Aveva, described as “a global leader in industrial software, driving digital transformation and sustainability,” is launching the first wave of its “cutting-edge, artificial intelligence tools for engineering and design”, to empower users of Eveva Unified Engineering.
The new AI tools include an industrial AI assistant which can interrogate and assist with project engineering work, as well as capturing and propagating product usage knowledge. It is built directly into the engineering and design tools to assist teams with project work and soften the onboarding process for new staff. The second tool is a generative design AI assistant, which uses design requirements and user directives, to analyse design constraints which generate optimised layout options, for example pipe routing for pre-feed/feed stage; offering significant productivity increase and time savings. The third tool is the predictive design AI assistant which enables customers to create their own machine learning models and address their in-house bespoke design challenges, without the need for coding. The final AI capability is the intelligent point cloud framework, which automatically reads, imports, and displays point cloud data augmented with AI classification from Aveva Point Cloud Manager.
“These AI tools are the first wave of new technological capability that users can pick up and use immediately. These tools, combined with the only truly data-centric 1D, 2D 3D multidiscipline design capabilities on the market, will enable faster, more efficient project design. Engineers can use these AI tools to augment their professional expertise, to analyse, solve, and even automate their engineering and design project challenges. They can generate design options faster and ultimately develop better designs,” the company says in a media release.
Aveva Unified Engineering creates “the most trustworthy data foundation for use with industrial AI, and its multidiscipline nature allows for powerful and unique application of AI by project teams”. Looking forward, Aveva will leverage industry-specific domain expertise and data-centric workflows, to evolve these initial AI tools well beyond the ability of single discipline engineering and design tools.
“As industrial organisations navigate global supply chain volatility and rising input costs, they’re increasingly looking for solutions that deliver both immediate productivity gains and long-term competitive advantage,” says David Such, vice president, Pacific. “These new AI tools within Aveva Unified Engineering address both priorities by enabling teams to collaborate in real-time on digital twins, streamline project handovers, and reduce IT overhead. The ability to capture institutional knowledge and build customised AI and machine learning modules without requiring coding expertise empowers organisations to future-proof their operations while delivering projects faster and more cost-effectively.”
According to Peter Reynolds, industry advisor, ARC Advisory Group, “Aveva’s launch of AI tools for engineering and design marks a significant step in re-shaping design engineering for process manufacturers. AI is becoming a powerful tool to enhances efficiency, accuracy, and innovation across nearly every discipline, from mechanical and civil to electrical and process engineering.”