This paper presents and analyzes new tools to reduce wastes according to lean thinking. These tools, PLM (Product Lifecycle Management), Digital Factory and Virtual Commissioning have differences and similarities and they are defined with a brief discussion of the status and outlook. It is proposed a model showing the correlation among Virtual Commissioning, Digital Factory and PLM and it allows understanding limits, benefits and influences among these concepts. After that, the model proposed by Kühn presenting the effort and benefit of conventional approach and Digital Factory is analyzed. Moreover, a new model a new factor, the Virtual Commissioning, shows that this one demands more effort in implementation but provides higher returns that can be translated in less development time and low product cost or, in a few words, more competitiveness for organizations. These analyses show that PLM, Digital Factory and Virtual Commissioning must be considered an important tool to lean improvements in industrial organizations.

Keywords: Product Lifecycle Management, PLM, Digital Factory, Virtual Commissioning.