Revolutionize Your Design-To-Operate Process with SAP and Siemens

In the fast-evolving world of manufacturing, agility and precision are essential. However, misaligned data between design and manufacturing systems is a major factor contributing to production delays. With critical product and production information scattered across ERP and PLM systems, seamless communication remains the missing link in achieving Industry 4.0 goals.

To address this challenge, SAP and Siemens have joined forces to develop a out-of-the-box standardized interface, bridging the gap between their flagship solutions: SAP’s ERP platform and Siemens Teamcenter PLM system. By aligning these systems, this groundbreaking innovation simplifies workflows, reduces delays, and brings us closer to a fully integrated manufacturing lifecycle. With extensive expertise in both SAP and Siemens platforms, Emixa is uniquely positioned to help you harness the full potential of this integration. Our dual focus on ERP and PLM solutions enables us to provide end-to-end support tailored to your needs.

Integrated software solutions across the product and asset lifecycle. 

Understanding the Disconnect 

Manufacturing operations rely on two critical systems: Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) for managing production schedules, inventory, and supply chains, and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems for design and engineering data. Despite their importance, these systems often operate in silos, creating significant misalignments across the manufacturing process.

For example, an engineering change order logged in the PLM system might not automatically update in the ERP system. This disconnect can leave production teams working with outdated specifications, resulting in wasted materials, missed deadlines, and increased frustration as teams scramble to reconcile discrepancies manually.

These challenges manifest in several ways. Workflows become disconnected when critical data, such as change orders and production schedules, fail to synchronize. Employees accessing outdated or conflicting information face difficulties making informed decisions, which compounds operational inefficiencies. In a fast-paced industry where precision and agility are essential, these gaps don’t just slow things down – they erode a company’s ability to compete.

How it Works 

The SAP and Siemens integration resolves these issues by automating the synchronization of design and production data out-of-the-box. Historically, data exchanges between SAP and Siemens relied on manual processes or IDocs to transfer information. Today, this integration leverages automation to ensure that updates in master data, design files, and production plans flow seamlessly between systems.

For example, an engineering change logged in Teamcenter automatically reflects in SAP’s ERP platform, ensuring every stakeholder has access to a centralized, reliable data source.

This automated synchronization eliminates the need for manual steps, significantly reducing errors caused by inconsistent or outdated data. Whether it’s logistics or design, employees can rely on real-time insights, enabling faster, more accurate decision-making.

 "Integration Architecture: The Meta Domain Model bridges SAP and Siemens, providing a unified language for seamless data integration and federation."

Key benefits of the Integration 

By bridging the gap between ERP and PLM systems, the integration offers transformative benefits for manufacturers. Processes are streamlined through automated data synchronization, which reduces error rates and ensures that design and production teams work from a consistent information hub. The result is a fully digitized workflow, enabling companies to execute Engineer-to-Order (ETO) and Configure-to-Order (CTO+) processes with greater efficiency and precision.

Thomas Saueressig, Head of Product Engineering at SAP, encapsulates the importance of this collaboration: “Bringing together expertise from SAP and Siemens to offer Industry 4.0-enabled business processes allows enterprises to create a digital thread for the entire product and asset lifecycle.”

In an industry where even small delays or errors can have significant repercussions, this integration marks a vital step toward achieving a unified, agile, and competitive manufacturing process.

A Commitment to Continuous Improvement 

At Emixa, we’ve had the opportunity to directly engage with both SAP and Siemens through collaborative sessions, giving us deeper insights into the integration’s capabilities and future direction. In 2025, and beyond, we’ll see enhanced features such as improved change management and expanded manufacturing engineering capabilities. Our participation in these sessions, including enablement training and deep-dive discussions with product development teams, reflects our commitment to staying at the leading edge of this evolving technology.

These efforts ensure that we remain well-positioned to help you implement a fully integrated, Industry 4.0-driven Design-to-Operate process. By working closely with SAP and Siemens, we’re proud to be part of a joint approach that ensures your systems are always aligned and your workflows seamless.

A Real-World Success Story: Stadler-Rail 

One of the first companies to implement the SAP-Siemens interface was Stadler-Rail, a leading European train manufacturer. Guided by Emixa, Stadler successfully integrated the PLM-side of the Interface to synchronize their design and production workflows, resulting in significant improvements in efficiency and accuracy. This successful implementation is a testament to the power of this integration, and Emixa’s role in guiding manufacturers through this transformation.

Looking Ahead: What's Next for SAP-Siemens Integration? 

Emixa continues to push the integration boundaries between SAP and Siemens, focusing on expanding capabilities such as enhanced change management and manufacturing engineering processes? We stay ahead of industry developments through regular collaboration with SAP and Siemens, ensuring we can effectively meet evolving needs.

Ready to Simplify Your Manufacturing Processes? Discover how the SAP-Siemens integration can revolutionize your operations. Contact Emixa’s experts today at info.es@emixa.com to learn more.

Timo van Helvoort is a consultant in the Emixa ES Supply Chain Management Team with a background in operations management, logistics and Industry 4.0.