PLM Glossary

The 3DEXPERIENCE Platform is Dassault Systèmes' unified business platform that integrates PLM, simulation, manufacturing, and collaboration capabilities under a single brand and data environment. Introduced in 2012, it reframes PLM not as a product data repository but as a business experience spanning design (CATIA), simulation (SIMULIA), manufacturing (DELMIA), data management (ENOVIA), and go-to-market (EXALEAD/NETVIBES).

Agentic AI refers to AI systems that autonomously plan and execute multi-step tasks by calling tools, querying data sources, and taking actions — rather than just answering questions. In PLM, agentic AI can navigate product data, orchestrate change workflows, run simulations, and coordinate multi-system operations with minimal human intervention.

Boundary representation (B-rep) is the dominant method for representing solid geometry in CAD kernels. A B-rep model defines a solid by its bounding surfaces — vertices, edges, and faces — with topological relationships between them. B-rep enables precise, manufacturable 3D models that can be evaluated for mass properties, interference, and manufacturing operations, making it the standard for engineering-grade CAD.

A Bill of Materials (BOM) is the structured list of all components, sub-assemblies, materials, and quantities required to build a product. In PLM, the engineering BOM (eBOM) captures design intent, the manufacturing BOM (mBOM) reflects how the product is built, and the service BOM (sBOM) tracks what's installed in the field. BOM management is the core governance function of any PLM system.

A CAD kernel is the core computational engine of a CAD application that handles geometric modeling operations: boolean operations (union, intersection, subtraction), feature creation, constraint solving, and surface evaluation. Commercial kernels like Parasolid and ACIS are licensed to multiple CAD vendors, meaning several competing CAD products share the same underlying geometry engine.

A digital thread is the connected data backbone that links every stage of a product's lifecycle — from design and engineering through manufacturing, service, and end of life. It enables traceability, consistency, and data continuity across previously siloed systems.

A digital twin is a virtual model of a physical product, asset, or process that is synchronized with its real-world counterpart through sensor data, IoT feeds, or operational feedback. It enables simulation, monitoring, and predictive analysis without physical testing.

ENOVIA is Dassault Systèmes' PLM data management solution, managing product structure, BOM, change management, and configuration control. It evolved from IBM ProductManager (acquired 1998) through ENOVIA VPM V5, to a MatrixOne-based ENOVIA V6, and is now part of the 3DEXPERIENCE Platform. ENOVIA targets large enterprises in aerospace, automotive, and defense with complex multi-site product development needs.

A geometry kernel (or geometric modeling kernel) is the foundational software library in a CAD system responsible for creating, editing, and representing precise 3D geometry. The most widely used kernels are Parasolid (developed by UGS/Siemens) and ACIS (developed by Spatial/Dassault). The geometry kernel defines the mathematical representation of surfaces and solids that the CAD application builds on top of.

Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard for exposing tools and data sources to AI agents in a consistent, callable interface. In PLM, MCP servers expose product data, workflow operations, and integration capabilities so that AI agents can orchestrate tasks across engineering, manufacturing, and service systems without requiring custom point-to-point integrations.

Product Data Management (PDM) is software that manages CAD files, metadata, and engineering documents — providing version control, check-in/check-out, and BOM management for design teams. PDM was the predecessor to PLM, focused narrowly on engineering data rather than the full product lifecycle.

Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) is a software category and business strategy for managing all data, processes, and stakeholders involved in a product's full lifecycle — from ideation and engineering through manufacturing, service, and end of life. PLM systems manage the bill of materials, configuration, change, and lifecycle state as the authoritative record of what a product is and how it was built.

PLM Core is the system of record in a thread-centric PLM architecture, responsible for governing trusted product data: the bill of materials, configuration management, change control, and lifecycle state. It does not own all workflows but ensures that governed data is traceable and authoritative.

Thread-Centric PLM is an architectural approach where the digital thread — a governed data contract connecting all product lifecycle phases — is the primary integration layer. PLM Core manages governed data (BOM, change, lifecycle state) while composable best-of-breed tools connect through open APIs and MCP tool layers.

Windchill is PTC's enterprise PLM platform, first launched in 1998 as a web-native product data management system. It evolved from complementing Pro/INTRALINK to replacing it as PTC's primary PDM/PLM product. Windchill manages product structures, BOMs, change processes, and document management for engineering-intensive manufacturers across aerospace, automotive, and industrial sectors.