Public Joint Stock Magnitogorsk Iron & Steel Works : MMK-METIZ’s Digital Transformation

27.09.2021

Stanislav Dudenkov, MMK-METIZ's Prospective Development Department's leading engineer, gave a presentation on the Company's digital transformation at the 10th National Conference "Wire and Fasteners" which took place last week in Kazan. He spoke about the main directions of the Company's digitalisation plans.

According to Dudenkov, one of the key aspects of digitalisation at Magnitogorsk Metizno-Kalibrovochny Zavod "MMK-METIZ" (an MMK subsidiary) in 2020 was the creation of digital twins and interactive dispatching platform. Digital twins have been developed for the wire rope stabilisation line, thermal straightening unit No. 1 and the drawing mill complex (3 units of equipment). There are plans to cover two wire rope machines as well in the future. The system enables monitoring of the equipment status and its workload, as well as remote technological control. It has resulted in increased productivity and better management decision-making.

Another trend is the digitalisation of occupational health and safety systems using machine vision technology. Cameras record employees entering hazardous production areas, upon doing so the employees receive a warning. This system has already been introduced on the calibration line. It helps prevent accidents and injuries and improves compliance with occupational safety standards.

Another promising area is the robotisation of business processes using RPA software robotisation technology. This project was implemented jointly with the Next Robotics Technology Centre, based at MMK-Informservice. As part of the pilot project, specialists implemented a process titled "Preparation of Documents for Temporary Employee Transfers and Position Mergers". The work was carried out in stages, including procedures for data synchronisation in the accounting systems, and made it possible to eliminate the manual work of the Human Resources Office staff.

On average the robot generates 500 documents for 250 employees each month, and while a human could generate one document in 6-7 minutes, the robot can do it in 1-1.5 minutes. The introduction of the robot software has freed up this workload completely, as well as eliminating human error and shifting employees to more important and complex tasks that require direct human involvement. By using a robot, repetitive tasks are carried out without errors, labour efficiency is improved and data is accurately managed. Two processes have now been robotised, with another 28 under development

Digitalisation has also upgraded the Company's marketing. In 2020, a new website design was developed. In addition to an improved catalogue, various forms of feedback appeared on the website, including a chat-bot (virtual operator). All this contributes to improving the Company's image and customer service.

The digitalisation programme for 2021 envisages further work on creating digital twins, applying machine vision technology and software robotisation. Machine vision is to be used for process control purposes, such as copper-coated wire quality in steel-wire production. The system will analyse the copper-coated wire surface quality in the flow and signal to the operator when there is a defect or violation of the process.

As part of the digitalisation programme, information kiosks were installed in the production of fasteners, wire and rope in 2021. These kiosks provide employees with useful and relevant information about the company and its operations, including documentation, occupational and fire safety instructions, instructions for professions and types of work, information about trade union and social life and much more.

A key card system with digital identification has been introduced in the tool shop this year. A vending machine for issuing personal protective equipment (gloves, masks, goggles, etc.) has started operating in fastener production in test mode. There are also plans to purchase four industrial passive exoskeletons, which will reduce the physical strain of lifting loads and help to do the job properly and accurately.

MMK-METIZ's digitalisation programme is being implemented as part of MMK Group's Digitalisation Strategy. It is based on about 200 digital transformation projects affecting almost two dozen key functional areas of the Company's operations. In addition, the portfolio of digitalisation projects includes almost two dozen technological IT platforms required for effective implementation of the strategy. Priority areas include an integrated corporate information system, mobile access to key business applications, use of artificial intelligence technologies to solve tasks of modelling and forecasting technological and business processes, end-to-end customised production planning and operational management of order fulfilment, solution of problems of protecting life and health of the plant's employees at their workplaces.