SILA Union at the V International Metallurgical Summit: where digitalization of the mining and metallurgical industry is heading
More than 250 industry participants, dozens of reports and two rich discussion tracks — the V International Metallurgical Summit / Digitalization, held in Moscow, once again confirmed the status of a key professional platform for dialogue on the future of the mining and metallurgical complex.
Representatives of mining and metallurgical companies, IT experts, industrial solution developers, and industry analysts gathered at one site to discuss how enterprises are transitioning from point-to-point digital initiatives to managed digital systems. Against the background of the accelerating digital transformation of the mining and metallurgical complex (MMC), operational efficiency, risk reduction, data and processes are in the spotlight.
These tasks require a comprehensive approach combining data, processes, and digital tools. And there is a solution — the SILA Union platform, which represents an ecosystem approach to working with data, processes and analytics and is actively used by industrial companies to increase transparency of operations and support management decisions.
The summit was held with the support of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, the Metallurgmash Union, the Big Data Association and the Prioksky Non-Ferrous Metals Plant. The format of the event made it possible to combine the strategic vision of the industry's development and the real cases of digital transformation that are underway today in mining, processing, metallurgy and refining.
The main focus is the transition from individual digital projects to a systemic digital environment.
In their welcoming address to the Summit participants, the moderators outlined a key challenge for the industry: the introduction of digital technologies requires workshop—enterprise—holding solutions and the formation of a unified architecture that allows working with data, equipment and processes as an integrated system.
It was in this context that the opinions of experts from large companies were voiced — JSC RUSAL, Automated process Control System LLC EVRAZ, ZDK Gold of Yakutia, Directorate of Aerodynamics of the Rights Commission of the Russian Federation, Competence Center for Digitalization of Business Processes of the Digital Economy Development Fund, Ultimatek Group, Severstal Management JSC, SILA Union and others..
MMC digitalization today is about managing integrated production ecosystems, where AI, MES, automated process control systems, predictive analytics and industrial networks must be coordinated with each other.
SILA Union: the role of process architecture in MMC's digital transformation
In a number of discussions, the importance of a methodically structured process architecture was noted, which today is becoming the basic condition for the introduction of AI, MES systems, equipment integration and modernization of production units.
SILA Union acted as an expert on the topic of digital maturity of processes and managed architecture, emphasizing that complex implementations in metallurgy often "stall" precisely because of the lack of a transparent picture of processes, roles and data.
The SILA Union platform helps MMC enterprises:
— describe production processes in a single outline,
— coordinate digital initiatives,
— ensure the manageability of the implementation of MES/ERP/automated process control systems,
— create architectural solutions that are understandable to both IT and production.
Session 1: Digitalization of production and implementation of intelligent systems
The first session was devoted to practical cases of enterprises:
— implementation of an intelligent control system at Karelian Pellet,
— construction of predictive MES systems,
- wireless industrial infrastructure,
— Automated control system modules adapted for metallurgy,
— predictive analytics at MMK,
— digital production at TMK.
Experts agreed that efficiency gains are achieved only where digital solutions are integrated with real processes, rather than layered on top of them.
СEssay 2: AI, computer vision, digital twins and new automation models
The second session focused on how AI enters the workshops and production lines:
— computer vision systems of Severstal Digital LLC,
— Russian CAD/CAM complex ADEM,
— integration of equipment from foreign manufacturers,
— Norilsk Nickel cases on the implementation of AI in flotation,
— digital assets of InterGold,
— development of the GOK digital ecosystem.
SILA Union emphasized in this discussion that in order for AI to work in production, it requires a structured process with correct data, areas of responsibility, integrations, and a change management system.
The ESNO Club and the informal part
A separate event of the summit was the Intellectual Club with Viktor Sidnev, the master of the game "What? Where? When?", the owner of the Crystal Owl and the honorary title of "The best captain of the Club." He gave the event a non-standard format of interaction, from testing intuition to team challenges.
The evening ended with informal communication, exchange of contacts and a raffle of prizes from partner technology companies.
Exhibition of Solutions
A focus exhibition was open all day, featuring solutions for industrial communications, secure mobility, network infrastructure, industrial IT platforms, and automation.
Summit results
The V International Metallurgical Summit showed that metallurgy is moving from fragmented digitalization to the formation of systemic digital industries, where architecture, processes and the ability of an enterprise to manage a complex technological environment play a crucial role.
In these circumstances, SILA Union's tools become a necessary element of transformation.: They help steel companies build transparent processes, coordinate digital solutions, and build sustainable production ecosystems.
