Digitalization makes it possible to automate large parts of the engineering process. Much can be gained by better harmonizing information from various disciplines, stimulating reuse, formalization and simulation, digital twinning, smart feedback and the application of artificial intelligence. However, the implementation is so comprehensive that collaboration between academia and industry is the only logical step. The High Tech Systems Center is building a consortium around digital engineering to work together on continuous improvement of development processes without losing sight of the business aspects.
“Many companies struggle to keep up with technological progress. More and more, techniques and tools are coming onto the market that could be beneficial. Engineers have to be trained to master new cloud technology or simulation methods, for example. This is costly, time consuming and only a small piece of the puzzle. The big question is how to embed the acquired knowledge and potentially crucial methods in their organization and systems – a major problem for the industry. As a result, companies regularly get stuck in the choices they initially made when setting up the product line. And if you stick with the old, you quickly fall behind.”
These are the words of Marc Hamilton, a fellow at Eindhoven University of Technology’s High Tech Systems Center. He notes that these problems not only affect SMEs. “It’s also a hell of a job for large OEMs with a lot of knowledge and capacity to integrate new tools and techniques into their engineering process. It’s complicated and risky for them to adapt or change their existing workflow. Smaller companies have an advantage in this regard but often lack capacity. For all categories, it puts a brake on how quickly they can integrate new technologies, methodologies and tools.”
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