Ready for Take-off Why the Aerospace Industry Needs the Intelligent Product Lifecycle

Whether at EASA or in international programs: certification authorities today demand seamless documentation of every design change and every production step. Any company unable to map this traceability digitally risks delays or even exclusion.

In this environment, comprehensive digital traceability is becoming a decisive success factor. Only those who make data structured and consistently available across the entire product lifecycle will be able to manage growing complexity – while also ensuring interoperability and regulatory compliance. This is precisely what the Intelligent Product Lifecycle (IPL) stands for: an AI-powered data backbone that spans the entire lifecycle.

Why the IPL is Essential

The IPL connects product data, processes, and people across every step of development. It goes beyond traditional digital traceability by adding intelligence — enabling automation, predictive insights, and compliance-by-design.Within the IPL, the digital thread acts as the connective tissue of product data — but the true differentiator lies in the AI capabilities that interpret, contextualize, and act on this information across systems like PLM, ALM, ERP, and MES.For aerospace companies, this means faster certification readiness, higher traceability, and improved collaboration across suppliers and global partners. In short: IPL is not just about connecting data, but about transforming how that data drives better decisions.

Industry Example

A look at industry practice shows how the core principles of the IPL can already be implemented today. Lufthansa Technik, for example, has advanced the consolidation of its PLM systems in a large-scale digitization program, introduced paperless manufacturing processes, and integrated IoT data from production into its backend systems in real time, creating a consistent product data foundation across engineering and operations.The results are clear: higher efficiency, improved data quality, greater regulatory security, and more satisfied customers. Such experiences show how structured and AI-ready data can transform fragmented information flows into scalable, intelligent process chains, providing valuable insights for other aerospace programs.

What the Industry Can Learn

From practical examples like Lufthansa Technik, five key principles can be derived for building a scalable IPL. First, it is essential to establish consistent and structured product data, since without unified models and governance structures, the IPL cannot deliver its full potential. Second, interoperability must be prioritized over isolated solutions, as only integrated systems from PLM to ERP and MES ensure true end-to-end processes. Third, the IPL reaches its greatest impact when engineering, production, and service are seamlessly connected — enabling a continuous, intelligent data flow across all lifecycle stages. Fourth, change management remains critical: AI-driven processes and connected data models only succeed when culture and organization evolve in step. And fifth, regulatory and certification requirements should be built “by design”, ensuring that compliance evidence and documentation are systematically embedded within every process. To prevent these principles from remaining theoretical, modern methods and AI technologies are required to make them practical and scalable in everyday operations.

Methods and Technologies as Enablers

Several proven methods form the foundation of the IPL. Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) provides consistent system models for complex aerospace programs. Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) ensures close integration of software and hardware development, aligning digital and physical domains. Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) serves as the central backbone for product and process data, establishing the structured product data foundation that underpins regulatory evidence and compliance.Only when these methods work together — within an AI-powered IPL ecosystem — do they unleash their full potential. Together, they enable continuous traceability, predictive insights, and intelligent decision-making, turning the IPL into a scalable framework for complex international aerospace programs.

Why Action is Needed Now

The path toward a robust IPL is demanding — but it doesn’t start with a grand vision. It begins with concrete, data-driven steps: consolidating product data, connecting systems, and integrating proven methods such as PLM, ALM, and MBSE into one intelligent ecosystem. Those who start today are building the AI-ready product data foundation that will sustain tomorrow’s programs. Experiences from industry, such as at Lufthansa Technik, show that measurable benefits become visible quickly: higher efficiency, greater compliance, and faster innovation cycles. For the aerospace sector, it’s the foundation for sustainable competitiveness in an AI-driven future.

Jens Stephan, Director Aerospace & Defence at PTC, brings more than 20 years of experience in complex software/SaaS solutions and IT infrastructure.