NLMK Europe Expands Asset Monitoring Program with AI Technology from Samotics

LEIDEN, Netherlands, 5 October 2021 — Leading steel manufacturer NLMK Europe is expanding its program to monitor the health of critical assets after completing a successful pilot with new machine learning technology at its hot strip mill in NLMK La Louvière, Belgium. The company plans to roll out the SAM4 system from Dutch tech company Samotics across its other sites in Europe.

Samotics’ technology is based on electrical signature analysis (ESA), an approach to condition monitoring that offers unique advantages. The SAM4 system captures electrical data remotely, in the motor control center, so there is no need to install sensors on or even near the equipment. “Most of our machines operate in extremely high ambient temperatures, where most sensors will just burn up,” says Pavel Podyachev, R&M system development manager at NLMK Europe. “SAM4 finally gives us a way to monitor these assets.”

SAM4’s use of ESA technology confers two more benefits for NLMK’s overall asset monitoring strategy. All condition monitoring technologies detect a broad range of mechanical faults; ESA is the only one that can also detect electrical faults, which cause up to 30 percent of equipment failures. It is also the only technology that can report on energy efficiency. “SAM4 offers detailed energy and performance insights that will concretely help us reduce our environmental footprint,” says Podyachev. “This is a strategic objective in NLMK’s sustainable development goals.”

“We are proud that NLMK is offering us the opportunity to implement SAM4 across Europe,” says Simon Jagers, Samotics’ cofounder. “It’s a testament to the value that our industrial analytics technology provides on a day-to-day basis, and we are delighted to be part of making the steel industry safer, more reliable, and more sustainable.”

To learn more about Samotics’ ESA technology, visit the Samotics website.

ABOUT NLMK EUROPE

NLMK Europe comprises the production companies and service centres of the NLMK Europe Strip Division (NLMK La Louvière, NLMK Strasbourg, NLMK Manage Steel Center), and three NLMK Europe Plate production companies (NLMK Verona and NLMK Clabecq & NLMK Dansteel).

Located in Belgium, NLMK La Louvière focuses on the production of hot- and cold-rolled coils for the automotive, construction, and engineering industries. The site production capacity will be enhanced to 2,200,000 tonnes of hot-rolled steel and 1,500,000 tonnes of pickled steel. NLMK La Louvière is continuously expanding its range of products and steel grades of cold forming & deep drawing, structural and pipe steels, quenchable boron & high carbon steels, dual phase, ferro-bainitic steels and other advanced steel grades.

ABOUT SAMOTICS

Samotics was established in 2015 with the aim of eliminating unplanned downtime and industrial energy waste. An expert team of data scientists, software developers and technical specialists develop AI-driven predictive maintenance solutions for AC motors and rotating equipment. Our clients and partners include industry leaders such as Anglian Water, ArcelorMittal, Nouryon, Schneider Electric and TotalEnergies.