The two corporate giants intend to optimize factory processes and boost productivity.

Siemens Digital Industries and Google Cloud announced today a collaboration that will integrate their factory automation solutions and AI/machine learning technologies respectively to enable the scaled deployment of AI-based solutions in industrial manufacturing. (Google)

Collaboration objectives

The companies observe that despite the availability of data manufacturing organizations continue to struggle with scattered, island-like implementations of AI and machine learning on their factory floors.

By combining the Factory Automation Portfolio of Siemens Digital Industries with Google Cloud’s data cloud and AI/ML capabilities, it will be possible for factories to manage factory data, run cloud-based AI and machine learning models on top of it, and deploy algorithms at the network edge.

For example, AI could enable visual inspection of products or warn of maintenance failures on the assembly line.

On a general note, the cooperation between Google and Siemens will bring AI to the shop floor to empower employees as they work on the plant floor, automate mundane tasks, and improve overall quality.

Gamechanger for manufacturing

“The potential for artificial intelligence to radically transform the plant floor is far from being exhausted. Many manufacturers are still stuck in AI ‘pilot projects’ today – we want to change that,” said Axel Lorenz, VP of Control at Factory Automation of Siemens Digital Industries. “Combining AI/ML technology from Google Cloud with Siemens’ solutions for Industrial Edge and industrial operation will be a game-changer for the manufacturing industry.”

“This cooperation will…bring AI/ML to the manufacturing industry at scale. By simplifying the deployment of AI in industrial use cases, we’re helping employees augment their critical work on the shop floor,” said Dominik Wee, Managing Director Manufacturing and Industrial at Google Cloud.

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Image Credit: Siemens