Role of Artificial Intelligence in Mechanical Product and Design

Abstract

This paper aims to conduct a literature review and analyze the current AI techniques used in product design and development within industries in a competitive manner. With a proper implementation process, AI techniques will positively impact organizations to manage the increasing complexity of products and customers’ requirements within a short product life cycle. Manufacturers must process and manage complex information efficiently, effectively reducing time-to-market. These requirements have led to the rise in the application of artificial intelligence (AI) technology in product design and development to manage the process. Also, it attracted significant attention to a new design paradigm called AI-enabled product design. Incorporating AI into the Product Development Process (PDP) facilitates the product design process to be more intelligent, accurately interprets vast data, and achieve specific goals and tasks through flexible adaptation. The paper reviews the AI techniques that set the foundations for PDP development. Subsequently, this paper will cover how AI-enabled design has helped in product design and development, such as e.g., extending product life. Furthermore, it  can contribute versatile designs to meet a variety of customer demands since AI can process excess data instantly and provide predictions to optimize product design strategies such as matching mechanisms. With the support of AI technology, manufacturers can develop more effective maintenance and recovery by measurement of their products in real-time. Finally, a conclusion about the advantages/limits of the (AI)- enabled design and future research perspectives are discussed in the last section.