Alice Chambers |
At Hannover Messe 2025, Databricks and PTC presented how their AI and data analytics solutions, in partnership with Microsoft, are helping to drive the next generation of product lifecycle management (PLM).
Databricks focused on how businesses can democratise their data and leverage AI to address industry challenges. Christina Seibold, enterprise account executive at Databricks, highlighted the critical need for businesses to connect and organise their data seamlessly.
“To fully harness the potential of AI, businesses need a unified approach to data,” she said. “We offer a Lakehouse platform that connects disparate data sources – from systems and SharePoint to machine data – and standardises it into a unified format. This is critical for making data accessible to the right teams, across the organisation.”
While Databricks brings cutting-edge AI and analytics capabilities, Seibold noted that Microsoft’s expertise in data governance is vital for managing and securing data.
“We’ve built a robust solution that empowers any persona within a company to engage with the platform,” said Siebold. “But it’s crucial to have the right governance layer in place. This is where our partnership with Microsoft’s Fabric comes in – we ensure that businesses can unlock the power of their data while maintaining control and compliance.”
Databricks’ solution enables companies to apply AI to various use cases, including predictive maintenance and supply chain optimisation. Predictive maintenance powered by AI helps organisations anticipate equipment failures, reducing costly downtime. In supply chain management, their analytics capabilities improve demand forecasting and ensure key stakeholders have access to the most relevant information.
“We’re helping businesses move from just collecting data to actually using it to drive smarter decisions,” said Seibold.
Databricks’ Christina Seibold and Drew Triplett at Hannover Messe 2025
Also at Hannover Messe, PTC showcased its AI-powered PLM solutions in partnership with Microsoft, demonstrating how Azure OpenAI helps employees across the entire product lifecycle.
A key focus of the was the preview of Windchill, PTC’s PLM tool. Described as “the backbone of the PTC portfolio,” Windchill acts as a central hub that connects all PTC products. It allows manufacturers to manage regulatory documents, process plans and bills of materials, which are critical when handling product changes or adhering to specific design guidelines.
“What’s exciting is how AI is now enabling a new layer of interaction with this data,” said Shreyak Shende, industrial experience architect at PTC. “You can ask questions like ‘What are the material guidelines?’ and get an AI-generated summary that includes relevant references from your company’s documentation.”
PTC’s Shreyak Shende at Hannover Messe 2025
PTC also presented Codebeamer, its lifecycle management platform, which is currently in beta, and ServiceMac, a new field service management solution.
Codebeamer uses AI to analyse documentation for vague language, grammatical issues and other regulatory risks while ServiceMac helps engineers and technicians prepare for jobs by summarising work orders, asset histories and job-specific insights, all accessible through a scheduling app.
“All of these solutions leverage Azure OpenAI,” said Shende. “It’s about bringing intelligence into every stage of the product lifecycle – from the initial requirements to the final service visit.”