Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works (MMK) Group has developed its first program-controlled robot capable of executing the functions of an employee working on a computer.
The robot was created by MMK Infoservice’s (a part of MMK Group) Center for RPA and Innovation based on innovative RPA (Robotic Process Automation) technology.
The robot, which has already been commissioned, was developed to promote efficient cooperation between MMK’s commercial department and suppliers of metal scrap. It processes incoming emails from suppliers, searches Russian Railways databases to check the status of freight cars being dispatched to MMK, updates the commercial department on the results of these checks and drafts reports about specialized services at MMK. The program carries out these operations quickly and successfully, avoiding problems associated with human error.
The key task for MMK Infoservice’s Center for RPA and Innovation is to design and launch program-controlled robots capable of performing routine business operations. This will give MMK’s specialists more time to solve complex tasks requiring creativity and expertise.
One of the Center’s priorities is to further increase the efficiency of MMK by adopting program-controlled robots and engaging employees in robotisation. Global experience in the robotisation of business processes using RPA technology has demonstrated its effectiveness in the digital transformation of businesses, which is the basis of the Industry 4.0 concept – a key area of MMK’s strategic development.
In order to ensure large-scale use of RPA technology, in September together with PwC, MMK Group launched a project aimed at assessing the mill’s business processes. (MMK/Ukrainian metal)