🚨 The #1 Reason Your PLM Upgrade Will Fail (Unless You Do This...)

🚨 The #1 Reason Your PLM Upgrade Will Fail (Unless You Do This...)

PLM upgrades are a nightmare.

Let’s be honest—most companies struggle with them, and many outright fail. Despite months (or even years) of planning, delays creep in, budgets explode, and users resist change. In worst-case scenarios, the new system goes live, only to create chaos on the shop floor, in engineering, and across the enterprise.

So, what’s the #1 reason your PLM upgrade will fail?

❌ The Hidden Killer of PLM Upgrades: Underestimating Complexity

PLM is not just another software—it’s the backbone of your product development and manufacturing ecosystem. It touches CAD, ERP, MES, CRM, supply chain systems, compliance processes, and more. Unlike an ERP upgrade, a PLM upgrade is not just a ‘software update’—it’s a full-scale business transformation.

And yet, companies often treat it as an IT project rather than a business initiative.

👉 That’s a fatal mistake.

PLM upgrades fail because organizations underestimate complexity and don’t align stakeholders, processes, and technology effectively. They assume a straightforward data migration and UI refresh when, in reality, they’re dealing with intricate system dependencies, customized workflows, and deeply ingrained user habits.

✅ How to Ensure a Successful PLM Upgrade

If you want to avoid disaster, follow these battle-tested strategies:

1️⃣ Adopt a Business-First Approach

A PLM upgrade is not about installing new software—it’s about enhancing business processes. Engage leadership, engineering, manufacturing, and IT teams from day one. Define how the upgrade will drive efficiency, reduce costs, and improve product lifecycle management.

2️⃣ Assess & Rationalize Customizations

Most legacy PLM systems are heavily customized. But do you really need all those modifications in your new version? Analyze, optimize, and eliminate unnecessary customizations to streamline the upgrade and reduce technical debt.

3️⃣ Data Migration: The Silent Bottleneck

Data migration is where many PLM upgrades stall. If your product data is scattered, inconsistent, or unstructured, the upgrade will amplify these issues. Invest in data cleansing, classification, and validation before migration begins.

4️⃣ Change Management & User Adoption

Even the best PLM upgrade will fail if users don’t embrace it. Provide early training, hands-on workshops, and clear communication about what’s changing and why. Resistance to change is real—mitigate it proactively.

5️⃣ Leverage a Phased or Parallel Upgrade Strategy

Don’t go for a risky ‘big bang’ approach. Instead, consider a phased rollout or a parallel system deployment where old and new systems run together temporarily. This reduces risk and provides a safety net.

6️⃣ Select the Right PLM Partner

A skilled PLM partner can make or break your upgrade. Work with experts who understand not just the software but also your industry, regulatory requirements, and business objectives.

⚠️ Legacy PLM is Holding You Back

A modern, resilient, and flexible PLM solution is critical to supporting a manufacturing organization’s digital transformation. Ensuring that it is continually upgraded is key to success. According to a CIMdata study, companies that delay PLM modernization experience higher costs, longer upgrade cycles, and lost opportunities for digital innovation.

🚀 Why Aras Innovator is the Game Changer

If your current PLM system is inflexible, expensive to upgrade, and heavily customized, Aras Innovator offers a smarter alternative.

🔥 Superior Performance & Growth: Aras has maintained annual revenue growth of over 30% for years, proving its long-term value.

🚀 Seamless Upgrades: Unlike traditional PLM solutions, Aras enables customers to upgrade on average every 18 months, allowing them to leverage modern technologies continuously.

⚡ Customization Without Constraints: Unlike other PLM systems where customizations inhibit upgrades, Aras ensures that modifications remain intact during upgrades, reducing complexity and cost.

💰 Zero Upgrade Cost: While traditional PLM vendors charge an average of $700K to $1.2M per upgrade, Aras Innovator upgrades cost ZERO—because upgrades are included in the subscription model. This means no hidden fees, no surprise expenses, and no budget overruns.

🌍 Full Support for the Digital Thread & Twin: Aras’ open, low-code platform enables seamless integration across the enterprise, ensuring digital continuity.

🔥 The Bottom Line

PLM upgrades don’t fail because of software. They fail because companies overlook the business, process, and data transformation aspects. Treat your PLM upgrade as a strategic initiative, not just an IT project, and you’ll turn a high-risk upgrade into a competitive advantage.

💡 Never fall behind. Aras Innovator is built to support customizations that underpin business-specific requirements without negatively affecting the ability to upgrade.

👇 Have you experienced a PLM upgrade? What challenges did you face? Let’s discuss in the comments!