Aras, a leading provider of product lifecycle management (PLM) and digital thread solutions, has announced key enhancements to its platform during its annual user conference, ACE 2024, held in Fort Worth, Texas. The new product release includes a suite of supplier management solutions, low-code development tools, streamlined user interactions, and Aras Advanced 3D.

The Aras Advanced 3D offers a scalable environment to visualise and interact with larger, more complex assemblies that often exceed the capacity of a single CAD session. The new suite of supplier management solutions enhances how organisations interact with their suppliers and business partners, facilitating secure, remote access to controlled subsets of digital thread and PLM information through configurable mobile-optimised web applications.

In addition to the product release, Aras released the results of their most recent research into company resiliency. The study found that 92% of companies reported that leveraging digital tools, including PLM software, better equipped them to overcome crises. Furthermore, 82% of companies already utilising PLM software reported being better at overcoming crises today than they were a year ago. Improvement initiatives have led companies to embark on expanding R&D activities, prioritising sustainability, and optimising supply chains, all in an effort to improve resilience to potential future disruptions.

John Sperling, SVP of Product Management at Aras, commented on the new enhancements, stating, "Aras continues to reimagine how teams collaborate across the digital thread for product lifecycle management. These new capabilities further differentiate Aras Innovator as the digital thread and PLM solution for organisations that prioritise scalability, flexibility, and openness."

A global industry study, "Spotlight on the Future 2024", which was conducted on behalf of Aras, surveyed 835 executive-level experts. The study found that three out of four companies are more resilient today than they were twelve months ago. Leon Lauritsen, VP Operations EMEA, acknowledged the need for companies to adapt to what is becoming the 'new normal' in this unpredictable environment, and highlighted the importance of digital transformation in this process.

Finally, it was announced that leading technology integrator SAIC (Science Applications International Corp.) has chosen Aras as the digital thread backbone for its digital engineering solution, ReadyOne. ReadyOne creates a single-source-of-truth for users by using Aras' PLM technology as its foundation. Roque Martin, CEO of Aras, views this partnership and the inclusion of modern solutions as a key factor for customers to meet even the most stringent requirements of the defense sector.

Chris Finlay, Vice President of Innovation at SAIC, voiced his support for the partnership, stating, "Data is the common thread connecting all of today's most important innovations. The availability of real-time, accurate data throughout the engineering process will enable better informed decision making - and result in faster, more effective results."