Transferring data securely and traceably between partners is an elementary step in the cross-site development process – but the journey of the data has only just begun. This is followed by entry into a world characterized by complex projects, high security requirements and growing data volumes, within which development partners work with different structures, systems, and formats. As a result, data must be manually unpacked, interpreted, assigned, prepared and, for example, imported into a PDM system, all of which requires a great deal of time and effort. Structural data preparation in particular is often very error prone.

The SWAN Collaboration Cloud (SCOUD) from SSC and PDTec offers a web-based “all-in-one” solution for automated data exchange in development collaborations, as well as working in the PDM system in the cloud between BMW and their partners. BMW has already been using a SCOUD variant specially adapted for BMW since 2018: the “BMW CA Service”.

“In my project, the BMW CA Service enables smooth, fast and highly automated data exchange with our development partners. As a result, cross-site collaboration is simple, secure, and reliable,” says Klaus Brand (Development Process Body/Exterior/Interior).

SCOUD consists of three modules: “SWANcloud”, “SWaX” and “CAD Portal”. Each module fulfills its specific task:

• Data dispatch through the SWANcloud
• Allocation of data by SWaX (SWAN automated exchange)
• Interpretation and fully automatic import into PDTec’s PDM system CAD Portal

For more information on our product “SCOUD”, please visit the product website.