National Atomic Company of Kazatomprom has held a coordination meeting in Shymkent attended by the heads and specialists of subsidiaries’ IT departments. The meeting was mainly dedicated to the targets of rapid technology modernization including implementation of digital technologies and robot automation at uranium production, the company press-service reports.
CEO of Kazatomprom Askar Zhumagaliyev said the national company was currently carrying out active development and implementation of a number of technologies such as big data, augmented reality, 3D printing and robotic application in the furtherance of country’s global competitiveness targets imposed in President Nursultan Nazarbayev’s Address. As a part of Industry 4.0 trend implementation, Kazatomprom performs all-round automation of the major lines of uranium production. It is a platform to adopt more sophisticated technologies such as Digital Mine, ERP (enterprise resource planning), Integrated Planning System, Situation room. These projects are the ground for other elements of Industry 4.0: robotization, 3D printing, Internet of things, augmented reality, etc.
Kazatomprom-SaUran was among the first enterprises to set up Digital Mine pilot project in 2016. This informational system acquires data, ensures optimal operation, monitors chemical consumption, cuts standby time of equipment, timely identifies and eliminates emergencies. It is expected that the economic effect of the Digital Mine will have exceeded KZT 12 billion by 2025.
Subsidiary of Kazatomprom, Ulba Metallurgical Plant, develops additive technologies (3D printing). Using 3D printing they are going to manufacture implants of tantalum as it is well compatible with human body. In addition, these technologies make it possible to print parts for uranium production equipment. By 2020 the economic effect of the additive technologies application is expected to be KZT 2 billion.
The augmented reality technologies help create 3D models of an enterprise where its employees can try out emergency situations such as fire, pipe burst. It shapes decision-making skills in a critical situation. One of the fundamental components of Industry 4.0 is the Internet of things. With IOT all actual operating data will be delivered to the center via a number of built-in sensors. This will provide valid data and ensure process independence excluding human factor at production.
Besides, even now the facilities of Kazatomprom are using drones to monitor transmission pipelines in hard-to-reach places. It is planned that in future drones will be able to deliver small cargoes (medicaments, equipment parts, tools, etc.) to manufacturing sites. This year the representatives of the company in the delegation headed by Kazakh Prime Minister visited Silicon Valley, the USA. During the trip they had several meetings with American top companies on exchanging experiences in IT technologies. The trip resulted in cooperation projects to be realized with large technologically developed companies. Such cooperation will guarantee the best operational solutions in Kazakhstan and maintaining the leading positions, and will ensure new achievements. (Kazinform/Ukrainian metal)