Rolls-Royce

Siemens streamlines aircraft engine part manufacturing through digital twin and AI automation

Siemens · AI platform · Microsoft

Siemens, Microsoft, and Rolls-Royce collaborated to optimize the complex design and manufacturing process of an aircraft engine hydraulic pump. The initiative leverages Siemens Xcelerator portfolio delivered on Microsoft Azure, integrating AI and digital twin concepts to create a unified digital environment for design, engineering, manufacturing, and quality inspection. Digital thread technology connects all stages of production, sharing managed data across software and processes, eliminating redundancies and manual errors. Generative design, additive manufacturing, and AI-driven automation transform the traditional manufacturing process, iterating countless possibilities to arrive at the optimal design and production path. With AI-powered Siemens NX X Manufacturing software, CNC programming and toolpath generation are automated, reducing effort and enabling compliance with best practices. The resulting hydraulic pump component is lighter, stiffer, and designed for greater reliability and sustainability, supporting Rolls-Royce's focus on next-generation, high-performance aerospace engines. The project showcased up to 80% programming time reduction and major productivity improvements at Hannover Messe 2025. The approach delivers digital transformation and sustainability gains for complex, safety-critical aerospace manufacturing.

Rolls-Royce streamlines engine production and predictive maintenance

Rolls-Royce · Predictive maintenance · Microsoft

Rolls-Royce, one of the UK’s top manufacturers, launched a multiyear digital and AI transformation program to enhance its competitiveness and resilience. By leveraging Microsoft AI and Cloud technologies, the company is modernizing its design engineering, streamlining engine production, and boosting operational efficiency. A central data repository is helping to unify data across the value chain, enabling the use of generative AI for smart factory initiatives. These strategic steps are creating seamless digital threads across operations, allowing for predictive maintenance and improved productivity. The Microsoft partnership is tailored to Rolls-Royce’s unique manufacturing challenges, aiming to unlock substantial gains in efficiency and customer experience.

Production

Microsoft and Siemens revolutionize industrial AI at Hannover Messe

Rolls-Royce · AI platform · Microsoft

At Hannover Messe 2025, Microsoft showcased industrial AI applications, collaborating with Siemens. They demonstrated the use of Microsoft Copilot Studio tools for various purposes like predictive maintenance, frontline worker training, and generative design for manufacturing. Siemens leveraged Microsoft Azure's cloud capabilities to craft sustainable, efficient, and resilient industrial operations that now benefit renowned brands like Rolls-Royce and Husqvarna.

Scaled Production

AI agents and digital transformation propel global manufacturers forward

Rolls-Royce · Automotive operations automation · Microsoft

At Hannover Messe 2025, Microsoft and key partners demonstrated the real-world impact of AI agents across the manufacturing industry. Microsoft’s Factory Operations Agent and Factory Safety Agent empower frontline workers with natural language insights for production and safety, and Sanctuary AI showcased how Azure-powered general-purpose robots automate complex and unsafe manual tasks. Husqvarna leverages Azure IoT Operations and Vision AI for quality control in chainsaw manufacturing, scaling connected factories globally. Siemens integrates its Industrial Edge with Azure IoT to streamline data between operational technology and IT, improving machine performance and maintenance. Rolls-Royce uses Siemens and Microsoft AI for predictive maintenance and engine optimization in aerospace, while Parsec integrates Microsoft Fabric and Azure AI for conversational data analytics on factory floors. Tulip’s analytics use Microsoft Fabric for real-time insights across multiple sites. This showcases manufacturing’s transition to AI-powered, data-driven production and operational resilience.

Multi-agentScaled Production

AI-Powered Supply Chain and Cybersecurity in US Defense Industrial Base

Rolls-Royce · Predictive maintenance · Microsoft

The Defense Industrial Base (DIB) is leveraging AI technologies to revolutionize operations in areas such as predictive maintenance, supply chain optimization, enhanced cybersecurity, and autonomous systems. Key defense contractors including Rolls-Royce, Thales, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Raytheon Technologies utilize AI to improve asset availability, operational readiness, cost savings, and security.

Production