How an Innovative PLM Automation Framework Transformed Part Number Management Across Companies

In today’s manufacturing landscape, Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems sit at the heart of efficient product development and data governance. As organizations scale, the complexity of managing parts, variants, and configurations grows exponentially. One area that often becomes a bottleneck is the creation and governance of part numbers across enterprise systems.

In 2020, a New York–based manufacturer of scientific and industrial process equipment, serving the semiconductor, LED, and broader electronics industries, confronted this challenge head-on. The company designs, develops, and distributes equipment used in semiconductor, LED, and other electronic device manufacturing, with a global footprint spanning electronics, data storage, and renewable energy customers. To support rapid innovation and precise master data management (MDM), its R&D and IT teams recognized the need for a more robust, automated approach to part number generation.

The Need for Smarter Part Number Automation

As the principal Product Lifecycle Management practitioner at this organization, the author of the letter had nearly fifteen years of experience implementing PLM software solutions and advising American and international firms on strategic PLM initiatives. The goal in 2020 was clear: develop a program to automatically generate part numbers in the enterprise system, aligned with rigorous data standards and flexible enough to support future business growth.

During the exploration phase, the company’s systems integrator partner highlighted Sloan as one of the most advanced manufacturing-centered organizations in PLM system technology. It was in this context that the team learned of the work of Mr. Kumaresh Tanthullu at Sloan, who had designed and implemented an advanced PLM-based part number generator program. This program not only powered the creation and automation of AER-DEC sink system configurations but also played a central role in master data management processes at Sloan.

A Demonstration That Changed the Design Direction

At the company’s request, Mr. Tanthullu agreed to demonstrate how his part number generator program functioned. The demonstration proved to be a turning point. He shared in-depth technical details of the program’s architecture, emphasizing adaptability, scalability, and the ability to anticipate future business requirements.

One of the key architectural strengths was the ease with which new number series could be added. For example, his design allowed for rapid introduction of new prefixes and suffixes to support new product lines, as well as new design templates for AER-DEC sink systems. This flexible architecture meant that as the business expanded its portfolio, the part-numbering scheme could evolve without rework or system instability.

According to the letter, this was the crucial insight that reshaped the author’s own development strategy. Instead of building an inflexible or narrowly-scoped tool, the team decided to pursue a similarly adaptable program, drawing heavily on the design concepts demonstrated by Mr. Tanthullu.

From Inspiration to Implementation

Empowered by the ideas shared in the demonstration, the PLM practitioner and their team embarked on building a new application inspired by Sloan’s approach. They adapted the underlying concepts—modular architecture, rule-based number series, and structured templates—to their own enterprise systems, ensuring compatibility with internal workflows and data standards.

By 2022, the organization had successfully designed, developed, and deployed its own automated part number generation application. The outcome, as described in the letter, was striking: the new tool emerged as one of the most important technological advancements the company had implemented in recent years. It now automatically supplies descriptions and other prerequisite information essential for downstream processes.

This automation eliminated redundant follow-up work and significantly reduced manual data entry. It also laid the foundation for automating the extension of part numbers to plants, streamlining the flow of product data from design through manufacturing. In practical terms, that meant fewer errors, faster onboarding of new parts, and a more reliable master data environment across the enterprise.

A Novel Perspective with Lasting Impact

Beyond the direct technical inspiration, the letter emphasizes that Mr. Tanthullu offered a novel perspective on what a part number generator could and should be. He did not merely show a working tool; he explained the reasoning behind it, why it was built, how it supported broader organizational efficiency, and how its design anticipated evolving business needs.

These insights influenced not just the architecture of the new application, but also the company’s mindset regarding PLM-driven automation in general. The PLM practitioner notes that the organization now views the application as a foundational enabler for future system enhancements and digital transformation efforts.

The relationship forged through this knowledge exchange did not end with a single demonstration. The letter indicates that the author’s organization hopes to continue discussions with Mr. Tanthullu about additional system advancements and best practices in PLM and MDM.

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Recognizing a Contribution of Broader Industry Value

In concluding, the letter characterizes Mr. Kumaresh Tanthullu as a significant asset to Sloan and a professional whose contributions have tangible impact beyond his own company. His work has directly influenced another U.S. manufacturer’s efficiency, productivity, and technological sophistication in PLM and master data management.

The author expresses a desire that more American businesses benefit from Mr. Tanthullu’s expertise and innovations, just as their own company did. The narrative presented in the letter positions his PLM part number generator and its underlying design principles as a genuine original contribution to industry practice, demonstrating how thoughtful system architecture can propagate improvements across organizations and, ultimately, across the sector as a whole.