Siemens Brings Real-Time Supply Chain Intelligence to its Xcelerator Platform—Showing Intent to Connect Manufacturing and Procurement

Procurement and manufacturing for electronics are troubled by supply chain issues and Siemens might have an answer to that. Since the supply chain uncertainties created by the pandemic and the Russo-Ukraine conflict, shipping delays affecting electronics and Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) have been some of the biggest hit items. Earlier last month, Siemens Digital Industries Software announced its plans to integrate the Supplyframe Design-to-Source Intelligence (DSI) platform with its Siemens Xcelerator portfolio of software and services. This news comes 2 years after acquiring Supplyframe. In its 18 years in business, Supplyframe has evolved from a components aggregator to a DSI firm. Its DSI platform collects billions of continuous signals of design intent, demand, supply, and risk factors to inform design and purchasing decisions. This is a part of Siemens’ strategy to merge its industrial software offerings into an extended solution. With the goal of blending real-time supply chain intelligence with a comprehensive digital twin technology platform, this incorporation of technologies is set up to provide end users real-time visibility into global component availability, demand, cost, compliance, and associated parametric data at the point of design, making it easier for customers to reduce costs, increase agility, and make better, more highly informed component decisions at the point of design. Linking Siemens’ market leadership in PCB design and analysis technologies with Supplyframe’s deep market intelligence in the supply chain space definitely presents a unique offering.

Siemens Xpedition software is known for its electronic systems design functionality, making it an ideal tool to first be integrated with Supplyframe. By unifying and streamlining the data from the Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) and Electronics Computer-Aided Design (ECAD) domains, the solution engineering organizations streamline the selection, creation, and management of components during electronic systems design. The integrated offering delivers a range of functionalities for engineering organizations developing next-generation PCB designs, including:

• Push-button access to detailed component intelligence on over 600 million manufacturer part numbers, which can empower engineers to make more informed part decisions and trade-offs when the cost of change is lowest.
• Elimination of manual data entry and library maintenance tasks.
• Detailed part comparison views, "what-if" part selection analysis, and digitally managed workflows.
• Seamless, real-time part-level audits for streamlined risk assessments during design capture.

Supply chain visibility has become a priority for Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) as logistics bottlenecks have toppled electronics supply networks over the past few years. A sudden rebound in vehicle demand also contributed to a serious global shortage of semiconductors, highlighting the unpredictability and vulnerability of supply chains. The electronics supply chain relies on design and procurement trends to anticipate demand. Although only a minority of new product designs actually reach production, design wins are a good indicator of the markets. This shows a big opportunity in demand sensing. Supplyframe’s platform also equips end users with the opportunity to identify the threats and consequences of either following a Just-in-Time (JIT) structure or holding excess inventory. Supplyframe provides cost versus risk analysis; identifies alternative sources; enables cross-functional component reviews; and provides a full audit trail for parts. So, for Siemens, this initiative expands the industrial conglomerate’s reach and engagement with the electronics value chain. It also provides a template and design model for intellectual capital, along with its existing Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and Design for Manufacturing (DFM) offerings. In addition, it provides insight into new business opportunities.

Another important aspect to consider that showcases Siemens’ unique offering with this integration is that this is another step taken by Siemens to ensure a more connected supply chain. It was part of a larger narrative of integrating digital twin technology with other Siemens software to create a digital thread. As consolidation between platforms continues, more bridges will be built to connect to third-party engineering software tools with risk assessment and supply chain visibility platforms. Engineers and corporations will be able to truly link all their data and systems into a single source of truth—optimizing design, sales, manufacturing, procurement, maintenance, and more. It shows how much manufacturers value end-to-end visibility.