Trends in Technology and their Possible Implications on PLM: Looking Towards 2020

Abstract: Engineering companies within the High Value Low Volume (HVLV) industry are facing ever-increasing challenges due to the shift towards Product Service Systems (PSSs), and the inclusion of Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSRs) and environmental legislation into their business strategy. Addressing these challenges requires a fundamental understanding of data and information across the entire Product Lifecycle and there is a concern as to whether the current systems for capturing and managing data and information across the product lifecycle can provide the learning and knowledge necessary. To begin to understand this concern, the paper explores the current state-of-the-art research in applying Knowledge Discovery and discusses their capabilities and limitations with respect to the product lifecycle. The paper then looks towards 2020 and considers emerging ICT technologies and their possible implications on PLM