Smart Forge - Sustainable production through AI controlled forging oven
Reference number | |
Coordinator | RISE Research Institutes of Sweden AB - RISE Research Institutes of Sweden |
Funding from Vinnova | SEK 5 000 000 |
Project duration | October 2020 - December 2022 |
Status | Ongoing |
Venture | Strategic innovation programme for process industrial IT and automation – PiiA |
Call | PiiA: Digitalization of industrial value chains, spring 2020 |
Purpose and goal
The project´s objective is to create a prototype of an AI-based process control system that with high precision can autonomously control Bharat Forge Kilsta´s forging line in such a way that the steel rod temperature, just before forging, falls within the temperature range that optimizes the properties of the forged component. The direct purpose is to reduce scrap, which today is very costly and thus a major challenge for the company.
Expected results and effects
Expected results are primarily a sharp reduction in scrap, and expected effects include secured Swedish jobs, an increased rate of innovation in Swedish industry, as well as an increased interest in heavy process industry among young talents.
Planned approach and implementation
The project consists of two stages. In the first stage, historical data from the forging line is collected for initial analysis, at the same time as an edge computing system for collecting real-time data from the forging line is created. Modeling and simulation based on this data is done with the goal of creating an initial AI model for integration in the edge computing system. In the second stage, this integration is performed, and tests in the forging line are prepared and performed in an iterative process where the AI model is continuously improved upon.