Product Lifecycle Management Software

PLM software scoped to the BOM and change-control workflow you actually use

Off-the-shelf PLM platforms charge per seat for BOM management and change-control workflows most mid-size manufacturers only touch a fraction of. We build a lean, custom PDM/PLM layer on top of your existing CAD and ERP systems, covering the BOM structure and engineering change process your team runs every week, without licensing the modules you'll never open.

  • Bill of materials management built around your product structure, not a generic template

  • Engineering change order and change request workflows matched to how your team actually approves changes

  • Direct integration with the CAD and ERP systems you already run

  • Fixed-cost delivery, scoped up front, with source code ownership

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See our work

The problem

Sound familiar?

  • Paying per-seat for PLM modules your engineering team never opens?

  • Still tracking revision history and change approvals across email threads and spreadsheet logs?

Short answer

Product lifecycle management software manages a product's bill of materials, engineering change orders, and revision history from design through end of life, typically used by manufacturers alongside their CAD and ERP systems. RaftLabs builds a lean, custom PDM/PLM layer scoped to the BOM and change-control workflow a mid-size manufacturer actually runs, integrated directly with its existing CAD and ERP rather than a full enterprise suite. An MVP covering core BOM management and change control typically runs $30,000-$70,000 over 14-18 weeks; a full build with broader workflow and integration coverage runs $70,000-$130,000 over 18-22 weeks, at a fixed cost.

Key takeaways

  • Per-seat PLM pricing covers BOM management and change control alongside modules most mid-size manufacturers never use, so cost scales with headcount rather than actual usage.
  • A custom PDM/PLM layer built on your existing CAD and ERP systems keeps the data where it already lives, instead of asking your team to re-enter it into a third platform.
  • Engineering change order and change request workflows matter most when they match how your team actually approves changes, not a vendor's default approval chain.
  • An MVP covering core BOM and change-control workflows typically runs 14-18 weeks; a full build with broader integration coverage runs 18-22 weeks, at a fixed cost.

Trusted by

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PLM software delivery, by the numbers

products shipped
100+
cost delivery
Fixed
week delivery cycles
14-22

Paying for a full PLM suite when you use a fraction of it

Product lifecycle management software is a large, mature category, and most manufacturers evaluating it only need two things done well: BOM management and change control. Enterprise PLM platforms bundle those alongside quality management, product information management, and supplier portals sold as one per-seat license. We build the BOM and change-control layer on top of your existing CAD and ERP systems, so you pay for the workflow your team runs, not the modules sitting unused.

Capabilities

What we build

  • 01
    Bill of materials management

    BOM structures built around how your products are actually engineered, with multi-level assemblies, revisions, and variants tracked as first-class data.

  • 02
    Engineering change order and change request workflows

    Change control matched to your real approval chain, whether that's a single engineering sign-off or a multi-stage review across engineering, quality, and procurement.

  • 03
    CAD integration and file synchronization

    Direct integration with the CAD system your engineering team already uses, so drawings and models stay linked to the BOM and change records they belong to.

  • 04
    ERP integration for parts and cost data

    BOM and change data synced with your ERP, so purchasing, planning, and cost data reflect the same source of truth as engineering.

  • 05
    Revision history and audit trail

    Every BOM and change record versioned and timestamped, so you can answer what changed, when, and who approved it without digging through email threads.

  • 06
    Supplier and vendor collaboration

    Scoped access for suppliers and contract manufacturers to view the current BOM revision and relevant change records, without exposing your full system.

How we work

From workflow mapping to live software

  1. Weeks 1-3
    01

    Discovery and workflow mapping

    We map your current BOM structure, change-approval chain, and the CAD and ERP systems you run. You leave with a written scope and a fixed-price quote.

  2. Weeks 3-8
    02

    Data architecture and integration design

    We design the BOM data model and the integration layer for your CAD and ERP systems, so the custom layer reads and writes to the systems you already depend on.

  3. Weeks 8-18
    03

    Build in two-week sprints

    You review working software at each sprint. BOM management, change-control workflows, and integrations are built and tested incrementally.

  4. Final 2-4 weeks
    04

    Testing and rollout

    The system runs against real BOM and change data so your engineering team can validate it before cutting over from spreadsheets or email approvals.

Why us

Why manufacturers choose RaftLabs

  • 01
    Senior engineers build what they scope

    The engineers who map your BOM and change-control workflow also build the integration layer. No offshore handoff after the contract is signed.

  • 02
    Fixed price before development starts

    We scope the work, calculate the cost, and lock it in writing before any development starts.

  • 03
    Founded 2015, 100+ products shipped

    A track record building integration-heavy platforms that connect cleanly to the CAD and ERP systems manufacturers already run.

  • 04
    You own the source code

    No per-seat licensing and no vendor lock-in after delivery. The codebase, and everything built into it, is yours.

Have a PLM software project?

Tell us which BOM and change-control workflow you're paying per seat for today, and which CAD and ERP systems it needs to talk to. We'll scope a fixed-cost build.

Scope your PLM software project

Related services

What clients say

What clients say about working with us

Three-year average engagement. Founders and operators describing the work in their own words. No marketing varnish.

Amer Abu Khajil
Amer Abu Khajil
Canada flagCanada
Founder, Peak Studios & Perceptional

I found RaftLabs to be the perfect partner for Perceptional, with their expertise in helping startup founders build MVPs, a free consultation, a prototype that matched my vision, and their unwavering support.

01 / 06

Product Lifecycle Management Software, scoped in one call.

Tell us what's broken. Within one business day you get a straight take on cost, timeline, and the right first step. No deck, no pressure.

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Frequently asked questions

Product lifecycle management (PLM) software manages a product's bill of materials, engineering change orders, and revision history from initial design through end of life. It's typically used by engineering, manufacturing, and quality teams alongside CAD and ERP systems.

Arena PLM (owned by PTC) and Propel, which combines PLM, QMS, and PIM in one platform, are strong tools for companies that need the full suite: multi-site quality management, product information management, and broad supplier collaboration built in. Custom software makes sense for mid-size manufacturers that only need the core BOM and change-control workflow and would rather integrate it directly with the CAD and ERP systems they already run than license modules they won't use.

Yes. We scope which CAD and ERP systems you run during discovery and build the integration layer around them, so BOM and change data stays synced with the systems your team already works in.

Yes. We map your current approval chain during discovery, whether that's a single sign-off or a multi-stage review across engineering, quality, and procurement, and build the workflow to match it.

An MVP covering core BOM management and change control typically runs $30,000-$70,000 and takes 14-18 weeks. A full build with broader workflow and integration coverage runs $70,000-$130,000 over 18-22 weeks. We scope a fixed cost after discovery.

Either, depending on scope. Some teams replace an underused platform outright. Others keep a specific module, like quality management, and build a lighter custom layer for BOM and change control alongside it. We help assess the right split during discovery.

Work with us

Tell us what you need. We'll tell you what it would take.

We scope Product Lifecycle Management Software in 30 minutes. You walk away with a clear cost, timeline, and approach. No commitment required.

  • Scope and cost agreed before work starts. No surprises. No obligation.
  • Working prototype within 3 weeks of kickoff.
  • Pay by milestone. You see progress before each invoice.
  • 60-day post-launch warranty. Bug fixes, UI tweaks, and deployment support. No retainer.
  • All conversations are NDA-protected.