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Faced with the explosion of data — multiplied by fifteen between 2025 and 2035 —, technological acceleration and increasingly stronger global competition, manufacturers must more than ever optimize their operations and Accelerate innovation to remain competitive. THEartificial intelligence (AI) is therefore becoming a major and essential driver of transformation, capable of converting these massive volumes of data into strategic advantages.
In this article, we share our vision on integrating AI into the product lifecycle management (PLM) and explore how technology allows manufacturers to improve their processes and be responsive to rapid market changes.
A major challenge: managing data effectively
Each industrial project or product generates a considerable volume of technical and commercial data and operational. These may include technical specifications, design models (CAD), customer data, industrial documentation, regulatory documents, or even test and quality reports. Even when they are centralized in a PLM, their fast and reliable operation often remains complex, especially in the following cases:
- Information search accurate: find, for example, the dimensions of a specific thread buried in long functional specifications.
- Impact analysis : assess the consequences of a technical modification with multiple use cases — such as the updating of a screw used in all modules and machines from a manufacturer.
- Unstructured data migration : map and migrate a large volume of unstructured data into a PLM solution, for example when receiving a customer datapack.
Manufacturers must find solutions to effectively exploit this data in order to quickly respond to market requirements and growing customer expectations, while respecting regulatory constraints. It is precisely here that theAI integration For the product lifecycle management makes perfect sense.
What are the applications of AI in PLM?
The purpose of PLM systems is to centralize all technical data and product information. However, without artificial intelligence, key tasks such as information research or documentary analysis remain mostly manual and time-consuming. Here are three major applications of AI in modern PLM.
Smart access to technical knowledge
Integrating virtual assistants into PLM simplifies information access and sharing knowledge within the company. Employees can ask specific questions - about a product, a technical specification or a regulatory standard - and get instant, contextual answers. Thanks to The AI, the whole of Business knowledge quickly becomes available to everyone.
Fast and reliable impact analysis
Faced with the constant evolution of technical documents and products, manufacturers suffer from inefficiencies and risk major non-conformities. Indeed, determining the changes between two versions of a 300-page customer specification and analyzing its impact on the entire article database is very time-consuming and can be a source of errors. AI makes it possible to automatically compare multiple versions, identify critical differences, and assess the impact of each change. The processing of technical modifications is thus much faster and manufacturers are strengthening their regulatory compliance by limiting the risks of errors or omissions.
Automating repetitive tasks
AI can take care of repetitive actions such as mapping data, enriching them or even automatic generation of technical documents. This frees up time for teams to focus on high value-added missions.
Expected benefits for industrial companies
Increased efficiency
AI allows businesses to deal more effectively with massive volumes of data generated throughout the product life cycle. By automating processes and speeding up analyses, it allows significant time savings to focus on core business and innovation.
Faster and better informed decisions
Through instant and reliable analysis of critical data, AI facilitates agile and reliable decisions, which are essential in a constantly changing industrial context. It contributes to accelerating cycle times, reducing time-to-market and strengthening the responsiveness of businesses in the face of the unexpected.
Assured compliance
PLM software ensures the complete traceability of data and processes throughout the product life cycle. With AI, businesses have an even more powerful tool to guarantee their regulatory compliance. AI makes it possible to quickly anticipate and integrate regulatory changes, to identify the products or components concerned and to implement the necessary adjustments in the shortest possible time. This synergy between PLM and AI limits risks and improves the ability of manufacturers to ensure compliance in a regulatory environment that is constantly evolving.
Conclusion: PLM enhanced by AI
The integration of artificial intelligence into PLM marks a decisive step in the digitalization of industrial processes. It is no longer limited to a distant technological promise, but is already concretely transforming the way in which companies design, manufacture and evolve their products.
By making data more accessible, analytics faster, and processes smoother, AI is taking PLM to a new level: smarter, more responsive, and more reliable. It allows manufacturers to gain operational efficiency, reduce the risks of non-compliance and accelerate innovation.
