Calejo has together with RISE Processum, RISE, Eurocon and MoRe Research conducted a successful project study focusing on “Digitalization and AI in the process industry”. The study has resulted in in-depth knowledge and two new AI projects for Calejo.
RISE Processum was responsible for the project, while RISE and Calejo conducted the in-depth interviews with 16 different companies in the Swedish process industry and then also co-authored the report.
The goal has been to present a knowledge base for continued research, development and innovation in the field and identify application opportunities (process steps, components, etc.), where smart algorithms and AI can be of great benefit at low cost and a lower level of risk-taking for the process industry. The project also focused on finding´applications, where AI can work and operate in interaction with the online process and the operator.
Great need for AI
The project study states that companies in the process industry are in a revolutionary transformation of their operations.
- Here there is a need for solutions that use the understanding of the chemistry and physics of the underlying processes in combination with more general solutions based on smart algorithms such as AI. An AI can learn from given input and output data from a process, without in itself containing any additional knowledge about the process underlying connections, says Ulf Jennehag, senior researcher in digital systems at the Department of Industrial Systems at RISE.
Different conditions and degree of maturity
The purpose of the project has been to investigate the degree of maturity related to digitization and AI in the Swedish process industry and to provide proposals for suitable areas for developing the area of digitalization and AI in the process industry. The 16 process industry companies that were interviewed in depth together represent the classic process industry with a focus on forestry and mining operations.
- All companies have investments in the AI area underway. The variation is great, some have come a long way in general, others have just started their journey, says Ulf Jennehag.
Two new projects initiated
The project's task was also to investigate which digitalization challenges are most urgent to implement.
- As a direct result of the study, we have now initiated two follow-up very exciting projects, which we will return to later, says Carl Johard, CMO at Calejo.
