-inclusive software suite
• Wide breadth of capabilities and custom scripting
• Highly efficient and scalable solvers/computation

Incentivized

• Aras PLM definitely controls documents and provides the approval levels needed to be compliant.
• Aras PLM makes organizing and structuring libraries logical and intuitive.
• The search tools in Aras PLM provides quick and efficient access to documents

Incentivized

• User interface is improving, but not always intuitive; varies across tools
• Steep learning curve
• Cost may be out of reach for some, but relatively inexpensive if you need all the tools it includes (vs. paying for each tool individually)

Incentivized

• Aras PLM uses terms and labels that can be confusing like Subsystem / Subsystem Version, Project Record Number (PRN). Companies need to understand these terms and develop business processes to set user standards.
• I personally use Aras PLM to manage information technology project documents. In my opinion, Aras PLM is more geared to product and engineering. I would like to see a general project management Aras PLM version with terms and labels that I am familiar with.
• The description field should be made required. Many of our engineers have created records and left that blank because it was not required. This would help with the context or background of each record.

Incentivized

Our company is moving from repositories like IBM Notes, MS Sharepoint, and plain network file share directories to a more controlled system of recordd like Aras PLM.

Incentivized

Because HyperWorks, HyperMesh is best

Our company developed numerous IBM Lotus Notes databases to perform document control. Aras PLM is the better choice to IBM Notes databases and home grown databases.

Incentivized

• An all in one solution keeps costs down if you need multiple analysis capabilities (FEA, CFD, MBD, etc.)
• Analysis work supports our other engineering/design work we wouldn't otherwise receive
• Fast and efficient solvers leads to higher throughput

Incentivized

• Aras PLM has kept our company compliant and on the right side of audits with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
• Aras PLM keeps our project document history readily available and works well without stage gate review and approval processes.

Incentivized