Skip to content

PLM Integration Windchill+

Windchill+ is a PLM integration option implemented through the aP Connect Agent. It enables automated workflows that retrieve product data from Windchill+, run cost analysis in aPriori, and optionally write results back to PLM.

The integration is designed to work securely with PTC’s cloud-hosted Windchill+ environment while allowing you to maintain control of your infrastructure.

See Windchill+ Example Deployment for example deployment steps and required configuration

With this integration, organizations can:

  • Automatically retrieve parts and assemblies from Windchill+
  • Map PLM attributes into aPriori cost models
  • Run automated costing workflows
  • Generate cost reports and notifications
  • Optionally write results back to Windchill+

Architecture Overview

The Windchill+ integration uses the aP Connect Agent, which runs within your customer environment and communicates securely with both Windchill+ and the aPriori cloud.

Key components:

  • aP Connect Server: Cloud-based workflow orchestration platform in aPriori
  • aP Connect Agent: Lightweight service installed in your environment
  • Windchill+: Cloud-based PLM environment hosted by PTC
  • PingIdentity / OAuth: Authentication method used to securely connect to Windchill+. You will need OAuth credentials from your PTC or IdP administrator before configuring the agent.

How it works

  1. Obtain OAuth credentials (client ID, client secret, and base URL) from PTC's PingIdentity / PingFederate
  2. The aP Connect Agent is installed in your network
  3. The agent authenticates with Windchill+ using OAuth
  4. Scheduled workflows in aP Connect trigger data retrieval from your PLM
  5. aPriori processes the data to perform cost analysis
  6. Results are delivered through reports, notifications, or write-back operations

Integration Prerequisites

Before configuring the integration, ensure the following requirements are met:

Infrastructure Requirements

  • A server within your network to host the aP Connect Agent
  • The server must have a static IP address
  • Outbound internet access to the aPriori cloud

Network Requirements

The following conditions must be met:

  • The static IP hosting the agent must be whitelisted by aPriori (unless using mTLS, configured during Agent and Connector install)
  • The static IP must also be whitelisted by PTC for deployment of Windchill+ customization artifacts
  • Outbound proxies are not supported
  • If using technologies such as Zscaler or VPN tunneling, they may need to be temporarily disabled during deployment

Required Tools

Install the following tool:

  • Microsoft Azure Storage Explorer: Used to upload deployment artifacts to the PTC Windchill+ cloud environment

Windchill+ Customization Deployment

Windchill+ integrations require deployment of a CCD (Custom Code Deployment) package within your PTC environment.

Important considerations

  • Windchill+ deployments are cumulative
  • Any existing customizations must be deployed together with the aPriori CCD package
  • Custom middleware between Windchill+ and aPriori is not supported

Deployment Process

For a full walkthrough of the deployment process, see Windchill+ Example Deployment.