In engineering, it’s rarely the big idea that fails. More often than not, it’s the little things that slow things down: a requirement is unclear, variants no longer fit together, and the crucial document isn’t where it’s expected to be. This is exactly where it’s OWL comes in at HANNOVER MESSE 2026. The competence network highlights how new technologies are finding their way into industrial applications and showcases solutions that make development processes more efficient, ensure knowledge remains more accessible within teams, and integrate sustainability into decision-making at an early stage. To this end, it’s OWL, together with the Engineering Automation Competence Center, is bringing demonstrators and live demos to Hannover that show how AI in engineering can ease the daily workload without companies relinquishing responsibility.

In Focus: Engineering Automation Competence Center

The Engineering Automation Competence Center is at the heart of the trade show presentation. There, partners from industry and research develop AI-supported assistance solutions for typical tasks in product development. The idea is simple: support should take place where engineering teams work anyway—that is, in the programs used to describe requirements, maintain models, and document information. In this way, AI is intended to relieve routine work, make knowledge easier to find, and better prepare engineering decisions before they become costly later on.

“Many companies are experimenting with AI. In engineering, however, what ultimately counts is whether it truly makes work easier, integrates into the existing development environment, and remains reliable,” says Günter Korder, Managing Director of it’s OWL. “At HANNOVER MESSE, we’re showcasing AI as an assistant that supports routine tasks and helps teams reach sound decisions more quickly.”

When a cobot assists with setup

A physical demonstrator for cobot configuration shows exactly how AI can provide support. A cobot is a robot designed to work safely alongside humans.

The cobot demonstrates pick-and-place tasks, i.e., the grasping and placement of components. The focus is on how configuration steps can be accelerated when user instructions—such as via natural language—are combined with information from the robot’s workspace. The AI does not make final decisions in this process. It assists with preparation and guides the user through the necessary steps. Execution remains contingent on approvals; humans retain control over relevant steps. This highlights what engineering automation is all about: less parameterization effort, faster commissioning, and clearer handoffs between development and operations.

Live AI Demos: From Requirements to Variants

In addition, it’s OWL presents live demos of AI co-pilots in engineering. This includes AI-supported requirements management, which assists in structuring and clarifying technical requirements and can reduce coordination efforts. Additionally, it’s OWL demonstrates how automated architecture variants can be derived and compared in systems engineering tools such as Cameo to accelerate modeling work. Also being presented is the Engineering Graph, a knowledge network that makes development knowledge accessible in context across requirements, models, documents, and decisions. The goal is to find information in context more quickly, rather than spending a long time searching for the “latest status.”

Developing Circular and Resource-Efficient Products

Engineering is not only becoming automated and faster; it must also become more sustainable. Regulatory requirements are increasing, materials are becoming scarcer, and the circular economy is becoming a strategic priority. The it’s OWL project GoProZero addresses this very issue: It supports companies in developing circular and resource-efficient products so that sustainability can be incorporated early in development decisions. Because in addition to speed and consistency in engineering, the question of how to assess environmental impacts already during the development phase is also coming to the forefront. To illustrate this principle, it’s OWL is also showcasing an exhibit from the research environment.

Headlight makes early sustainability assessment tangible

From the NALYSES research project, it’s OWL is showcasing a prototype headlight that is repairable and recyclable by material type. Complementing this is a digital “green twin” that combines development data with life cycle analysis methods. This allows environmental impacts to be compared as early as the initial development phases and anchors sustainability as a measurable decision-making factor in product development.

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