Siemens' next-generation PLC programming environment, will ChatGPT become the protagonist?

Last Updated on 2023-10-27 Hits:2656

Siemens is working with Microsoft to use generative artificial intelligence tools to improve its industrial workflows. Siemens and Microsoft are also collaborating to develop PLC code generation tools, and ChatGPT will be used to generate PLC code through natural language input.
Microsoft’s library of generative AI tools, including AI chat and code generation, will be used to accelerate and simplify Siemens’ design, engineering, manufacturing and operations processes. The two companies plan to use artificial intelligence to enhance communication among Siemens teams and speed up code writing to help engineers complete their work faster. This is expected to increase the efficiency and productivity of Siemens employees.

A new Teamcenter app for Microsoft Teams will debut later this year that service engineers will use to record and report product design or quality issues using natural speech. The app can parse informal speech to automatically create summary reports, which are then sent to the appropriate team members. Employees can record their observations in their preferred language and then use Microsoft Azure AI to translate them into the company’s official language.

Siemens and Microsoft are also working together to develop code generation tools for programmable logic controllers (PLCs), the industrial computers that control most machines in factories around the world. ChatGPT will be used to generate PLC code from natural language input, which the company believes will help maintenance teams identify errors faster.
Siemens Digital Industries (DI) is an innovation leader in automation and digitalization. DI works closely with partners and customers to drive digital transformation in process and discrete industries.

With its Digital Enterprise portfolio, DI provides companies of all sizes with an end-to-end suite of products, solutions and services to integrate and digitize the entire value chain. Optimized for the specific needs of each industry, DI's unique product portfolio supports customers to achieve greater productivity and flexibility. DI continues to add innovations to its product portfolio to integrate cutting-edge technologies of the future. Siemens Digital Industries has its global headquarters in Nuremberg, Germany, and employs approximately 76,000 people internationally.

Scott Guthrie, executive vice president of Microsoft Cloud + Artificial Intelligence, said: "The integration of artificial intelligence and technology platforms will profoundly change the way we work and the way every enterprise operates. Through Siemens, we will bring the power of artificial intelligence to more industries organizations, enabling them to streamline their workflows and collaborate more inclusively, accelerating customer-centric innovation."

Through the Azure OpenAI service, the application can parse informal speech data, automatically create a summary report, and send it to the appropriate design, engineering or manufacturing experts within Teamcenter. To promote inclusivity, employees can record their observations in their preferred language and then use Microsoft Azure AI to translate them into the company's official language. Microsoft Teams offers user-friendly features like push notifications to streamline workflow approvals, reduce the time needed to request design changes, and speed up innovation cycles. Microsoft Teams' Teamcenter application can make it easier for the millions of employees who currently don't have access to PLM tools to influence the design and manufacturing process as part of their existing workflows.
Keep factories running with AI-powered software engineering

Siemens and Microsoft are also working together to help software developers and automation engineers speed up code generation for programmable logic controllers (PLCs), the industrial computers that control most machines in the world's factories. The two parties are committed to enhancing the concept of Siemens industrial automation engineering solutions through OpenAI’s ChatGPT and other Azure artificial intelligence services. This program highlights how engineering teams can generate PLC code from natural language input, significantly reducing time and error probability. These capabilities also enable maintenance teams to identify errors faster and generate step-by-step solutions.

Cedrik Neike, Member of the Board of Directors of Siemens AG and CEO Digital Industry, said: “Powerful, advanced artificial intelligence is becoming one of the most important technologies for digital transformation. Siemens and Microsoft are working together to deploy tools such as ChatGPT so that we can enable people of all sizes to of companies are collaborating and innovating in new ways.”
Discover and prevent product defects using industrial artificial intelligence

Early detection of defects in production is critical to preventing expensive and time-consuming production adjustments. Industrial AI like computer vision enables quality management teams to expand quality control, identify product differences more easily, and make real-time adjustments faster. The two parties are committed to using Microsoft Azure Machine Learning and Siemens' industrial edge to analyze images captured by cameras and videos through machine learning systems and use them to build, deploy, run and monitor artificial intelligence vision models on the shop floor.

This collaboration is part of a long-term strategic relationship between Siemens and Microsoft, built on more than 35 years of co-innovation with thousands of customers. Other areas of collaboration include Senseye on Azure, enabling companies to run predictive maintenance, and solutions to support Siemens' Xcelerator open digital business platform, including Teamcenter, on Azure for customers looking to host their business applications in the Microsoft cloud. Siemens has also partnered with Microsoft as part of its zero trust strategy.