By Jamie Tyler and Tom_Spangler

Defense electronics continue to become more sophisticated, more connected and more complex. What’s more, engineering teams are under pressure to deliver increasingly capable systems against tighter budgets and shorter development times.

In a recent Aviation Week interview, our very own Jean Piguet, Designcenter™ software Aerospace and Defense Product Manager, explored digital transformation. The focus was on how it is helping organizations respond to an ever changing landscape, and why the comprehensive digital twin is becoming more important.

Take a look at the full interview on Aviation Week

From documents to a connected digital engineering environment

Modern defense platforms bring together mechanical, electrical and electronic systems at enormous scale. As the number of sensors, computer-controlled capabilities and Line Replaceable Units increase, traditional document-centered processes become incredibly hard to manage.

Designcenter and Capital™ software are bringing engineering domains together as part of the Siemens Xcelerator portfolo. Mechanical, electrical and electronic information are all connected, so that teams understand changes and the impact across different engineering disciplines.

This connection becomes vital when creating new, complex products. Designcenter can handle assemblies with a vast array of components, whilst engineering can visualize complex electrical and mechanical systems in a shared environment.

Maintaining your digital thread

Connecting information is only part of the challenge. Engineering teams also need to maintain context through the products’ development journey. And that’s where the digital thread provides that continuity.

All requirements and system models can flow into electrical design, mechanical routing and downstream activities. Think formboards, flattened harnesses and manufacturing operations. Enhancing these relationships eliminates any information disconnection occurring as it moves through the chain.

It’s an approach that enables manufacturing to be introduced earlier, and is available within Designcenter capabilities via sheet metal design, mass and inertial property calculations and corrosion analysis. What’s more, you can access more than 140 of these integrated optional modules by using value-based licensing.

Bringing existing engineering data forward

Digital transformation doesn’t mean leaving any existing engineering data behind. The Siemens open approach includes multi-CAD support, allowing you to bring your geometry from legacy tools into Designcenter without any downtime. What’s more, dedicated translation capabilities also support the transition of your existing product information. The result? you can modernize your development environment whilst continuing to make use of valuable intellectual property already created previously.

What about AI assisted engineering?

Artificial Intelligence is the next frontier, and provides a great opportunity to change how engineers interact with chosen tools and better utilize priceless knowledge. We’re creating AI for the engineer, AI for the process and AI for creation.

AI for the engineering supports engineers on a day-to-day basis. AI for the process targets repetitive engineering processes that can be automated. AI for creation looks toward an open engineering environment, where APIs can connect Designcenter with large language models (LLMs) and other advanced technologies. It’s an evolution with human oversight, protecting customers’ intellectual property and an emphasis on keeping information safe and secure.

Greater confidence in engineering complexity

Of course, the aerospace and defense industry isn’t the exception to the case when it comes to designing more advanced products; far from it actually. This still rings true, but it’s also about managing multiple conversations, dependencies and the changes that come with them.

Implementing a comprehensive digital twin and connected digital thread provide an opportunity to bring these moving pieces together. This connects engineering disciplines from requirements all the way through design and ultimately into manufacturing. Introducing AI solidifies the digital twin, creating an environment where engineering knowledge is not only captured, but increasingly used to optimize product development.