Geir Sandnes heads Hydro Aluminium Metal's Digital Production Support, Technology, and Operational Support department. Before starting this role, he was part of the management team in Hydro Corporate IT with responsibility for the Digital Center of Excellence and Digital Plant Products across the business areas in Hydro.
Digital Production Support is responsible and guarantor for several digital products in the production area at Hydro Aluminium Metal.
{alcircleadd}The products range from control systems and sensors on the factory floor via production follow-up systems to data analysis platforms and information portals in the cloud. Products are mainly developed in-house at Hydro. The department has expertise in cybernetics, robotics, automation and software engineering.
AlCircle: Could you tell us more about Hydro's digital technology implications for aluminium production?
Geir Sandnes: Hydro has put digitalization and digital transformation on the strategic agenda for some years. This ranges from IIoT, control platforms, digital tools for the operators, robotics and automation, and analytics and data science platforms.
Furthermore, Hydro runs internal training programs for adapting to digital technology and data-driven decision-making in production and maintenance areas.
AlCircle: What is HAL5000 technology that Hydro has invested in, and how will it increase production efficiency?
Geir Sandnes: HAL5000 is a fifth generation in-house developed control system for electrolytic cells. This new generation technology will give opportunities for increased data availability while leveraging the latest control algorithms and model development.
The HAL5000 pot control system is designed to deliver more efficient control of aluminium production. As a result of upgrading electrolysis cells, the technology contributes to increased production, reduced electricity consumption, and lower CO2 emissions.
AlCircle: What is the importance of digital transformation in sustainable manufacturing?
Geir Sandnes: Digitization is an essential tool for utilizing data streams which make the process more efficient, reduce energy consumption and contribute to our sustainability objectives. In order to build a resource-efficient industrial base, digital technologies play a vital role. By adopting digital technologies effectively, manufacturing industries can reduce costs and improve sustainability and flexibility.
AlCircle: What effect did automation and robotics have on the manufacturing sector? How has it impacted the production of Hydro?
Geir Sandnes: Automation and robotics have obviously increased efficiency in the manufacturing sector. Automation can significantly improve the efficiency of manufacturing operations, and at the same time, it reduces costs. In addition, it allows a single facility to produce a variety of products and boost production. In manufacturing, robotics has revolutionized production because it is able to perform tasks repetitively with precision.
As a result of automation with Hydro, we can get better quality data, which is important for further analytics and improvements.