PLM-supportive CAD-CAM tool for interoperative electrical and mechanical design for hardware electrical systems

A CAD-CAM software program that supports Product Lifecycle Management embodied on a computer readable medium, which supports Product Lifecycle Management, said CAD-CAM software program comprising:

• current state information for at least one product and its design;
• decision and accountability information tracking each product and its design up through its current state;
• a Resource Management Subsystem;
• a Product Lifecycle Management database;
• a Collaboration Subsystem;
• and
• a Project Management subsystem further comprising:
• a Project database;
• a Component database;
• a Search and Cross Reference engine, operating in coordination with the Component database;
• a Component Data Management subsystem;
• an Auto Engineering Change Order subsystem;
• a Bill of Materials generator;
• a Design Subsystem, operating in coordination with the Component database, Search and Cross-Reference engine, Component Data Management subsystem, Auto Engineering Change Order subsystem, and Bill of Materials generator;
• and,
• a Manufacturing subsystem, which includes a Purchasing subsystem;
• wherein for each distinct project initiated by a human user said databases, engine, subsystem, generator, and Design Subsystem take inputs from at least one external source, exchange data with the human user and amongst each other, and in accordance with the decisions and constraints entered by the human user and contained within the CAD-CAM software program, produce as an output at least one design of at least one product and supporting documentation associated with said design, both design and documentation being as complete as said decisions and constraints allow.