Loading...

PODCAST

DemystifyingPLM

Michael Finocchiaro

Expert analysis on the history, strategy, and future of PLM — 56 audio articles on PLM technology, Kernel Wars, Agentic AI, PLM History, Geography of PLM, and Vendor Deep Dives.

technology software how-to

All Episodes

6:57

Chapter 13 - CAE Wars: Simulation Eating the Physical...

DemystifyingPLM ·

2025/06/14

The Reality Engine In 1941, Alexander Hrennikoff published a paper that would reshape human civilization. Working at MIT, the structural engineer proposed dividing complex structures into simple elements, solving each element's behavior, then assembling the results into a complete solution. He call

en-us

5:29

Chapter 12 - CAM Wars: The Machinist's Digital Shadow

DemystifyingPLM ·

2025/06/14

The Translation Engine The story of Computer-Aided Manufacturing is fundamentally about translation—converting the perfect mathematical surfaces of CAD models into the messy reality of cutting forces, tool deflection, and heat management. It's the bridge between digital dreams and physical products

en-us

5:31

Chapter 11 - CAD Wars

DemystifyingPLM ·

2025/06/14

Chapter X: The CAD Kernel Revolution - From Drafting Tables to Digital Twins The Geometry Engine The fluorescent lights hummed overhead in General Motors' Warren Technical Center as Chuck Eastman hunched over his terminal in 1973, wrestling with what would become the most expensive software mista

en-us

2:29

Chapter 10 - How MCAD and Computer Graphics Drove...

DemystifyingPLM ·

2025/06/14

Before we wrap up the Kernel Wars, I thought it would be good to look at the hardware side of the trench warfare fought between companies we discussed such as Silicon Graphics. Here is the story of graphics adapters and AI, their unlikely beneficiary of the 21st century!

en-us

2:45

Chapter 9 - The Evolution of Graphics APIs

DemystifyingPLM ·

2025/06/14

The Evolution of Graphics APIs Graphics APIs have been the unsung heroes of the Kernel Wars, serving as the critical bridge between surfacing algorithms and visual output. These interfaces translated mathematical constructs like Bézier surfaces and NURBS into renderable forms, powering CAD, visual

en-us

2:16

Chapter 8 - The Evolution of Surfacing Technologies —...

DemystifyingPLM ·

2025/06/14

Equally important in the evolution of the Kernel Wars, the battle for controlling surfaces - and ultimately the automotive body industry as well as the nascent Hollywood Special Effects industry, is the history of surfacing technology. It is not only a tale of mathematical innovation—it is one of br

en-us

7:42

Chapter 7 - The Computational Alchemy: How Graphics...

DemystifyingPLM ·

2025/06/12

I have been at pains to prove that all this MCAD history is relevant to us today because the problems it solved were found to be analogous to those required for advancing artificial intelligence. The full mathematical story below.

en-us

2:36

Chapter 6 - From Parametric Roots to Direct...

DemystifyingPLM ·

2025/06/12

At the beginning there was only direct modeling on solids. PTC changed the game with parametric modeling when they launched Pro/ENGINEER, but then CATIA V5 was the first to achieve the best of both worlds. What follows in an explanation of what these terms mean and where the MCAD industry is headed.

en-us

2:41

Chapter 5 - Cautionary Tales in CAD: When Tech Isn’t...

DemystifyingPLM ·

2025/06/12

Sometimes vendors approached the market haphazardly or did not see a technological shift, and sometimes they were too lazy to fix their bugs. This is the story of three dead ends in the history of MCAD.

en-us

2:37

Chapter 4 - Solid Edge versus SolidWorks: Two...

DemystifyingPLM ·

2025/06/12

At the advent of Microsoft Windows stood Jim Meadlock of Intergraph and Jon Hirschtick of Winchester Design (later SolidWorks) that saw the writing on the wall for the death of UNIX workstations. This is the story of how they got there and their very different fates afterwards.

en-us

5:10

Chapter 3 - Proprietary versus Licensed Kernels

DemystifyingPLM ·

2025/06/12

Development of graphics kernels is pretty hard are we'll see a little later, so not everyone could afford to build their own. This is the story of a few that were modular and usable by other applications and some that stayed proprietary to their original company.

en-us

1:04

Chapter 2 - The Cambridge Connection: Foundations of...

DemystifyingPLM ·

2025/06/12

The origins of modern CAD technology come from the laboratories of computer science at the University of Cambridge. Let's explore the story.

en-us

4:00

Chapter 1: Graphics Kernel Anatomy 101

DemystifyingPLM ·

2025/06/12

A graphics kernel is the unsung hero of CAD systems, managing the rendering and manipulation of graphical elements. This chapter explains the DNA of MCAD applications.

en-us

38:50

Kernel Wars: The Hidden Conflict Behind 3D CAD—and...

DemystifyingPLM ·

2025/06/01

Kernel Wars: The Hidden Conflict Behind 3D CAD—and the Hardware That Made AI Possible

en-us

4:31

Fino Post Index for SharePLMSummit 2025

DemystifyingPLM ·

2025/05/28

inaugural #SharePLMSummit in the superb Bodegas Fundador in (very) sunny Jerez, Spain. It is hard to do a final post, but here is a helpful index listed chronologically according to the agenda

en-us

5:12

The Bill of Information: Beyond Bill of Materials in...

DemystifyingPLM ·

2025/05/21

While most manufacturers are familiar with the Bill of Materials (BOM) concept, there’s growing interest in more comprehensive frameworks like the Bill of Information.

en-us

5:45

Transforming Engineering Workflows: Agentic AI and...

DemystifyingPLM ·

2025/05/11

delve into the Agentic AI use cases in the context of PLM, providing more detail on the pieces and parts, the AI's role, the system interactions, and how the sources discuss dealing with issues. Here are five key PLM-related use cases discussed, integrating the details provided across the sources.

en-us

12:32

Silicon to Systems: The Wild West Coast's...

DemystifyingPLM ·

2025/05/08

From San Diego to Seattle, West Coast innovators infused PLM with computing breakthroughs, consumer-focused design thinking, and eventually, cloud transformation that would reshape how the entire world approaches product development.

en-us

8:31

Between the Coasts: The Untold Story: How America's...

DemystifyingPLM ·

2025/04/29

The central United States—spanning from the Great Lakes to the Gulf Coast and from the Appalachians to the Rockies—has been home to pioneering companies and visionaries who fundamentally transformed how products are designed, engineered, and manufactured.

en-us

5:55

Boston's Hidden Legacy: How the 128 Tech Corridor...

DemystifyingPLM ·

2025/04/15

Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) software has a surprising epicenter: Boston's Route 128, home to many PLM and engineering software giants.

en-us

56 results

Similar Podcasts

Lead With AI

Tamara Nall

The Tech Trek

Elevano

Engineering the Intelligent Enterprise

PRASAD BHONDE

The Vergecast

The Verge

Double Tap

Steven Scott, Shaun Preece, Steven...