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Realize LIVE 2025 brought together over 3,000 innovators, manufacturers, and digital engineering leaders to explore the latest advancements in digital transformation for manufacturers. The conference made one thing clear: Manufacturers are looking for ways to innovate and go faster with model-based collaboration across the digital thread. And some of the leaders showed up to this event to share their stories on how they're operationalizing a digital thread and delivering measurable results.
For Anark and our customers, the event reinforced how collaborative digital threads and technical data packages (TDPs) are helping organizations turn engineering complexity into a competitive advantage. Here's a recap of the event, highlighting the key insights, discussions, and moments that can help you make critical engineering and manufacturing data accessible and actionable across your enterprise. But first a few pictures of our team getting to connect with our customers.
Highlights from Realize Live 2025
Manufacturer's are focused on innovation and going faster
Workhorse, an electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer, demonstrated how they designed, built, and delivered a new electric truck in just 22 months using Siemens' Teamcenter X, highlighting the benefits of speed, cost-effectiveness, and scalability.
Wabtec is using technical data packages (TDP) to deliver a model-based digital thread
Allen Garver, Wabtec Process Excellence Engineer, talked about a technical data exchange for the shop floor and suppliers powered by a model-based digital thread. The goal is faster delivery and better quality in a collaborative environment that breaks down silos and becomes an information source for future projects with a history maintained by the digital thread.
Digital threads drive smart manufacturing
Joe Bohman, Siemens' EVP of PLM Products, emphasized the importance of digital threads in accelerating product development and integrating BOM management, showcasing Siemens' portfolio in enabling these advancements.
Purdue University Empowers Tomorrow's Engineers with a Digital Thread
Travis Fuerst, Associate Professor of Practice at Purdue University, discussed how students use Siemens NX, Teamcenter, and Anark Collaborate within a digital thread framework that mirrors engineering environments seen in modern manufacturers. This prepares them for industry with hands-on experience with product lifecycle management, engineering change orders, and model-based definition (MBD).
Technical Data Packages (TDP) Extend the Digital Thread
While Realize LIVE highlighted the power of Siemens' core platforms to manage product data and processes, one key theme resonated strongly with Anark’s vision: extending the digital thread beyond engineering and PLM systems.
Anark extends the digital thread through the creation of model-based Technical Data Packages (TDPs)—standards-compliant, visual, and collaborative packages that connect engineering, manufacturing, quality, suppliers, and service teams across the enterprise and the extended value chain.
Why TDPs matter:
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They transform engineering BOMs, 3D models, and product data into lightweight, consumable formats that can be used on the shop floor, in supplier portals, and by field service teams—without requiring full access to PLM or CAD systems.
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They bridge PLM and MES—bringing validated product definitions to production and inspection environments with full traceability.
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They provide context-rich data for suppliers, eliminating misinterpretation and reducing costly scrap and rework.
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They form an auditable thread of communication that aligns with digital thread strategies emphasized at Realize LIVE.
At Anark, we see TDPs as the “connective tissue” that extends Siemens’ digital thread from the engineering organization into collaborative workflows that drive real-world outcomes.
Moving Forward Together
Realize LIVE 2025 showcased an industry moving toward an integrated future—where digital threads and smart manufacturing practices are no longer experiments, but the new foundation for product innovation and operational excellence.
Anark is proud to partner with Siemens customers and digital transformation leaders to help make that vision a reality—by delivering trusted, consumable, collaborative technical data that fuels the entire product lifecycle.
If you’re looking to extend your digital thread to shop floor operators, suppliers, customers, service teams, and more, Anark’s digital thread collaboration platform and technical data package solutions can help.
