Best Free & Open Source Product Lifecycle Management Software for Manufacturers

Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) connects engineering, manufacturing, quality, and supply processes — enabling parts, revisions, BOMs, and change records to flow from design through production without fragmentation. It’s the system that ensures what engineers built is what manufacturing makes, and that both sides speak the same language.

Historically, PLM has come with enterprise price tags and heavy consultants. For small and mid-sized manufacturers, that has meant gated value. But in 2025, open source and free PLM platforms offer a credible foundation for bill of materials, revision control, part traceability, and engineering change workflows — without licensing overhead.

1. OpenPLM

Best for: Traditional PLM with BOM and revision control.

OpenPLM provides core PLM functionality: part definition, BOM, document management, and versioning. It supports hierarchical structures, change history, and external document attachments, making it suitable for discrete manufacturing where traceability matters.

• License: GPLv3 / Open Source
• Typical use: Component libraries, product definitions, revision control
• Best fit: Small to mid-sized discrete manufacturers transitioning from file folders and spreadsheets

2. DocDokuPLM

Best for: Modular PLM with flexible data models.

DocDokuPLM is an open-source PLM that offers document and product structure management, lifecycle states, and workflow control. Its flexible architecture lets teams configure product object types, attributes, and relationships without deep developer overhead.

• License: CPL / Open Source
• Typical use: Workflow-driven engineering change control
• Best fit: Manufacturers needing flexible product data models

3. Aras Innovator (Community Edition)

Best for: Enterprise PLM capabilities with community backing.

Aras Innovator offers an open core PLM platform that can be used for BOMs, change management, quality integration, and systems engineering. Its community edition provides core PLM constructs and an ecosystem of community solutions.

• License: Open core (free community edition)
• Typical use: Advanced PLM processes, integrations
• Best fit: Mid-size manufacturers looking for scalable PLM

4. Odoo PLM (Community)

Best for: PLM integrated directly into ERP and MRP.

Within Odoo Community, the PLM app tracks revisions, changes, and engineering documents directly against your inventory, BOMs, and work orders. It doesn’t have all high-end PLM features, but the tight ERP link makes it practical for many shops.

• License: LGPLv3 / Open Core
• Typical use: Document control, change orders, BOM revisions
• Best fit: Machine shops using Odoo for ERP or inventory

5. PLM Project (Eclipse)

Best for: Lightweight engineering change management.

An Eclipse Foundation PLM project providing basic change and configuration control for engineering artifacts. It’s not a full suite, but a solid place to adopt controlled revision and traceability in a modular environment.

• License: Eclipse Public License
• Typical use: Revision control, process tracking
• Best fit: Engineering teams building custom PLM workflows

6. InvenTree (as a PLM adjunct)

Best for: Part and BOM management with API integration.

InvenTree is primarily an inventory and BoM management system, but its strong API and part hierarchy make it a good lightweight PLM companion for small teams who need structure without full enterprise overhead.

• License: MIT / Open Source
• Typical use: Parts, assemblies, simple BoMs
• Best fit: Startups and shops with lightweight PLM needs

7. FreeCAD + PLM Workbench

Best for: CAD integrated PLM entry point.

FreeCAD’s PLM workbench connects CAD models and parts into structured PLM-style data. It’s not a standalone PLM server, but it helps bridge CAD geometry into document control and part definitions.

• License: LGPLv3 / Open Source
• Typical use: CAD-centric part tracking
• Best fit: Engineering teams linking design to PLM

8. ProjectLibre + External PLM APIs

Best for: Project-centric PLM alignment.

ProjectLibre is a free project management tool that — when linked via API or ETL to your PLM backbone like OpenPLM or DocDokuPLM — adds schedule and milestone context to product changes.

• License: CDDL / Open Source
• Typical use: Project and milestone tracking
• Best fit: PLM + project timeline integration

9. Git + GitLab / Gitea + CAD-centric workflows

Best for: Version control and change history for CAD and PLM artifacts.

While not PLM in the traditional sense, many manufacturers harness Git and platforms like GitLab or Gitea to version control CAD files, scripts, part metadata, and documentation — often with web review workflows that function like lightweight PLM.

• License: GPL / MIT / Open Source
• Typical use: Revision control, collaboration
• Best fit: CAD heavy teams embracing versioned PLM artifacts

10. Custom PLM using Node-RED + InvenTree

Best for: DIY PLM augmented with automation.

For teams that want fine-grained control, Node-RED flows can connect InvenTree (BoM, parts) with a versioned document store, automated notifications on PLM events, and simple change process automations.

• License: Apache 2.0 + MIT / Open Source
• Typical use: Custom alerts, API driven PLM glue
• Best fit: Technical teams automating PLM integrations

Product Lifecycle Management Software Comparison

How PLM fits into a modern manufacturing stack

True PLM should sit above engineering and connect to:

• ERP (for costing, purchasing)
• MRP/WMS (for stock and availability)
• MES/Shop floor (for execution traceability)
• Quality systems (for non conformances and CAPA)
• CAD (for geometry and part definitions)

Open source PLM solutions don’t replace a full Siemens or PTC system overnight, but they remove the biggest barrier: licensing cost. With discipline and good process modeling, these tools can become the backbone of product data across engineering and production.

Practical recommendations

• For true PLM adoption with revision & BOM control, OpenPLM and DocDokuPLM should be your starting points.
• If you want ERP integrated PLM, Odoo Community gives real value out of the box.
• For enterprise style workflows, Aras Innovator Community Edition scales well with plugins and community apps.
• For lightweight or CAD-centric environments, combine InvenTree and FreeCAD for structured part data.
• For developer or automation teams, augment PLM with Git workflows and Node-RED integrations.

Conclusion

The open source PLM landscape in 2025 is no longer theoretical. You can model products, control revisions, manage BOM hierarchies, and connect design to production without heavy license burdens. These platforms let you own your data, avoid vendor lock-in, and align engineering and operations in ways that were once only affordable by Fortune 500 OEMs

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