Johannesburg, 24 Oct 2007
IFS, the global enterprise applications company, today at its world conference in Berlin, Germany, announced new features to further enhance IFS Applications` existing functionality for engineering contractors.
A key addition is the new dedicated integration tool for efficient collaboration with tag-based CAD environments. The company`s latest release, IFS Applications 7.5, includes a set of enhancements to support contractors working with engineering, procurement, construction, and installation (EPCI) projects.
The additions cover areas of system breakdown structure, project cost and progress, and material management.
Most significantly, the new IFS/Asset Information Integration Manager (IFS AIIM) will complement IFS/Engineering Register, enabling engineering contractors to utilise more detailed engineering data in business critical purchasing process.
The new component is built on open standards and simplifies the integration of CAD/design systems with IFS Applications. The tool makes accessible previously hidden CAD information on a delivered system, including tagged equipment, documents, and parts, as well as the structures and relationships in between.
"Although many ERP systems can get part numbers or material lists from modern CAD tools, the most business critical information in the CAD tools geared at contractors is stored in tags, documents and attributes," IFS Global Director Contracting Industries Martin Gunnarsson said. "With the new integration tool, IFS Applications is able to get this data and control the information changes in an EPCI-project. Hence our customers are able to resolve potential issues with related project activities, purchase processes, etc."
The AIIM integration is capable of handling the information depth of most well-accepted denomination and definition standards, such as NORSOK, IEC, KKS and SSG. It is built on xml and with an adapter concept allowing it to be open for integration with any design system.
"Our experience also shows that our clients can be up-and-running with the IFS/Engineering Register in as short time as three months, and with this flexible integration tool we make it easier to also get CAD/design tools fully integrated," Gunnarsson said.
The new integration tool is also made available to users of IFS Applications 7.
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