Project VMAP Analytics: Final Review

11.04.2024


The final review of the VMAP Analytics project, a follow-up of the VMAP Project, was held in an online/hybrid format on the 9th of April 2024. The review was hosted by the project leader, Swerim AB from Sweden. Ovako, Gränges, Prevas, Morgårdshammar, Gemit, from Sweden, and Fraunhofer SCAI, from Germany, also attended the review. JF. Lavignon and E. Roddenbach from ITEA Office, S. Liljeblad, an ITAC representative, external reviewers from Software AG (GER) and Bittium (FIN) and the project mentor R. Ionescu from NXP (ROM) were also part of the review.

The partners presented the initial overview of the project and the achieved KPIs. This was followed by use case specific presentations.
Ovako, with a focus on three different domains, Tube Mill, Steel Mill and Rolling Mill in cooperation with Morgårdshammar presented the benefits achieved from the data analytics – increased knowledge of the process to get it first-time-right and a better control of the processes.

Prevas use case focussed on the optimization of furnace, and their goal was to create a digital twin of the furnace to verify their tool called, FOCS (Furnace Optimization Control System). The knowledge gathered during the project will help them to include view factor modelling in furnace control systems. The improved FOCS will provide further energy savings in this sector.

Gränges use case about hot rolling profile came with its own challenges of differences in thickness along the width of the profile and effects from unknown parameters. These problems were addressed with a tailored Crown model integrated in aCurve tool. This innovation will offer a quick calculation of reverse rolling mill and 2-stand tandem mill at the Gränges server. This approach of the Crown model can be applied to any alloy once the respective material constitutive model is available.

Fraunhofer SCAI presented the use case on blow forming and integration of the measure data into the workflow chain. The method and strategy to store measurement data like sensor data, raw image data and processed image data was developed and the extended version of the VMAP Standard was demonstrated. The extended VMAP Standard with the storage methods for measurement data can be applied to other use cases with similar demands.

Gemit and Swerim also presented their contributions with respect to each use case. Their efforts towards data understanding, data collection and data analytics were largely responsible for achieving in-depth insights into the first three use cases.

The review meeting was summarised with a quick overview of the dissemination activities carried out by all partners and the VMAP SC e.V.. Priyanka Gulati from Fraunhofer SCAI presented the ongoing workings of the VMAP SC and the latest event 'VMAP User Meeting 2024' hosted by the community.

The reviewers were pleased with the various achievements of the project, and they appreciated all the partners for good communication and cooperation. Particularly, they appreciated the efforts of the VMAP SC in continuing the standardization activities even after the end of VMAP Project in 2020. Since, development of the digital twin for such complex industrial use cases is a daunting task and the reviewers acknowledged the efforts made by the project consortium. This project marks the beginning of the next step, where quantitative KPIs need to be derived from the project results. These can then motivate industrial partners to work towards the development of digital twins.


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