What is DemystifyingPLM?

DemystifyingPLM is an independent publication by Michael Finocchiaro covering Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) — the software that runs aerospace, automotive, and industrial manufacturing. It publishes long-form analysis, vendor histories, conference coverage, and the AI Across the Product Lifecycle podcast.

What is PLM (Product Lifecycle Management)?

PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) is the integrated system of software, processes, and data used to manage a physical product from concept through design, manufacturing, service, and retirement. It is the operational backbone of complex-product industries — aerospace, automotive, industrial machinery, medical devices — and typically sits on top of CAD, simulation, and ERP systems.

Who writes DemystifyingPLM?

Michael Finocchiaro, a 35+ year PLM industry veteran with experience at IBM, Hewlett-Packard, PTC, and Dassault Systèmes. He covers PLM strategy, CAD kernel history, the digital thread, and agentic AI in engineering.

How is DemystifyingPLM different from vendor blogs and analyst reports?

The work is independent and primary-source. Vendor histories trace lineage through acquisitions and product code rather than press releases. Architectural arguments are based on what platforms actually do, not what they advertise. There is no sponsored content, no vendor pay-to-play coverage, and no analyst-firm gating.

What topics does DemystifyingPLM cover?

Major PLM vendors (Dassault Systèmes, Siemens, PTC, Aras, cloud-native challengers), CAD geometry kernels (the Kernel Wars series), the Geography of PLM, PLM History 101, Agentic AI in PLM, conference recaps from Threaded / CDFAM / 3DEXPERIENCE World, a canonical PLM glossary, and the AI Across the Product Lifecycle podcast.