“Intending to reduce our impact on the climate by cutting CO2 emissions linked to our activities, we drew up a carbon balance sheet at the beginning of 2023”, Julien Valloton, CEO, GAP Engineering

Julien Valloton is an accomplished mechanical engineer specialising in the metallurgical industry, specifically aluminium manufacturing processes. With over 15 years of experience, he has dedicated his career to advancing automation, mechanical engineering, and process optimisation within the complete aluminium manufacturing lines. Julien adeptly balances his roles as a technical manager, project manager, and Co-Owner of the esteemed company GAP Engineering SA, located in Valais.

Driven by his enthusiasm for collaborative teamwork, cutting-edge technologies, and the gratification that stems from fostering enduring partnerships with clients, Julien Valloton continues to excel in his field.

AL Circle: Could you provide a brief overview of your company's activities and the services it offers in the field of heat treatment for aluminium?

Julien Valloton: The continually increasing requirements for productivity, energy consumption, and quality of foundry products require consideration in the design concept of the whole plant. This applies in particular to the casting technology, the installation's mechanical design, and choosing suitable process automation (especially concerning quality and product traceability). Process support during commissioning and possible later support in recipe development and optimization are other important factors contributing to an optimal technology transfer. This applies to new installations as well as to retrofitting existing plants. The activities of GAP Engineering concern mainly the execution of global automation and mechanical solutions for installing new plants as well as for modernizing existing plants.

The competence in the area of aluminium is mainly concentrated on:

• Vertical slab casting machines
• Extrusion lines retrofit
• Milling centers for thick plates
• Sawing centres retrofit
• Induction furnaces and,
• Thermal processes (quenching, heat treatment)

Our specific services in the field of heat treatment furnaces and industrial machinery, in general, can be summed up in 6 phases:

1. Analysis and planning
2. Engineering and design for automation and mechanical retrofit
3. Manufacturing, assembly, and testing
4. Automation and mechanical upgrades, commissioning
5. Data acquisition, powerful software for recipe management, production & energy monitoring, etc.
6. AI for continuous process improvement

AL Circle: What are some of the common challenges faced by the aluminium industry in the context of heat treatment processes? How does your company address these challenges? Please describe any innovative solutions or approaches you have developed.

Julien Valloton: Today's industry is constantly evolving, dictated by climate change, the geopolitical situation, and the constant evolution of technology.

The main challenge for heat treatment furnaces is product quality, which must meet increasingly stringent standards. I'm thinking of products made for the aeronautics industry, where traceability and temperature stability throughout the process are essential. Added to these parameters are the safety and reliability of the installation for maximum productivity throughout the machine's life cycle.

For many years now, we have also been focusing our efforts on the energy consumption of our plants to reduce their carbon footprint and cut production costs.

AL Circle: Could you describe a notable project or case study where GAP engineering played a crucial role in achieving success? What were the main strategies employed?

Julien Valloton: It takes a lot of work to talk about just one particular project. Every project is different and requires a highly professional approach. Our level of process understanding has enabled us to do furnaces of all sizes, from 1kg batch bar turning parts to multi-ton rolling ingots. First-class automation equipment and solid automation experience enable us to realize these exciting projects.

Our portfolio includes, for example:

• Gas furnaces for aeronautics (homogenization)
• Induction furnaces for billets (stainless steel, aluminium),
• Horizontal Heat Treatment furnace (electrical)
• Small electric furnace for screw-machining parts

Our working strategy is always based on an in-depth analysis of products and processes, followed by the right choice of hardware and the definition of functionalities. Excellent hardware coupled with reliable software using powerful and precise algorithms enables us to ensure reliable production in complete safety, which is one of our key concerns. Traceability, automatic reporting, and ultra-fast data acquisition give process engineers a clear view of their processes.

AL Circle: How does GAP engineering contribute to sustainability and environmental impact reduction?

Julien Valloton: Intending to reduce our impact on the climate by cutting CO₂ emissions linked to our activities, we drew up a carbon balance sheet at the beginning of 2023. This assessment enabled us to analyse the source of our current emissions, target measures to reduce them and obtain a label.

GAP Engineering has already made a particular effort to reduce the energy consumption of our premises. We now want to focus our efforts on limiting the impact of our travel and transport activities. To this end, several measures are currently being implemented:

• Organizing home office (setting up a governance structure with indicators)
• Promoting soft mobility among employees
• Proposing less polluting freight transport options (sea Vs air/rail Vs road)

AL Circle: What emerging technologies or trends do you see shaping the future of GAP engineering? How are these innovations transforming the industry?

Julien Valloton: The industry is changing fast, and the digitization of processes is a major activity. This activity takes place at different levels, depending on the sector. IoT plays an important role in our activities, enabling us to access data efficiently. We are very active in data management, creating dashboards for various industrial players. Monitoring processes or energy data gives stakeholders a clear vision, enabling them to define business strategies.

AL Circle: Can you discuss any ongoing research or development initiatives in the field of GAP engineering that are pushing the boundaries of the industry?

Julien Valloton: We are currently working on several innovation projects. This research will enable us to add another layer to our skills and activities in the field of industrial automation. Our efforts are focused on intelligent machines (AI) that can help engineers and all other stakeholders in a production line.

AL Cirlce: Is there any additional information or insights you would like to share regarding heat treatment challenges and solutions in the aluminium industry?

Julien Valloton: A leading industrial partner with over 30 years of experience in automation in the industrial sector. The aluminium industry is exciting, and we look forward to putting our expertise to work for new international customers.