ACDSA

Prof. Dr. Detlef Gerhard

Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Detlef Gerhard joined Ruhr-University Bochum (Germany) as full professor for Digital Engineering in April 2019. Previously, in 2006, he was appointed as full professor for Mechanical Engineering Informatics at TU Wien (Austria). After he received his PhD in 2000, Prof. Gerhard held senior positions in industry as IT consultant and later as overall responsible for the technical and business IT (CIO) in a special purpose machinery manufacturing company. Prof. Gerhard is elected member of the WiGeP (Scientific Society for Product Development) based in Germany, Guest Professor at Tongji University Shanghai (China), and Honorary Professor at Technical University Cluj-Napoca (Romania). His research group deals with the topics of Virtual Product Development, Model Based Systems Engineering, Mixed Reality, and Product Life Cycle Management in research and teaching. Current research focus are AI enabled methods and tools for advanced product and systems engineering processes, in particular assistant systems and design automation.

Title: Impact of Artificial Intelligence on the Next-Gen IT-Tools for Virtual Engineering and Product Lifecycle Management

Abstract: In the rapidly evolving landscape of the fourth industrial revolution, the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) within Virtual Engineering (VE) and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) stands at the forefront. This keynote presentation dives into the transformative influence AI has in reshaping and augmenting these domains. The contribution explores how AI-driven tools in VE are enhancing not only simulations, prototyping, and testing, providing unprecedented accuracy and predictive capabilities, but also augment the capabilities of human designers, enabling them to explore vast design spaces more efficiently and come up with optimized and innovative solutions leading to disruptive changes. These advancements not only expedite design processes but also minimize errors, reduce costs, and promote sustainable engineering solutions. The collaboration between AI and human ingenuity is set to usher in a new era of engineering design. In PLM, AI introduces dynamic product lifecycle analytics, optimized resource allocation, and real-time collaboration platforms. The talk discusses how AI-powered PLM approaches enable organizations to anticipate market trends, streamline product development, and promote the integration of sustainability efforts. It reflects how new PLM methods can bridge the gaps between the different lifecycle phases and make the entire process more coherent, predictive and adaptable to market and environmental requirements. This is an important enabler for the transformation towards a circular economy. Attendees will leave with a comprehensive understanding of AI's role in driving the future of these sectors, along with insights into potential challenges and the roadmap ahead.