Tekniker and Grupo Erlo join forces in Industry 4.0

Nowadays, and thanks to a number of developments reported in the industry, it is possible to monitor equipment by using technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to obtain real-time condition information and data relative to errors that may occur at a given point in time during production. For companies, this means that the reliability and availability of their equipment will be improved and that it will be possible to measure component wear to take timely decisions.

It is in this context that, Grupo Erlo, specialised in cutting and shaping solutions, has underscored how important it is for customers from different sectors such as the automotive or aeronautical business to obtain information on thread quality. Tekniker, a member of the Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), is currently collaborating with Grupo Erlo to develop a connected machine equipped with technologies such as Edge Computing to gather information on threads to manage product quality.

More specifically, it is a thread tester that offers cloud-accessible data to perform real time monitoring and allows machines to provide customers with critical information aimed at improving the efficiency of their processes. The fact that this information is available in real time and in the cloud allows for the early detection of thread quality failures and improves process efficiency, among other benefits.

Thanks to this collaborative action, Grupo Erlo and Tekniker will establish a major long-term strategic partnership that will further the competitiveness of the industrial fabric by providing solutions that SMEs will be able to implement in terms of Industry 4.0.

In this particular instance, the technology centre will provide its extensive expertise with regard to Industry 4.0 and connected machines to offer solutions and improvements for equipment via the acquisition, processing and analytical capabilities offered by sensors that can detect potential operational anomalies, make condition diagnoses and predict potential failures.

The technological proposal is based on adapting one of Tekniker’s technological assets, the so-called Big Data SAM Smart Asset Management platform to store and analyse incoming data. In addition to the platform itself, a connection must be provided so that all the information gathered and stored by a datalogger can be sent to Grupo Erlo for the purpose of including more machines in the future in other production monitoring systems.

Innovative equipment used to manage thread quality

The early detection of thread failures on production lines will not only allow Grupo Erlo but also other companies to achieve higher levels of process productivity and efficiency. Additionally, and thanks to this technological proposal, production line efficiency will improve because less time will be required for steps involving quality checks.

It must be stressed that by storing critical thread information in the cloud, highly valuable data can be obtained to allow decisions to be taken quickly. Consequently, this technology will provide companies with information on process traceability, as well as relevant data if an incident occurs. Likewise, it will be possible to discover the origin of a problem whenever a part fails.

The materialisation of this project will further technological innovation in terms of the range of products and services that Grupo Erlo offers. This machine, moreover, could become a major driving force with regard to diversifying and achieving an international presence based on the portfolio of this Gipuzkoa-based company.

This project has an impact on SDG 9 - Industry, innovation and infrastructure and SDG 12 - Responsible production and consumption, contributing towards the economic and environmental pillars of sustainable development, and, ultimately, on society at large.

 

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