IBM is unveiling nine "Product Lifecycle Management centers" Thursday designed to help customers launch new products in less time. The intent is to leverage proven business methodologies and software development models, IBM said. Clients get access to IBM experts to help integrate processes and transactions typical of a product lifecycle. PLM best practices are applied to new product development initiatives. Fea IBM is unveiling nine “Product Lifecycle Management centers” Thursday designed to help customers launch new products in less time.The intent is to leverage proven business methodologies and software development models, IBM said. Clients get access to IBM experts to help integrate processes and transactions typical of a product lifecycle. PLM best practices are applied to new product development initiatives. Featured are value creation seminars, enterprise workshops, interoperable software technologies and business process management modules. The centers will offer expertise in areas such as SOA and Web 2.0, PLM process transformation and application integration. Also part of the effort is a “Proof-of-Concept Factory,” featuring software developers. PLM emerging technologies are highlighted such as mobile 3D viewers that render three-dimensional models on Linux-based PDAs and Pocket PC devices. The centers are located in Nice-La Gaude, France; Beijing; Bangalore; New Delhi; Boeblingen, Germany; Yamato, Japan; Montreal; Hawthorne, N.Y. and Dallas.Clients already benefiting from early visits to the centers include Harley Davidson and Canadian-based transportation solution manufacturer Bombardier, IBM said. Technology Industry