New strategies and concepts are needed to boost plant efficiency throughout the entire life cycle. The Fraunhofer IFF's approach aims at integrating the use of digital methods and tools throughout the entire product development and production process. Digital engineering is an approach that can make the vision of a virtual plant reality. The virtual plant integrates the functions of innovative plant tools and systems with the aim of making needed information on the entire plant life cycle available to everyone involved in the product and production process.