In most manufacturing facilities, about 70% of the issues arising on the factory floor go unreported. This occurs because there isn’t a streamlined method for line workers to promptly document and capture the issues they encounter. 

Bob Jones, executive vice president, global sales and customer success at Siemens Digital Industries Software (DISW), believes there is a need for a more efficient process that allows for quick documentation, providing enough information for engineers to take effective action against specific issues.

To solve this problem, Siemens DISW turned to AI and partnered with Microsoft to integrate Microsoft Teams with its Teamcenter X, a cloud-based product lifecycle management (PLM) software.

“For instance, in one of our client’s manufacturing facilities in Malaysia, a robot was not performing as desired and consuming more energy. By leveraging Team Centre X, the line workers fed the information about the malfunctioning robot into their smart devices, and an AI transformed it into a structured problem report,” Jones told AIM.

This made the data accessible instantly and allowed engineers sitting in a different geography to leverage AI again to determine if similar problems had been encountered in their enterprise. 

“Once the problem was identified, generative AI was used to rewrite the codes as opposed to having an engineer take their time to write the code. So by leveraging generative AI, the client saved time and also improved the quality of that code,” Jones explained.

The power of AI on the floor

The company also uses generative AI to translate support documentation into virtually any language using AI. In fact, according to Jones, the company is already on the verge of achieving this without requiring human validation.

Siemens DISW is also using generative AI to create knowledge documents. Traditionally, a domain expert would craft a document detailing a particular process or task. However, AI can now autonomously generate these knowledge documents. 

“For instance, we recently generated one following an online support call, where customer interactions with support engineers were captured in text. The AI then constructed a knowledge document based on this interaction,” Jones said.

The company is not just limiting its clients to the LLMS available at Microsoft Azure OpenAI services. At CES 2024, Siemens also announced its partnership with AWS to benefit from the Seattle-headquartered hyperscaler’s advancement in generative AI.

Moreover, it is also making tremendous progress in edge AI. Jones believes it makes sense for clients to run AI models on the edge then on the cloud.

Huge demand for industrial metaverse 

Fascinatingly, in addition to its focus on AI, Siemens DISW is placing significant emphasis on the industrial metaverse. During CES 2024, Siemens and Sony Corporation unveiled a groundbreaking solution. 

This innovative offering integrates the company’s Xcelerator industry software with Sony’s spatial content creation system. The system features an XR head-mounted display equipped with high-quality 4K OLED Microdisplays and controllers, facilitating intuitive interaction with 3D objects.

Through this partnership, designers and engineers gain the capability to generate and explore design concepts within an immersive, borderless workspace. This cutting-edge solution is poised to catalyse content creation for the burgeoning industrial metaverse.

Siemens is already seeing great demand, and according to Jones, customers are calling them left and right. “It’s one of the few things we don’t have to market that hard,” Jones continued, “The industrial Metaverse generates enthusiasm for its potential benefits to global manufacturers.”

So far, an automotive manufacturer in Japan and several customers in the US are engaging with Siemens DISW for the industrial metaverse. 

Betting on the transition to EVs

Siemens DISW’s technology is utilised by the leading 23 electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers worldwide, along with the top 20 traditional automotive manufacturers. Notably, China-based EV giant BYD, recognized as the largest EV manufacturer by volume, relies on Siemens DISW for its operations.

“VinFast, an automotive company based in Vietnam, utilised our technology to design a vehicle, establish a plant, and commence production within an impressive 21-month timeframe. We played a pivotal role in supporting them throughout this journey. Additionally, a Saudi Arabian car company called Ceer also adopted our technology,” Bas Kuper, senior vice president and managing director, Asia Pacific at Siemens Digital Industries Software, told AIM.

Automobiles constitute Siemens DISW’ largest industry in terms of sales volume. The ongoing industry transition from combustion engines to electric vehicles (EVs) not only provides a platform for innovation but also represents a significant revenue opportunity for the company.

“We observe several major players in the automotive industry reconsidering their landscape, presenting a significant growth opportunity for us. Most of these companies are present in the Asia-Pacific region. With China leading the way, notably, companies like Nissan in Japan are also actively undergoing this transformative journey,” Kuper added.

Ramping up investments in India

Siemens DISW has already established a strong presence in the country due to its continued investments in the last three decades. It has established itself as a preferred solutions provider for prominent automotive OEMs in the country, such as Maruti Suzuki India, Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra, Bajaj Auto, Hero Motors, and Sonalika Tractor. 

Recently, emerging electric vehicle startups such as Ola Electric, Ather Energy, and Simple Energy have also become part of the Siemens network. Additionally, major players in the Tier-1 supplier ecosystem, including Motherson Sumi, rely on Siemens’ solutions as key customers.

“India holds immense importance as a growth market for us, ranking amongst the top 10 countries globally for the software business. The country serves as a key hub for accelerating digitalization worldwide, with cloud transformation progressing at a much faster clip. We anticipate this growth momentum to persist and remain committed to ongoing investments in this market,” Mathew Thomas, country manager and managing director at Siemens Digital Industries Software, told AIM. 

Given India’s strong emphasis on manufacturing and the fact that India is on its way to becoming the third largest economy in the world is an indicator for Siemens to ramp up investments in the country, according to Jones. 

“When you talk in the context of smart connected products, we believe India is well positioned as a country to take advantage and really benefit from it. I feel India is ahead of the curve, at least ahead of the US, in terms of digitalisation of their country.”

Moreover, India’s large population is also its biggest asset. “What’s even more important is that it’s a young population and India has made the right moves and continues to educate their population,” Jones concluded.