Primetals Technologies Innovates Coil Tracking with AI-Backed Solution at SSAB Hämeenlinna
In a groundbreaking development, Primetals Technologies has successfully installed its AI-powered coil identification and pickling defect detection system at SSAB Hämeenlinna in Finland. This technology represents a significant leap forward in coil tracking and defect detection within the metals industry, ensuring that coils are processed in the correct order, preventing equipment damage, and enhancing productivity.
On receiving the final acceptance certificate, Primetals Technologies' digital assistant systems at the Hämeenlinna plant have become the first-ever deployment of such solutions in the steel industry. These AI-driven systems utilize computer vision and artificial intelligence to track coil identification numbers and identify surface quality issues, such as pickling defects, which are typically undetectable by traditional methods. This innovation eliminates the risk of strip breakage, production delays, and processing coils that fail to meet customer specifications.
The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Coil Identification
The AI-based system at SSAB Hämeenlinna uses computer vision to track the coil’s identification number from the moment it arrives at the facility. By placing a strategically located camera on the delivery train, the system captures coil and saddle numbers while the coils are still being transported, before they are stored in the coil yard.
The coil yard management system then optimizes crane operations, streamlining the workflow. As coils are moved to the entry walking beam, the system cross-checks the coil’s identification number against the production schedule. If there’s a mismatch, an immediate alert is sent to the operator, ensuring that coils are processed in the correct sequence and eliminating costly production delays or quality issues.
Surface Quality Monitoring: Preventing Pickling Defects
The AI-powered system also plays a pivotal role in identifying pickling defects, which can cause significant damage to cold rolling equipment and lead to downtime. By analyzing the surface of each coil in real-time, the system detects issues like surface inconsistencies and provides immediate notifications to the operators. This ensures that pickling defects are detected early in the process, preventing damage and reducing the risk of scrap production.
The system's ability to identify defects, even when the coils are moving at high speeds, is a significant technological feat, allowing SSAB Hämeenlinna to enhance operational efficiency and avoid costly interruptions in production.
Continuous System Optimization and Real-Time Adjustments
One of the most impressive aspects of the new technology is its continuous optimization capability. As the system tracks and analyzes coil markings and detects pickling defects, the system's learning algorithm allows it to adapt to new conditions, improving its ability to detect even new types of defects in the future.
The data collected by the digital assistant systems is used to make real-time adjustments across various parts of the production process. The automation systems at SSAB Hämeenlinna receive these insights and use them to adjust parameters such as rolling speeds and cutting plans, ensuring that the production process remains flexible, efficient, and optimized for quality.
Comprehensive Digital Assistant Portfolio
Primetals Technologies offers a comprehensive portfolio of digital assistants designed to enhance the entire production process. These assistants provide real-time guidance and detailed support to operators and metallurgists, enabling corrective actions to be taken immediately when quality deviations are detected. These assistants also play a key role in the digitalization of operational knowledge, ensuring that production data is accurately documented and that the system’s insights contribute to improving overall production efficiency.
Long-Standing Partnership with SSAB
The collaboration between Primetals Technologies and SSAB at Hämeenlinna is part of an ongoing relationship that has spanned several years, with multiple automation initiatives already having been implemented at the tandem cold rolling mill in the plant. Established in 1972, SSAB Hämeenlinna manufactures a wide range of steel products, including cold-rolled, metal-coated, and color-coated steel. These products are used in industries such as automotive, construction, and household appliances.
SSAB employs around 1,000 people at the Hämeenlinna facility, and the implementation of the AI-based tracking system is expected to significantly enhance operational efficiency, productivity, and surface quality for the plant’s steel production processes.
A Wide Range of Applications for the AI System
The AI-driven coil tracking and surface monitoring system is not just applicable to SSAB Hämeenlinna but can also be used across other production units in the steel industry. Primetals Technologies’ solutions are designed to support a broad range of metals producers by offering automated coil identification and strip surface monitoring capabilities. These solutions are highly adaptable and can be tailored to meet the specific needs of each steel plant, enhancing productivity, minimizing defects, and contributing to the digitalization of the manufacturing process.
Key Takeaways:
• Primetals Technologies has implemented an AI-powered coil identification and pickling defect detection system at SSAB Hämeenlinna, Finland.
• The system uses computer vision to track coil numbers and detect surface quality issues in real-time.
• By ensuring coils are processed in the correct sequence, the system minimizes production delays, reduces the risk of equipment damage, and prevents quality issues.
• The system can detect pickling defects, preventing damage to cold rolling equipment and minimizing downtime.
• Data collected by the system allows for real-time adjustments to optimize rolling speeds and cutting plans.
• The system is continuously optimized, adapting to new coil markings and defects over time.
• Primetals Technologies offers a wide range of digital assistants for production units, enabling real-time guidance and corrective actions.
• SSAB Hämeenlinna manufactures cold-rolled, metal-coated, and color-coated steel, with a strong presence in automotive, construction, and household appliance industries.
• The collaboration between Primetals Technologies and SSAB aims to improve operational efficiency and surface quality while advancing digitalization in the metals industry.
This AI-driven innovation is set to become a model for future automation and digitalization initiatives in the metals sector, offering unparalleled improvements in productivity, quality control, and operational efficiency.
